Thermal Tourism in Turkey

Turkey is very gifted when it comes to thermal tourism and its potential.There are 1,500 thermomineral springs in Turkey and almost all provinces in Turkey has some thermal springs. Thermal waters have traditionally been used for health and SPA purposes in Turkey since ancient times. The oldest thermal therapy center in Anatolia was Allianoi, an ancient spa settlement, with remains dating predominantly from the Roman Empire period (2nd century AD) located near the city of Bergama (ancient Pergamon) in Turkey. The SPAs in Turkey are used by 7 million locals and 200,000 foreigners each year.

Bursa
Bursa was the most important city with thermal baths in Ottoman times. Today, it is still a popular thermal SPA destination in Turkey with most of its thermal baths. There are many traditional hamam in Bursa and thermal tourism is mostly concentrated in Cekirge and Oylat. Still Bursa itself also offers very nice thermal baths.

Yeni Kaplica (Termal Hotel and Baths), for example, is one of the best hamams in Turkey and offers an experience not to be missed while visiting Bursa for anyone interested in a relaxing thermal bath. The bath is serving people since Suleyman The Magnificent time and is built in 1555. Be warned, the water is quite hot here with around 80 Celcius.

Most thermal springs of Bursa are in Cekirge region. Çekirge Thermal Springs originate from a place named Vakifbahce and all hotels and spas receive their thermal waters from there. It is known (or believed) that this spa is good, as bath water, for rheumatic syndromes, motion systems, painful diseases, vascularto obstruction, diabetes, gout and metabolic disorders, and as drinking it cures the liver and biliary tractdiseases.

Types of spas you can find in Bursa are rehabilitation spa, wellness and traditional spas.

Denizli
Denizli area is a historical thermal places since acient times. Hierapolis, Laodikeia, Herakleia,
Tripolis and Afrodisyas were historical cities in the area offering thermal sources to antic era people. Among these Hierapolis is a the most famous thermal treatment city. Right next to the Pamukkale, Hierapolis, became the most famous thermal treatment center of the Romans.

In Denizli there are Pamukkale, Karahayıt, Sarayköy thermal tourism areas. Pamukkale is the most famous of all these and offers some of the best thermal hotels in the region. Pamukkale is famous for its Cotton Castles or PamukkaleThermal Pools.

Pam Thermal Hotel in Pamukkale for example features a sauna, an outdoor pool and a jacuzzi. Guests can enjoy the on-site day spa, which features a mineral bath and hydrotherapy facilities, as well as a range of body treatments.

PamukkaleThermal Pools

İzmir

Aegean Coastal city of İzmir is host to the oldest historical thermal treatment center in the world, Allianoi located in İzmir-Bergama. Balçova Thermal Tourism area, Çeşme Thermal Tourism area, Seferihisar Thermal Tourism area and Dikili-Bergama Thermal Tourism area are the main thermal centers in Izmir.

Thermal Pools in Cesme Altin Yunus

Aloft Bursa Hotel

Aloft Bursa does not only offer one of the best accommodation alternative in Bursa, it also offers a very good design, probably the best in Turkey. The hotel is at the hearth of Bursa, Nilufer District and offers a central location and nice accommodation to both business and leisure travelers. The Bursa city center (Ulu Camii area) is 20 TL or 15 minutes taxi ride from the hotel. If you are OK to walk a little, you can also take public bus from Aloft Bursa to the Bursa city center.

Aloft Bursa is a new hotel. It was opened in 2013. I have previously stayed in Aloft Bangkok and there realized that there is also an Aloft hotel in Bursa (the only Aloft in Turkey I guess). So when I was in Bursa, I have decided to stay in this hotel.

The warm and small hotel / hostel environment of Aloft Bursa, coupled with its friendly staff makes it a very nice stay. The design of the hotel is unique and quite colorful but comfortable. I must say the bed was ultra-comfortable, 40’’ TV was great and the room offers a comfortable retreat to both watch movies (if you have a laptop or a USB memory, you can connect it to the TV and watch your movie from the TV) or sit in the table and work while enjoying the view. I loved the bathroom in Aloft Bangkok and I loved the bathroom in Aloft Bursa too. The large bathroom area is ultra-stylish.

Overall, the room is so trendy and relaxing that, you would not like to leave it to go out.

The Wi-Fi  is available in every corner of the hotel so if you are one of those carrying a laptop around with you or just glued to your smartphone, you will love this hotel.

Aloft Bursa has a nice but small swimming pool and fitness facility.

What I liked most in W XYZ Bar are the cocktails and the comfortable couches to just lie down and relax. And I also loved the breakfast. But I did not love the fact that it was not free. It is also not very cheap but the total price of breakfast + room is still acceptable.

Summary : If you are looking for a nice hotel in Bursa, with a great design, comfortable stay and affordable price, Aloft Bursa is one of the best alternatives you have.