The Stay Alacati Warehouse

The Çeşme peninsula, on the west coast of Turkey, extends out into the Aegean Sea, a place with abundantly obvious appeal as a holiday destination. Alaçatı adds a picturesque old town and a protected bay that’s among the world’s best for windsurfing. And thanks to Stay, the Turkish mini-chain, it’s also got The Stay Alaçatı Warehouse, a design hotel whose concept is as evident from its architecture as it is from its name.

It’s an authentic 1980s warehouse, as its distinctive roofline, red-brick construction, and oversized shop windows indicate. Today it’s been put to cultural, not industrial, use — it’s not just a boutique hotel but a venue for musical and theatrical performances, film screenings, cooking workshops, and much more, including an arts and architecture library.

The setting is urban but the suites all look out into the compound’s gardens; to call it an “urban resort” would be no exaggeration — the rooms come with luxe modern comforts, including espresso machines, Smeg minibars, and high-end sound systems, including turntables, and are decorated in a smart urban-rustic style. There’s a lovely pool, as well as shuttle service to both Alaçatı’s town center and to the private Plage Isolée beach club.