Where to Stay in Çeşme: Best Areas and Hotels Near the Chios Ferry

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If you are catching a morning ferry to Chios, stay in Çeşme town centre, around the castle and marina: the Chios boats leave from Ulusoy Port in the centre, which local guides put about a 10-minute walk from town. If Çeşme is your holiday base and Chios is a day trip, choose by beach and mood instead: Alaçatı for stone houses, boutique hotels and nightlife, Ilıca for a long shallow sandy beach, and Dalyan or Boyalık for quieter bays and family stays.

We haven’t stayed at these hotels ourselves; we picked them on location, published details and guest ratings.

Short answer

• Best for the night before the ferry: Çeşme town centre, near the castle and marina. You can walk to the port with your luggage and skip the morning taxi.
• Best for a beach holiday plus a Chios day trip: Boyalık or the town centre. Boyalık beach is about 1.6 km from the centre, so you are close to both the sea and the port.
• Best for the beach: Ilıca, with a long white-sand beach that stays shallow far out, and large thermal hotels behind it.
• Best for families: the big hotels with kids’ clubs in Ilıca, or Dalyan, where Kocakarı cove is sheltered from wind and waves.
• Best for boutique hotels and nightlife: Alaçatı. Stone houses, restaurants and bars, but you will need a minibus or taxi to the ferry.
• Budget tip: May, early June and September to October are noticeably cheaper than July and August. A simple hotel in the centre plus the local dolmuş (shared minibus) to the beaches is one of the cheapest ways to do Çeşme.

Areas

Chios ferries leave from Ulusoy Port (Çeşme International Ferry Terminal) on Atadağ Caddesi in the town centre. Distances below are from Çeşme centre, so you can read them as distance from the ferry port. Beach distances come from the local guide LikeÇeşme.

Çeşme town centre

The centre is both the historic core of Çeşme and the place the Chios ferries leave from. The castle, bazaar, marina and seafront are all within walking distance, and the ferry ticket offices sit just south of the castle. The dolmuş routes to Alaçatı, Ilıca and Dalyan pass through Cumhuriyet Meydanı in the centre, so it also works as a base for exploring the peninsula without a car.

The downside is that there is no big beach in the centre itself, and the seafront can be busy and noisy on summer evenings. For swimming you will head to Boyalık or the coves further out. The centre suits anyone catching an early boat, doing Chios as a day trip, travelling without a car, or staying only one or two nights.

Boyalık

Boyalık is the long, mostly sandy bay just north of the centre. LikeÇeşme puts the beach about 1.6 km from town and describes it as north-facing and relatively sheltered, with much of the shoreline taken up by hotel and beach-club sections.

Public beach space is limited, though, and to make the most of the bay you usually need to stay at a beachfront hotel or pay for a beach club. Boyalık suits couples and families who want to be out of the centre’s bustle but still close to it.

Dalyan

Dalyan is a quiet area north of the centre, built around a small fishing harbour and nearby coves. According to LikeÇeşme, Kocakarı cove, about 5.2 km from the centre, is a small, shallow strip of golden sand sheltered from wind and waves, which the guide calls ideal for families. Sakızlıköy cove, about 4.3 km out, is quieter and has few facilities.

You cannot walk to the port from Dalyan; you need a dolmuş or taxi. In summer the Dalyan dolmuş leaves Çeşme bus station roughly every half hour, less often than the Alaçatı and Ilıca lines. Dalyan suits families who want calm water and are not looking for nightlife.

Ilıca

Ilıca is one of the best-known beach areas on the peninsula. LikeÇeşme describes Ilıca Beach as about 1.7 km of white sand, with water warmed by thermal springs and shallow for 90–140 m from the shore. Large hotels with thermal pools line the area, and the shallow water is a real advantage for families with small children.

The catch is summer crowds: the same guide notes that the beach gets busy and parking is a problem. You will need a dolmuş or taxi to reach the port; the Çeşme–Ilıca dolmuş runs frequently in summer. Ilıca suits families and beach-focused travellers spending several nights, with a Chios day trip slotted in.

Alaçatı

Alaçatı is the peninsula’s most popular village, known for around 300 stone houses that are 100–150 years old, often with blue shutters, plus boutique hotels, restaurants and bars. The shallow, windy Alaçatı Bay suits both beginner and experienced windsurfers, and the Port Alaçatı marina sits on its western side.

The trade-offs are price and crowds: many boutique hotels sit at the top end of the market, and summer evenings in the lanes are very busy. The village centre is a couple of kilometres from the nearest beach, and the ferry port is a dolmuş or taxi ride away. Alaçatı suits couples who see Chios as one part of a longer holiday; for the last night before an early ferry, the town centre is more practical.

Hotels

The hotels below are ones we could verify through at least two independent sources (the hotel’s own site, booking platforms, tourism portals). We have left out anything we could not verify. Guest ratings are what we saw in October 2026 and will change.

Çeşme town centre

For ferry morning, ask in advance about breakfast times and whether the hotel can prepare a breakfast box. Most central hotels have no parking, so confirm before booking if you are arriving by car.

Boyalık

Ilıca

Alaçatı

Practical tips

Where the ferry port is and how to get there

Chios ferries leave from Ulusoy Port (Çeşme International Ferry Terminal) on Atadağ Caddesi in the town centre. LikeÇeşme puts it about a 10-minute walk from the centre, the marina and the castle, with the operators’ ticket offices just south of the castle. For operators, timetables and fares, see our Çeşme to Chios ferry guide.

• From the centre: walk. Even with luggage it is a short stroll.
• From Boyalık: a short taxi ride.
• From Dalyan, Ilıca and Alaçatı: dolmuş or taxi. The dolmuş leaves from Çeşme bus station (otogar) and passes through Cumhuriyet Meydanı in the centre; pay the driver in cash in Turkish lira. According to LikeÇeşme’s summer 2026 information, the Alaçatı and Ilıca lines run every 7–10 minutes during the day and the Dalyan line every 30 minutes, with fares around 75–85 TL. Times and fares change often, so check locally.

In summer, especially at weekends and on holidays, aim to be at the port 60–90 minutes before departure. The crossing takes about 17–35 minutes depending on the boat. Greece is one hour ahead of Türkiye, so keep that in mind when planning your return. Cars are carried only on some sailings, so check with the operator first if you plan to take one.

Documents

Many foreign holidaymakers can cross to Chios with just their passport, but entry rules depend on your nationality, so check them before you book. A Northern Cyprus entry stamp in your passport can cause problems at Greek border control, according to LikeÇeşme. The ferry guide linked above covers the crossing itself.

When to book

July and August, especially weekends and Turkish public holidays, are Çeşme’s busiest time. In peak season it is worth booking weeks or even months ahead; even a single night in the centre before the ferry can be hard to find at the last minute.

Best months

Published guides recommend late April to May and September to October: temperatures above 20 °C, lower prices and fewer people. Midsummer is very hot and very busy. For swimming, June and September offer a good balance. Alaçatı’s herb festival in April is another reason to visit in spring.

Do you need a car?

If you stay in the centre and only plan to cross to Chios, no. A car helps for exploring coves or staying in Dalyan, but summer parking in Ilıca and Alaçatı is difficult. İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport is roughly 70–85 km from the peninsula, depending on the source and where you stay, and regular coaches run between İzmir and Çeşme. For other crossings, see our routes overview.

FAQ

Where should I stay in Çeşme for an early ferry to Chios?

In the town centre, near the castle and marina. Ulusoy Port is about a 10-minute walk from the centre, so you can walk to the boat without waiting for a taxi or minibus.

Can I get to the Chios ferry from Alaçatı?

Yes, but not on foot. Take a dolmuş or taxi into Çeşme centre. The dolmuş runs frequently in summer, but for an early sailing a taxi is the safer choice.

Which area of Çeşme is best for families?

Ilıca and Dalyan. Ilıca Beach is warm and shallow a long way out, and Kocakarı cove in Dalyan is small, shallow and sheltered. Most of the big hotels with kids’ clubs and pools are on the Ilıca side.

Should I stay in Çeşme or on Chios?

For a day trip, staying in Çeşme is enough. If you want to see more of the island and enjoy an evening there, spend at least one night on Chios; see our guide to where to stay in Chios.

Can I leave my car in Çeşme while I visit Chios?

Some hotels offer parking; confirm the price and availability for multi-day parking with the hotel before you book. If you want to take your car across, remember that only some sailings carry vehicles.

Sources

• Alavya – Booking.com
• Alavya – My Boutique Hotel
• Best hotels in Alaçatı – The Hotel Guru
• Zevkliler Alaçatı – Booking.com
• Ilıca Hotel Spa & Wellness Resort – Booking.com partner site
• Ilıca Hotel Spa & Wellness Thermal Resort – ZenHotels
• Ilıca Hotel Spa & Wellness Thermal Resort and other Çeşme hotels – Hotels.com
• Kanuni Kervansaray – official site
• Kanuni Kervansaray Historical Hotel – lastminute.de
• Kanuni Kervansaray Historical Hotel – Mes Prestiges
• Ertan Hotel – Expedia
• Ertan Otel Çeşme – Tatilsepeti
• Ridvan Hotel – Hotels.com
• Rıdvan Otel Çeşme – Etstur
• Neşe Otel – Expedia
• Neşe Otel – Kayak
• Nese Hotel – dnata Travel
• Kosa Otel Çeşme – Hotels.com
• Kosa Otel Çeşme – Turna
• Boyalık Beach Hotel – Visit İzmir
• Boyalık Beach Hotel & Spa – Turkish Airlines Holidays
• Swissôtel Resort & Spa Çeşme – official site
• Swissôtel Çeşme – Accor press release
• Zevkliler Alaçatı – Hotels.com
• Zevkliler Alaçatı – Kayak
• Hotels in Çeşme – LikeÇeşme
• Çeşme–Chios ferry – LikeÇeşme
• Dolmuş in Çeşme – LikeÇeşme
• Çeşme beaches – LikeÇeşme
• Alaçatı – LikeÇeşme
• Chios–Çeşme ferry route – Ferryhopper