Tatvan, Turkey, July 1

Ustun hotel, room 206
Decent little hotel in a town with very few options. Our room had definitely seen better days, with peeling paint and old carpet, however there was a peep of the lake and the bathroom was clean. Beds were mind-bogglingly hard - feels a bit like you are doing penance for a mid-range crime, while the colour scheme was in lurid technicolour. On the positive side, management are very friendly and a good breakfast is included in the rate. If you ask, they can arrange trips up to Mt Nemrut (we were quoted 20 YTL per person). This hotel would also be a good option for female travellers.
Bathroom: private
View: lake and streetscape
Cost: 40 YT
Recommended: Yes, seems to be the best of the bunch.
Contact: Address: 23 Hal Caddesi, ph 0434 827 90 14

Izmir, Turkey, June 3

Hotel Baylan, room 22

In places where haggling is a part of life, often you're better turning up and negotiating a rate, rather than booking ahead. We did this here and managed to drop the price by around 25 Turkish lira. The room was mostly clean (apart from the pumpkin seed husks revealed under the beds when we moved them together) and spacious, although there's a little noise from the street outside, while the hotel itself has a good location near the train station. This hotel would be a good choice for solo women travellers.
Bathroom: private
View: Street
Cost: 60 Turkish lira, including breakfast
Recommended? Yes