The Hostelz.com Review
Of all the guesthouses in a month's travel in Turkey, Athena Pension was the best we stayed in. The owner is a fellow named Aydin, who treats you like you are a long lost friend coming back to visit. As the first guest who had checked into the pension, we were invited to his mother's house for soup when we returned from doing some shopping in the city. After soup (which actually turned out to be a meal), he showed us around the hills on his motorbike. When we returned to the Pension, there were two more travelers checked in. We all hung out, and the next day, Aydin took us to the market where we loaded up on food and proceeded to take over the kitchen to cook a feast.
Let's talk facilities. The house is an old Ottoman house. The rooms are very comfortable and kept spotlessly clean. The shared bathrooms are also beyond reproach. There is a sitting room which has a computer that Aydin will let you use. There is an open area with tables where breakfast is served in the morning. This breakfast is where Aydin's hospitality really shines. Most places make coffee and give you toast. His includes omlettes, several spreads for your bread, and if there are enough people (as there were the second morning), his mother may bake some Turkish pastries and bring them over. The pension is on a small side alley, so compared to the other places you may stay, there is no street noise.
Let's talk facilities. The house is an old Ottoman house. The rooms are very comfortable and kept spotlessly clean. The shared bathrooms are also beyond reproach. There is a sitting room which has a computer that Aydin will let you use. There is an open area with tables where breakfast is served in the morning. This breakfast is where Aydin's hospitality really shines. Most places make coffee and give you toast. His includes omlettes, several spreads for your bread, and if there are enough people (as there were the second morning), his mother may bake some Turkish pastries and bring them over. The pension is on a small side alley, so compared to the other places you may stay, there is no street noise.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
March 2005
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Athena Pension Details
Category: Guesthouse
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Hostelz.com Guest Reviews
Comfortable and Friendly base to experience the history of Bergama I traveled here in April last year and I found it a really memorable hostel. Aydin was a fantastic host and really looked after us, showing us round in his own car, cooking magnificent breakfasts, and being generally hospitable. The guy obviously loves meeting new people and showing them the sights of Bergama. Wonderful rooms too. — Jim , Australia (2008-04-10) Wonderful We visited in March 2006, after the Eclipse (which we saw in Side). Our rooms were nice and cozy, the atmosphere was rustic cosmopolitan, which can not be found everywhere! The Pension is lovely, and I cannot wait to see if the expanded garden has happened. It is located in the ordinary neighborhoods of Bergama, a short walk from excellent restaurants, or local shopping. Kids in the neighborhood showed us the hole in the fence, and we walked the ruins in the evening. Would love to return, both to Bergama and the Athena. — ecleptic earth , usa (2007-08-05) We stayed at Athena Pension on a cold night. I was delighted to sleep in a bed with an electric blanket! Aydin is winsome, clever, and so eager to please. Be sure to try some of his spiced honey, purported to have many amazing health benefits. If I'm ever near Bergama again, I will definitely visit Aydin and see what he's been up to. — Kim , USA (2007-05-17) we have stayed a lot of places here in turkey and i really like this pension. it's very clean and i feel like i'm at a home away from home. most important for us city dwellers -- it's quiet! we plan to come back soon because aydin just showed us his new rooms. he has acquired a new ottoman house right next door and honestly it will be amazing when it's finished being remodeled. hopefully next spring we will be able to stay in those new rooms. — corey and ayse , american / turk (we live in istanbul) (2007-04-12) This place was cold and dreary when we looked to stay. I would go somewhere else with more atmosphere. Plus its located in a small alley which might not be so good at night for lone travelers! — Kat (2006-11-06) I stayed at Athena Pension in August 2005. My friend and I didn't want to leave! I fully agree with the comments expressed so far, especially those on Aidin, the manager, a sweet, quiet, efficient, and loveable person. But what I'd like to stress here is... THE BREAKFAST! People, you really must try it! Do you see the long line of little tables set out in the courtyard in the photo? Imagine them LADEN with any sort of food you might want: sweet stuff, cooked stuff, different jams, vegetables, drinks, chocolate spreads, fruit... A MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE! You can't miss it. Have a meal like that in the morning and you'll sprint around all day! WOW... Even the photos I took of it make my mouth water.
If anybody does go there, say hi to Aidin from me. He might just remember the Italian girl who gave him some washing to do, among which was a baby's sock (I use it to keep my mobile phone in, it ended up in the washing by mistake)... I thought it had got lost in the machine, but Aidin had hung up the tiny thing on a special clothes line with its own clothes peg... what a sweet thing to do! — Nìcola-Jane - ITALY (2006-02-19) I visited this hostel in October 2005 with a mixed group of eight. We loved it. The owner was friendly, the breakfast was great and the rooms were very good. It is in a great position, very handy for all the sights and has great character. There are good restaurants very close and I couldn't recommend it highly enough. There is a very good kitchen and washing facilities. It's a good place to visit — you will not be disappointed! — Alan Bain (2005-10-27)