Mevlana Guesthouse (Konuk Evi)

The Mevlana Guesthouse (locally known as Konuk Evi) occupies a traditional Ottoman-influenced townhouse in the Aziziye quarter of Karatay, roughly 150 metres from the entrance to the Mevlana Museum and Mausoleum — the most visited religious and cultural site in Turkey. Şems-i Tebrizi Street and the Mevlana Square bazaar are within a two-minute walk, making this one of the best-positioned budget properties for pilgrims and cultural travellers in Konya. The city-centre tram stop on the Konya Metro T line is a five-minute walk, linking guests directly to the train station and main shopping districts.

The guesthouse is housed in a restored two-storey stone building with a decorative carved facade and an open rooftop terrace that looks across the neighbourhood's terracotta rooflines toward the green-tiled dome of the Mevlana tomb. Interiors are simple but tidy, furnished with wooden beds and local kilim textiles that reinforce the Rumi heritage character of the property.

Room options include private singles and doubles as well as mixed dormitory beds, making it accessible to solo travellers, couples, and small groups on a tight budget. All rooms share clean corridor bathrooms, and a communal kitchen is available for self-catering. Breakfast — typically Turkish tea, bread, cheese, olives, and eggs — is available on request at a small additional charge. The rooftop doubles as a social terrace in the evenings.

Service is owner-run and informal, with the host generally on-site to advise on prayer times at nearby mosques, the Sema ceremony schedule at the Mevlana Cultural Centre, and day trips to Çatalhöyük or the Sille valley. There is no lift, so guests with heavy luggage should note that rooms are on the upper floor. The property suits independent travellers, visiting academics, and Sufi pilgrims who prioritise proximity to the Mevlana shrine over hotel amenities.