Maçakizi Hotel

Türkiye

A former artist’s retreat near Bodrum on Türkiye‘s stylish Riviera stays true to its origins, promising bohemian style that veers as far from glitz as it is possible to get without losing one iota of comfort

Taking a plum perch amid viridescent plant life, in that really rather sweet spot between Bodrum’s hillside and the Aegean Sea, Maçakizi captures all that’s good about life on the Turkish Riviera. In its first iteration, back in the Seventies, it was an artist’s retreat and the bone fide bohemian spirit sparked by owner Ayla Emiroğlu lives on, imbuing the property with a sense of quiet authenticity in the face of generic glitz elsewhere along the coast.

A family affair, with its roots grounded in a rustic subtlety – balanced with the gentle gloss of contemporary luxury – the unique space framed by jasmine, magnolia and bougainvillea is staggered in four layers from the hill to the water. Feeling like the kind of place only a few people know about, it merges beach-club vibes with the sentiment of an off-radar hideaway, where all the staff know your name – and your drink order. Each of the 74 pared-back but homely rooms, dressed with unique artwork, comes with a blossom-framed terrace, with those on the lower levels affording proximity to the water below, where loungers line the deck ready for sun salutations. Elsewhere, tranquillity amid the pines is broken only by the chorus of cicadas.

Heroing seasonality and local traditions, food is a big deal here. Chef Aret Sahakyan has been at the helm since 2000, bringing new Turkish cuisine to visitors from near and far. An open-air pavilion plays host to breakfasts of local fruits, homemade bread and Turkish pastries; and lunch is a wealth of koftes, fresh salads and fish caught on nearby shores. Come dinner, expect modern twists on classic Mediterranean fare to emulate art on the plate: king crab tempura with yuzu mayo, grilled grouper with beetroot gnocchi and sea samphire, perhaps.

If you can pull yourself away, a yacht’s on hand for day-tripping to Greece, there’s windsurfing nearby and Bodrum itself is a 45-minute drive away. Or you could simply head to the sail-enrobed hotel bar, take a dip in the pool or pootle along the beach and see who you run in to... Chances are, they’ll be interesting.

Doubles from £934, including breakfast and airport transfers. 00 90 252 311 2400, macakizi.com

Words by Blossom Green.

This review was taken from the July 2023 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.