Amanruya, Bodrum – hotel review

Tranquil gardens, a stunning private beach and your own pool "pavillion" – even a single weekend at Amanruya is well worth the four-hour flight from London.

Where is it?

Officially in Bodrum, but Amanruya is a world away from the sprawling all-inclusive resorts and buzzing bar strips of the town itself, which is working hard to shake its slightly downmarket reputation. In true Aman style, the hotel is calm sophistication, perched on a quiet hillside on the northern side of the Mandalya Bay – but close enough to the action that day trips to the bustling capital of the peninsula are more than possible, although it’s highly unlikely you’ll want to leave. It’s perfect for short-hops, from the airport it’s a speedy 30 minute drive along a winding coastal road to the resort. Trust me: memories of the stag and hen do filled budget flights will drift into oblivion the moment you arrive and witness the staggering views over the Aegean. Cocktails help, naturally.

Style

Amanruya reopened this year after a two-year face lift, and it shows. It’s designed as a reimagining of a traditional Ottoman village with a Mediterranean twist, and is all grey marble, soaring ceilings and endless tranquil olive-filled courtyards and sun-dappled terraces. It’s vast, and endlessly beautiful: each corner brings a new view to marvel at, with cannily placed seating areas at every turn to capture the best. Although the hotel was fairly full for our visit, it felt as if we had the place to ourselves.

Which room?

Rather than rooms (not quite luxe enough, you see) Amanruya has 36 pavillions which all have their own private gardens and pools. The suites are laid out on the property as if part of a small village but it’s well planned: although they’re close together, each offers complete privacy, and wandering through the winding honey coloured ‘streets’ is a joy. All are similar, but have slightly different outside layouts. The very best offer uninterrupted sea views. That said, it would be hard to go wrong.

Facilities

At the heart of the resort is a vast Olympic size marble-lined infinity pool – but it’s unlikely you’ll take a dip when the ones in the pavilions are so sizeable, and less overlooked. Save the (slightly more) public swimming for the sea, for it’s the Amanruya’s own beach club that’s the real draw here. It’s a dusty 15-minute walk from the hotel, but a golf buggy will whizz you over in moments – and it’s quite simply breath-taking. Quiet, luxurious and with free water sports on offer (from sea kayaks to paddleboards), it’s very easy to while away the days in pursuit of the most Instagrammable angle of the jetty, before giving up and having a spritz delivered to your lounger instead. Back at the resort, the spa is also world-class, and there’s an impressive three-story library: although we only ventured up to check out the view from the glass topped tower, which was well worth it. The hotel can organise the usual outings, from boat trips to historical tours.

Food & drink

The food on offer is varied and can be eaten almost anywhere, from the private dining pavilion to the vaulted wine cellar. Menus feature the standard room service staples alongside more traditional Turkish offerings. Weeks later and I am still dreaming of the morning cilbir, a breakfast dish of poached eggs with yogurt and garlic. Over the course of the weekend we dined like kings: magnificent truffle burgers laid out in our private garden for a reviving post-flight snack, lashings of mezze served on candlelit terrace, and potent post-prandial martinis. But the best meals we had were at the more relaxed beach club bar. Halloumi wraps and fresh, zingy gazpacho were utterly delicious, but made unforgettable by the background music of cicadas and lapping waves.

Best For

A weekend escape that will feel more like a fortnight – arrive, flop, and recover.

How to get there

Fly to Bodrum, which is a fairly achievable four hours from London. We travelled with EasyJet, which has regular flights. The hotel offers a return airport transfer service for a small charge, so you’ll be in the sea before you know it.

When should I go?

During the peak summer months season the peninsula sizzles and the crowds descend – but the hotel remains a cool escape from the hoards. But for guaranteed peace, June and September are the most blissful months, although bear in mind that the hotel closes from October.

Details

A stay at Amanruya starts from 719 Euros per pavilion per night including breakfast, taxes and fees.