This Chic Bodrum Retreat Boasts A Beach Club And Sweeping Views Of The Aegean
Some hotels merely serve as a place to lay your head after a long day exploring a destination. Others are so stunning, luxurious, and full of things to see, taste, and experience that you wonder how you're going to force yourself to leave the property. The Mandarin Oriental Bodrum, a 5-star resort on the Turkish Riviera, falls into the latter category.
Arriving to the Mandarin Oriental Bodrum Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Bodrum
Perched atop Paradise Bay, jaw-dropping panoramic views of the glittering Aegean first greet you on the terrace. Tiered gardens, pools, restaurants, and luxury boutiques like Chanel and Cartier gently slope down the hillside towards a crescent-shaped stretch of sand, a tony beach club, and a beckoning sea in shades of crystal-clear aqua and deep azure. While the peaceful retreat spread across nearly 150 lush acres is a quick car ride away from the sights of Bodrum center — known as the jewel of the Turkish Riviera — be forewarned that it may be hard to tear yourself away from the resort's many charms.
Aerial view of Mandarin Oriental Bodrum Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Bodrum
The Mandarin Oriental Bodrum is perched overlooking Paradise Bay, on the northern coast of the Bodrum Peninsula. The resort is a 5-minute drive to the town of Göltürkbükü, 20 minutes to Bodrum center, and about 45 minutes from Milas–Bodrum International Airport.
Welcome terrace Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Bodrum
Peaceful, secluded contemporary luxury — with a mix of families, well-heeled couples on romantic getaways, and influencers snapping shots with the Aegean as their backdrops.
One of the resort's 11 dining options Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Bodrum
Overlooking Paradise Bay, the tiered resort slopes down the hillside to the Aegean Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Bodrum 11 distinct dining and drinks options, including casual family-friendly breakfast spots, traditional Turkish fare, innovative cocktail bars, modern Chinese cuisine, and a haute couture patisserie
Over a mile of gorgeous private sand beach with bars, restaurants, and a beach club
Nearly 150 acres dotted with olive and pine trees give a peaceful and secluded feel
Indoor and outdoor pools for adults and kids
Pampering spa with vitality pools, hammams with private scrub rooms, a fitness centre, and outdoor treatment spaces
Scuba diving, watersports, and boat rentals
Basketball and tennis courts
On-site luxury boutiques including Cartier, Chanel, Elie Saab, Eres, Falconeri, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Missoni, Van Cleef & Arpels…
The stellar 5-star service for which the M.O. brand is known
Sea View guest room Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Bodrum
Aegean Suite bathroom Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Bodrum
Bougainvillea Suite private infinity pool Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Bodrum
There are 122 guest rooms in all, including 59 rooms, 28 apartments, and 25 villas. 10 super luxe suites — the largest in their category on the Bodrum Peninsula — include private outdoor spaces (sundecks, terraces, or balconies), and many also have their own gardens and/or infinity pools too.
Bougainvillea Suite terrace Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Bodrum Architecture and Decór
From the guest rooms to the restaurants, bar, beach club, and lounge spots, the design (by acclaimed Italian architect, Antonio Citterio) is meant to highlight the sweeping panoramas and natural beauty of stunning Paradise Bay.
Sleek and contemporary lines frame out the views, and a calming color palette of tasteful neutrals and natural elements like gleaming woods comprise the interiors.
Blue Beach Club & Bar Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Bodrum Dining
Count yourself lucky if you stay at the resort long enough to sample all 11 of its dining and drinks options. Not to be missed are kebabs on the sand at Blue Beach Club & Bar, traditional Turkish fare at Hafız Mustafa 1864, alfresco Mediterranean dining at Lucca Beach, and modern Chinese cuisine at Hakkasan.
Gild the lily with innovative cocktails at Mandarin Bar and jewel-like patisserie at Vakko L'atelier.
Outdoor spa cabana Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Bodrum Who It's Best For Couples
Families, including those with young kids and multigenerational groups
Solo travelers
For more information or to book a stay, visit Mandarin Oriental Bodrum.
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'She brought to the table so many things that I didn't even know you had to do for the wedding.' Hold tight to your aesthetic vision While that first florist the couple saw had put forth dainty little blooms, Des and Shane had a bigger statement in mind for their florals—which is that there would barely be florals at all. The decor complemented the Mallorcan surroundings instead of competing with them, via warm wooden chairs, white candles in glass vessels, and spare explosions of palm leaves standing tall and architecturally, all handled by Enesencia Design. 'We chose to do a ton of candles to keep the light low. I think people look stunning when the light is at your eye level. It gives you that golden glow,' says Des. 'We had these very tall greens to add some height, since the tent was so tall.' Though vendors kept pushing them toward string lights, the couple wanted something more commanding, with James Turrell's fine-art installations as a reference. 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On Friday, they held a rehearsal dinner on site at Es Racó, followed by dancing. 'We actually had to kick everybody out at 1am, because nobody wanted to go to sleep,' says Des. Saturday began with a meditation with guests under a tree, with the moment dedicated to Shane's father, as it was the anniversary of his passing. That afternoon, they held a pool party, followed by another dinner on the property. 'Since we had bought out the hotel, it was four days of full immersion with the people we love at all points,' Des says. The wedding itself began in the early evening on Sunday, so that their son and the other invited children wouldn't get too cranky. The ceremony was held on the lawn, followed by a cocktail hour nearby with a local band, the Nayla Yenquis Group, playing. Guests were summoned to walk through a vineyard to a tent for dinner, while dessert and cake-cutting were held back on the terraces, under moonlight, where the dancing began in earnest. 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During cocktail hour, guests were offered classic Mallorcan bites, like anchovies, crunchy cod and tomato, roasted eggplant croquettes, and patatas bravas, while dinner itself was a grilled sea bass. Party with a taste of home The wedding dinner opened with a sip from Des' native Bulgaria: Small glasses of the fruit brandy rakia were handed out for a stiff toast. 'There's one in particular we love, and I figured out how to procure it and ship a few cases to Es Racó from Bulgaria,' the bride says. It was even served alongside an opening salad of mainly cucumbers and tomatoes, which is how it is typically consumed in her culture. After all the dancing and merriment (and cocktails), the group was wiped by the end of the wedding, so the partying didn't exactly follow the Spanish tradition of winding into the wee hours. And that suited the couple just fine—after all, they were parents. Originally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler The Latest Stories from Condé Nast Traveler Want to be the first to know? Sign up to our newsletters for travel inspiration and tips 45 Abandoned Places Around the World That You Can Visit The Cheapest Nicest Hotels in Paris The Women Who Travel Power List 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
