Taking Off: The Coolest Getaway This Spring

TAKING OFF

by travel-expert José Berrocoso

Overlooking the turquoise waters of the Aegean, backed up by hills, Maçakızı is situated on the north side of the Bodrum peninsula in a lovely village called Türkbükü. Adorned with vibrant bougainvilleas and luscious plants Maçakızı sits against the sapphire seas of the Aegean.

The coolest getaway this spring!

It has a mesmerizing setting ; simple yet very elegant... The history of the area goes back thousands of years B.C. The most famous being the tomb of King Maousollos of Caria which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World as well as the 16th century Castle built by the Knights of St. Peter, sitting proudly on a hill overlooking the twin harbor of Bodrum. Initially, Ayla Emiroglu established a pension and a private beach in 1977 in Bodrum. Ayla Emiroglu, with a keen eye for all things tranquil and natural; created a haven for all guests. Her original aim
to create an inspiring environment for writers, painters, other intellectuals and all, with her bed and breakfast service, continued to evolve & grow, as Bodrum, through out the years. The seeds of the Maçakızı concept, continues to ourish with the vision and contemporary mind of Ayla’s son Sahir. Since 2000, Maçakızı is located in Türkbükü and along with its private and popular beach, it is transformed into a beautiful boutique hotel. This unique heaven is now being carried into the new millennium and further.

The hotel is set over several layers which descend down to the sea-front. This means that each visitor to the hotel is treated to a climatic X-Factor esque grand reveal as you stroll down closer and closer to the show stopping water-front view that officially marks your arrival at Maçakizi and which has become so revered in its own right. At that final sea level you draw aside the Jasmine scented theatrical curtain of exotic flowers and perfectly manufactured fauna to emerge onto the Maçakizi stained pine decking. From this extraordinary vantage point you can take a moment to gaze out over the giggling clustered groups of sun drenched, bikini clad bodies and out to the shimmering, crystal clear waters of the bay.

This sea front layer is one half of the social epicentre. The al fresco bar adjacent to the decking adds it own decadent sounds of ice cubes breaking inside cocktail shakers to the hypnotic base of house music, which is managed from the DJ booth overlooking the action.

The rooms at Maçakizi are designed to be simple oases from the merriment and festivities of the hotel’s bar, restaurant and lounger filled decking. The property has 51 rooms and 22 suites, featuring artwork by renowned Turkish artist Suat Akdemir. 18 garden view rooms overlook our lush gardens while 35 sea view rooms o er Aegean vistas framed by hot pink bougainvillea. Our 13 junior, 3 Sea view & 6 Villas o er understated luxury and ultimate privacy. All rooms and suites have been newly renovated. They’re decorated with modern furnishing, travertine oors with under oor heating, open plan bathrooms with rain showers. Interiors of suites are redesigned with understated luxury while still maintaining the Bodrum style.

FOOD DESTINATION

It is claimed at Maçakizi that ‘each dish created in the restaurant is a work of art’; a claim which is impossible to refute when every course so marvelously balances trendy, modern Mediterranean cuisine with iconic Turkish classics, with a particular emphasis on sea food for obvious reasons. As darkness falls diners laugh and chatter from across their open air tables, Cuban cigar smoke starts to rise and each hour that passes means that the pour from the wine bottle becomes more and more liberal and the stories shared around the Maçakizi Restaurant tables become more daring. Prevailing sounds are the clatter of stiletto heels on the stone floor and the clinking of wine glasses as diners toast to being in one of the most glamorous locations in the world.

WELLBEING

Have a treatment in the open-plan Nuxe spa treatment rooms with bamboo-lined walls, or heat up in the glass-fronted hammam. Decadent facials, massages, body scrubs and wraps, manicures and pedicures, treatments for men, bespoke treatments and personal-fitness sessions will leave you flower-scented and utterly relaxed. You can also unwind with a Pilates class overlooking the bay. A hairdressing and beauty salon is in the works, too. Lovers seeking romance and seclusion should come outside of high season (July and August), when the hotel turns into a magnet for the monied of Istanbul, and the Euro yacht set. This is a hotel which truly has it all, and isn’t afraid to boast a tad but Maçakizi didn’t just become a legend by virtue of its singular views, well mixed cocktails and excellent gastronomy. Rather, it earned its position atop the pyramid by virtue of decades’ worth of commitment to providing excellence across the board; service at the hotel is immaculate and the understanding of each guest and their unique requirements is tantamount to perfection. Frankly, Maçakizi can boast as much as it wants.