Bodrum offers unlimited luxury

This week I'm going to tell you about one of the most ambitious examples of exclusive vacation concepts in Turkey, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Bodrum. The facility, uniting the international Mandarin luxury with Bodrum's turquoise waters, is located at Cennet bay. Maybe that's why it is simply heaven at every corner. The hotel, designed by Antonio Citterio, is integrated with Bodrum's nature, but still has not appeased from luxury.

The hotel's Corporate Communication Manager Mrs. Yeşim Doğukan greets us. She is a perfect lady and a real professional. I can read her passion for her profession and her love for the hotel from her face. Before we arrived at our room by golf carts called Buggy's, we start to discover the hotel accompanied by Mrs. Doğukan. Mandarin Oriental Bodrum is made up of residence and hotel sections. The Residence section, where the famous and wealthy of the world and Turkey buy villas, has a separate entrance and a beach. There are total of 129 rooms in the hotel section. The villas have their own private pools, kitchen, recreation area and a sauna. You can also hire a kitchen chef, babysitter and masseur for the villas, where butler service is given. You can go around the whole facility with the golf carts driven by the sharply dressed personnel. It's pretty fun. You can go to the beach or visit the Beymen Store within the hotel to shop. Believe me, there are many things to do here.



When we reach our room, we see a concept design where Bodrum's nature is combined with luxury. Even the standard rooms are 72 square-meters. Everything is tastefully elegant and doesn't strain the eyes. TV remote controls stay in leather boxes and design wonder Pozzi Ginori's products are used in fixtures. I loved the double-sided cabinet idea to offer dry-cleaning service in the room. The backside of the cabinet in the room opens to the outside. This way, your dirty clothes you leave in the cabinet are taken by the service personnel without knocking on your door and bothering you and are left back the same way. The cosmetic products on the other hand, one of Asia's popular brands, Shangai Tang has been selected. I loved their scents. The room's garden is ideal for breakfasts and for you to do sports with the mat in the room. The big cushion sofa is perfect for watching the stars.

Let's now talk about the beach section. There is a beach area named Blue Beach within the hotel's territory. There is also a restaurant with the same name in this section. The calamari and lahmacun are delicious. But, what got my interest the most was the Brazilian bread you can't easily find in Turkey. The cocktails of the restaurant, giving service accompanied with a view just above the sea must also be tasted. At the beach area, on the other hand, comfortable wood beach chairs with cushions are awaiting. I especially loved the giant straw double layer umbrellas. The sea is simply paradise. You can also enjoy hookah at this unmatched beach of the Mandarin Oriental Bodrum, which made an arrangement with Huqqa this year. I suggest the one with Redbull. It's actually my main choice. Another pleasurable section of the hotel is its pool area. This area, where lodges we call kabana's are, is pretty relaxing. You can enjoy the pool, which is installed with special stones, and is also where infinity pool is located. It's possible to watch the see and anchored luxury yachts from inside the pool. Likewise, there is a big restaurant serving samples of world cuisine in this section. The beef ribs with BBQ sauce must definitely be tasted here. This flavor really took me back to my days in America.



The most ambitious beach area within the Mandarin Oriental Bodrum became the Blue Marlin Beach Club, which came from Ibiza and opened a branch in Turkey. This area, which has a separate entrance fee, is a venture of the Alchemy Project. Actually, by coincidence, I met with Mac. S. Far, the CEO of this company during my return flight. He is a very talented, outgoing and cool person. Blue Marlin, like its name, is a place where blues and whites dominate. It made an agreement with BMW and free valet service with the latest model of BMW's are offered from the car park area to the beach club entrance. Its restaurant area is also pretty ambitious. I especially love their salad with quinoa, pineapple and avocado. Out of the main dishes, the lobster is of the same quality as the ones served in restaurants in the French Riviera. The biggest difference of the Blue Marlin is its entertainment. There is a very big stage area and a big screen and DJ cabin where huge lights are placed. The most famous DJs of the world entertain Bodrum's elite guests here. It was very important for such a famous beach club chain to come to Turkey. I congratulate Mandarin Oriental Bodrum for this selection.

Now, let's talk about the restaurants. The main restaurant of the hotel where breakfast is also served is Sofra. The detox fruit juices and donuts at breakfast are striking. But I want to tell you more about the Japanese and Italian cuisines that serve mostly dinner. First is Kurochan. This place, which means black friend in Japanese, took its name from an inspiration from an animation character. It's designed mystically and set in between the pine trees. The lanterns hung on trees, bamboo plants on the tables and the attires of the waiters made me feel like I was at one of those luxurious restaurants on top of one of the skyscrapers in Japan. The menu, on the other hand, is absolutely a show. I recommend for you to examine the main dishes under the "Significant Other" title. The marinated cod fish, lamb meat smoked with tea and wagyu steak cooked with caramelized onions were absolutely wonderful. Out of the sushi, fried Unaki is ideal for people who like crispy sushi. But the most unique flavor, I think, was the creme brulee with green tea among the deserts. Likewise, there are also exclusive samples of Japanese whiskies, which are pretty popular these days. Make sure to stop by Kurochan, but don't forget to first make a reservation.

Another concept restaurant at the hotel is Assagio. This place, which means tasting and sampling in Italian, is at the seashore. You can also come with your yacht, since it has a private dock. The restaurant, serving wonderful flavors from Chief Alexandro Cottitto, is chic and plain. Italian songs are played in the background. The fried squid and lobster taglietelle were great. Out of the deserts, I suggest the wet cake with rum and mascarpone cheese. The cake, in a light sherbet, is matched with cheese and it goes pretty well. After dinner, the Super Jazz Club near the hotel lobby offers unmatched music concerts. You can settle in soft couches set around the pool and enjoy the sea view, live music and cocktails.

Another area the Mandarin Oriental Bodrum is ambitious in is the SPA section. It is authentic with big ceilings and wonderful scents, covering an area of 2,700 square-meters. Especially the outdoor relaxation area set around the artificial lake will make you feel as if you're in the Far East. The Jacuzzi, full of seawater in the Zen garden, is another beauty that will spoil you. There are many massage types at the SPA. The deep sleep massage was one of the most interesting therapies. This massage is done with special oil that shows its effects on the body eight hours later and toxins within the body are thrown out. Likewise, the massage called the Aegean Peace is also interesting. This massage is done with olive seeds and lasts for exactly four hours! Skin care is also available with products from Spain's famous cosmetic brand Nature Bisse. Vitamin support given to the skin with these creams really makes one feel good after a day in the sun.

In short, there are many options where you can spoil yourself at the Mandarin Oriental Bodrum. I congratulate the entire hotel management for adding such a valuable facility to the Turkish tourism world. You should visit at the first chance you get for a vacation above world standards and unforgettable memories.