Ten minutes from Bodrum Town is Caresse, a property from The Luxury Collection by Marriott International. One of the many five-star hotels that can be found peppered along this smart Turkish peninsula, the large, relaxed hotel has a private sandy beach and is conveniently situated a quick taxi ride from the excitement and culture of the nearby town.
With cerulean shores that overlook the neighbouring Greek island of Kos, this Marriott property attracts an international audience, which on our visit included an exuberant American wedding, but it is said has also been popular with the Saudi royal family and the odd Russian oligarch.
Hotel
An Aegean retreat on a stretch of coastline that in recent years has also been coined the ‘Turkish Riviera’; instead of hiding away in the pine forests among the remote hills of the peninsula, Caresse benefits from being located on the outskirts of Bodrum Town. With a historic castle, here you can learn about Bodrum’s heritage in addition to meandering the dazzling bazaar for shopping that goes late into the night, with eclectic bars, restaurants and coffee shops.
The bold, blue infinity pool seemingly melts into the ocean that the hotel overlooks, whilst beneath, a small, elegant and sandy beach is lined with smart sunbathing decks on either side, with restaurants, a bar, and boutique filled with colourful designer labels. Cast up the side of the hill, the angular blocks the property is constructed within is woven with bright bougainvillea flowers and lush palms, acting as the perfect platform to enjoy the desirable vista.
Rooms and suites
Accommodation options are comprehensive. With 84 rooms in total, choose from one of the 67 rooms, nine suites, six one-bedroom residences, one three-bedroom residence and finally, the opulent Caresse King Villa. Burrowed among the gardens with a view through the trees of the bay was our deluxe, seafront marine suite. Small but neatly finished with a fresh colour palette, including white wooden shutters that framed our sliding doors, it had a marine-themed décor that embodied reclining aboard a luxury yacht.
Each room offers Marriott’s Signature Luxury Collection Beds (a personal highlight) with views of the Aegean Sea, and a private terrace or balcony. Meanwhile, behind the main hotel building and situated up the hill are the variety of residences available. Offering the epitome of privacy, each oasis includes private pools, tucked among tranquil gardens with views that cast over the hotel and bay beyond. With panoramic sea views, each has been designed to reflect a nautical, jet-set lifestyle where design and sophistication embody Bodrum’s persona.
Food and drink
Reflective of the Marriott brand’s international presence are the bars and restaurants that are located down on the shoreline, and by the infinity pool. Transforming from day to night is the popular Buddha-Bar Beach bar and restaurant. With fruity cocktails and an Asian fusion menu, we ate platters of sushi on the deck whilst the waves lapped beside our feet. For a local taste from nearby Greece meanwhile is Barbarossa. Offering an authentic taste of the Aegean, high quality Greek classics are created with simple ingredients by chef Dimitrios Nikolis.
Hotel guests are also invited to devour the flavours from Italy at the hotel’s La Zucca Pizza Bar, a perfect break from the beach for a laid-back lunch with a high class menu of handmade pizzas and pasta which we washed down with glasses of pale rosé. Lastly, upstairs beside the infinity pool and main breakfast restaurant, is the Glass Lounge. Open for lunch and dinner and with a menu of Mediterranean dishes, this outdoor terrace features sunken booths that look down onto the sea where yachts bob across the bay and the moon mirrors across the calm water.
Spa and wellness
Hidden in the centre of property is the hotel’s Caresse spa which offers a choice of treatments that have been designed uniquely for the hotel. Using locally sourced essential oils, select from Ayurvedic options, body scrubs, wraps and facials, in single or couple treatment rooms. Guests can also glam up for one of Bodrum’s many beach clubs with manicures and pedicures or a makeover from the onsite makeup artist. This can be used alongside the 24-hour gym, for all your weight training and cardio needs.
To do
Bodrum’s most historic and exciting elements are just a quick taxi ride from the hotel. Walk along the marina filled proudly with Turkish wooden gulet boats flying the national Turkish red flag and around the ancient castle next door with its shipwreck ruins. Around the corner lose yourself in the bazaar which is lined with dazzling shops, welcoming bars and endless restaurants offering local Turkish dishes and romantic moonlit spots along the town’s sandy shoreline.
In a nutshell
Caresse champions all you need on site, with everything else just around the corner. Perfectly balancing Bodrum’s white, sandy beaches with the culture and excitement of Bodrum Town, dip your toes between the best of both words: whether it’s plate of sushi on the hotel’s private deck, or a spread of traditional Turkish plates amidst the local bazaar.
Factbox
Address: Gümbet, Asarlik Mevkii, Adnan Menderes Cd. No: 89, 48400 Bodrum/Muğla, Türkiye
Phone: +90 252 311 36 36
Website: marriott.com/en-us/hotels/bjvlc-caresse-a-luxury-collection-resort-and-spa-bodrum
