T+L’s Hotel Review of Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort

While a soft Aegean breeze sifted through the chic open-air lobby at Maxx Royal Bodrum, I was mesmerized by a digital artwork by American-Turkish artist Refik Anadol that spans an entire wall and swirls in neon blends of blues, greens, and tangerines. The installation, one of many world-class artworks in the resort, signposts the hotel’s commitment to creativity and amplifies the Bodrum peninsula’s lush, leafy landscape and watery surroundings.

“It all starts with the lobby,” says Mahmut Anlar, the hotel’s architect. “Simple, minimal, sophisticated, like a clear glass vase, where all of nature is in view.” His Istanbul-based studio, GEOMIM, conceived and designed the 28-acre resort, with interiors by his sister firm, GEO_ID. From the space’s elevated perch, the expanse of the resort cascades down the sides of a shallow valley to a private shimmering bay and a curving white sand beach.

The knockout space is a beguiling preview of the many other masterstrokes I would encounter throughout the hotel. Meticulously considered details reveal themselves bit by bit, so that by checkout time, guests have a sense of discovery. “When guests leave, I want them to say, ‘I have to come back,” says Anlar. For example, the pattern carved into the creamy marble sides of the Lounge Bar is identical to that in the intricate iroko wood ceiling. And the greenish diabase stone used around the pools was selected to match the exact color of the sea when illuminated by sunlight.

In a destination that has become synonymous with the sun-seeking, globe-trotting beau monde, the newest, most glamorous resort is from Turkey’s own hospitality innovator, Maxx Royal Resorts. In recent years, international standouts Edition, Aman, Mandarin Oriental, and Six Senses, among others, have all planted roots in Bodrum (Bulgari is currently under construction).

But despite its pedigree and coastal Aegean bearings, Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort, which opened in May 2024 on the north end of the peninsula, is very much a cosmopolitan luxury resort. This is evoked in bold fashion by its many on-site partnerships with global gastronomy and hospitality superstars, including Caviar Kaspia, Spago by Wolfgang Puck, The Maine, and the iconic Mykonos lifestyle brand Scorpios, that nests on one edge of the little bay and offers grown-up, late-night sizzle.

And yet, it was a welcome gesture of authenticity when Erhan Ozdemir, manager at the restaurant Twenty4, introduced me to his country’s adored breakfast combination: a warm simit, a Turkish pretzel, slathered with kaymak, a rich clotted cream, then doused with honey scooped from a local honeycomb. On the balcony in my room, I plowed through a bowl of native green satsuma oranges, one of Bodrum’s sweetest pleasures.

Although there is nothing low-key about the arrestingly beautiful Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort, it was designed with the intention of eventually merging with—or even disappearing behind—the cover of nature. The hotel is planted throughout with fresh greenery, including oleander, Nile lilies, pomegranate, and Spanish olive trees.

Buggies—there are 67 of them available to guests—ferried me up and down the gentle hills, which added a sense of adventure to this green and sprawling place. I never felt swallowed up despite its vastness. In fact, with so many spots to sip a mocktail, read a book, or slip into the water, the hotel felt surprisingly cozy.

Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort is not merely a design bravura showpiece, but a rare luxury hotel where the personalized service is warmhearted, rather than condescending. It is also a place where I could meander in flip-flops from pool to pool, each more stunning than the next. Inevitably, I wound up at the beach for a dip in the impossibly clear bay and an iced cappuccino.

Below is my review of Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort in Turkey.

The Rooms

The 282 guest rooms and suites, each with large Aegean-facing windows and doors that open onto spacious patios or balconies, are designed to harmonize with the surrounding gardens and greenery, as well as the alluring backdrop of the sea and sky.

Villas range from two to five bedrooms and feature private seawater pools, lush gardens, and breathtaking vistas of the cobalt bay. Most coveted are the Laguna rooms and suites. All are situated alongside an ingeniously undulating saltwater pool, which adds to the sensation of floating above the property.

Simple, smartly deployed materials gave sophistication to the rooms. My entry-level suite was a study in elegance and comfort, with a soothing tableau of sea-green striated Turkish marble on the vanity, organic linen curtains, a beautiful, locally sourced wooden coffee table (I wished I could have taken it home with me), and a comfortable sofa upholstered in an earthy bronze-hued fabric. The floor was painted neutral gray and included a short step down to the sitting area, which could be hard to see with the Mediterranean sun pouring inside. I loved the pillow menu and Diptyque toiletries, the spacious exposed closet, and the chic mint-green tote that I carried all day.

Food and Drink

Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort is gastronomically off the charts. With seven restaurants, a French patisserie, four bars, and an ice cream parlor, there are culinary options that fit every mood. Beachy, Latin-infused Casa Sol serves up guacamole, crispy woodfired flatbreads, and grilled meat and fish. After a swim, I walked, barefoot, for lunch there and enjoyed short rib empanadas and a beet and yogurt salad in the shade of a Monterey pine.

Le Melange is a pastry boutique that felt like an exquisite jewelry store. Every sculpted pastry prepared by chef Cédric de Lima e Sousa was tempting, and I opted for a kefir cake with peanuts—both staples in the Turkish diet, turned into a refined delicacy. Artisanal chocolates were arranged like arrays of gemstones, almost too beautiful to eat.

I’m not a lover of caviar, but dinner at the teal-hued Caviar Kaspia was lovely, with perfectly cooked salmon around a fresh, spice-infused salad. Right across the bay, one of Bernar Venet’s monumental steel sculptures was illuminated in the darkness, reminding me of the extraordinary slice of real estate the resort occupies.

The handsome dining room at Spago by Wolfgang Puck seems to be cantilevered right above the water, and I watched darkness fall while I scooped addictive house-made labneh and red pepper hummus with pillowy rounds of bread. Luckily, I had room for grilled lamb chops in a minty vinaigrette.

Activities and Experiences

There are numerous hiking trails in the vicinity of the resort. Bikes are available for rent, allowing guests to explore the peninsula on two wheels. The resort offers scuba diving lessons, snorkeling, and yacht tours.

But the sheer abundance of swimming pools, beachside lounges, restaurants, luxury boutiques (for Marni bags and Zimmermann frocks), and a lifetime of possibilities at the Maxx Wellbeing Center might make you want to stay put within the resort walls. 

The Spa

The 62,000 square-foot Maxx Wellbeing Centre is a universe of wellness, starting with the floors, where soft white pebbles are set in a Turkish podima mosaic, providing a warm-up massage for your feet. The rose-scented space covers a mind-boggling array of treatments and features cutting-edge facilities.

From the simplicity of an indoor Olympic-sized swimming pool that seems to emerge from the gardens, the spa reveals itself as a swoon-worthy shrine to well-being and fitness. There are Pilates reformers, a Spin studio, flotation tanks, a cryotherapy bed, ozone and sleep therapy beds, a shiny new hammam, and 20 treatment rooms.

A Santa Maria Novella massage relaxed my muscles, but for deeper work, the spa, along with the Longevity Clinic there, can prepare a multi-day bespoke program. This might include treatments for detox, anti-aging, infrared pain management, and Dorn therapy, which aims to realign the bones and improve posture.

Family-friendly Offerings

The over 12,000-square-foot Maxxi Land kids’ club (for children aged one to 11 years old) is a gorgeously rendered wonderland of undulating blonde wood walls, life-sized resin giraffes, arts and crafts rooms, and even a sleep room with stylish cribs. Children can enjoy creative workshops or stage a mini disco in the theater, while their parents dance and enjoy craft cocktails under the moonlight at Scorpios. 

Accessibility and Sustainability

Several of the 775-square-foot guest rooms are ADA-compliant. The buildings that house the rooms and villas are equipped with elevators; however, movement between buildings may require using alternative pathways that do not have continuous elevator service. The beach-level area, which includes the pools and restaurants, is furnished with ramps, while wide walkways provide easy access for strollers.

The resort is hilly, and it can be difficult to fold a walker or wheelchair into a buggy, which are the primary ways of getting around.

Location

The resort is 50 miles from the regional Milas-Bodrum Airport (BJV), and transport can be arranged with the concierge. Several flights travel daily to and from Istanbul, and the airport also services London, Paris, and Zurich, among others.  

For the curious, and for comfort’s sake, a fleet of five Maseratis—the Italian sports car brand is another partner of Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort—is on hand to borrow on a first-come, first-served basis, and guests can explore the historic heart of Bodrum, 30 minutes away. The resort’s proximity to the whitewashed, bougainvillea-covered fishing town and its rowdy portside restaurants allows engagement with the region’s fascinating ancient heritage (a tub of fig ice cream at local favorite Bitez can hold a guest over before dinner at the resort). 

The medieval Bodrum Castle has stood rock-solid on a promontory for over 600 years and is one of the last fortresses built in Turkey by the Crusaders. Also worth a visit are the stony remains at the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The spectacularly preserved Roman ruins at the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Ephesus and Hierapolis, along with the adjacent travertine baths at Pamukkale, are both day trips and can be arranged by the hotel. 

The billionaire playground of Yalikavak is 25 minutes west from the hotel; here you can pick up an extra pair of Hermès slides or a Louis Vuitton tote, or have a look at some impressive yachts in the marina.

Book Now

Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort is one of three Maxx Royal resorts (with a new one under construction in the Maldives), and participates in the company’s multi-tier Royalty by Maxx Royal loyalty program. The resort is also a member of Leading Hotels of the World, so Leaders Club members enjoy exclusive on-site benefits and upgrades.

For more offers and discounts, check out the resort’s website.

Nightly rates at Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort start from €1,000 ($1,161 USD) for a luxury suite with a sea view.

Every T+L hotel review is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed at the property, and each hotel selected aligns with our core values.