What is the most popular holiday destination according to Brits you ask? It’s not Spain, it’s not Greece, and it’s not the Maldives either. According to a new study by travel platform for experiences Hellotickets, Turkey is the UK’s favourite holiday hotspot, receiving an average of 27,129 Google searches per month.
It’s not surprising. Turkey’s diverse landscapes, which offers up beautiful rocky mountainous terrains, stunning turquoise blue cost lines, a fascinating history, and unique locality in being nestled between Europe and Asia, makes it a guaranteed crowdpleaser.
And on the hospitality front, the country does not disappoint, with endless places to stay that each offer wholly unique experiences. Planning a trip soon? You’ll want to scroll through our curated edit first. These are the best hotels in Turkey to book now.
Here are the best Turkey holidays…
The Maximalist: The Maxx Royal, Bodrum
The Maxx Royal, Bodrum ©The Maxx Royal, Bodrum
Nestled into the Bodrum peninsula’s northern shores, this vast 11.4 hectare resort really is within a world of its own. Launched in spring 2024, the modern Turkish hospitality brand’s third property is already gaining traction as a luxury hotspot primed to deliver the elevated all-inclusive Bed & Breakfast ‘Maxx Inclusive’ concept. That concept invites guests to experience seven restaurants (all with a farm-to-table ethos with each menu showcasing the finest local and seasonal produce), eight bars dotted around the property, a state-of-the-art wellbeing centre, and six tiered tropical green pools, most of which cascade down plush hills that lead to the resort’s main attraction: a private bay that extends out to the Aegean sea, where you can call on cocktails, fresh pizza and gourmet ice cream, if you so please.
While Bodrum’s ‘boom’ has seen the city fast-become the St.Tropez or Ibiza of Turkey’s turquoise coast, once inside the gates of the Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort there is little reason to leave. And you need not worry about getting around as the hideaway’s 282 suites and villas are all commutable through golf buggies which shuttle guests between all amenities including neighbouring partners, Soho House-owned, Scorpios beach club, which offers a completely different experimentation cross-cultural feel and 24-hour heady hang out. Need to call on a buggy or anything else for that matter? The ‘Maxx Assistants’ Nazifa and Tugberk are available almost around the clock through a personalised WhatsApp chat.
The Maxx Royal, Bodrum ©The Maxx Royal, Bodrum
Speaking of, the resort’s Twenty4 restaurant never closes and is perfect for all manner of snacking at any point of your stay. While the restaurant’s international and Russian cuisine is brilliant, I took to Spago by Wolfgang Puck where filet mignon and black pepper shrimp are served to perfection. Likewise, The Maine restaurant provides the hotel’s only panoramic views and live musical performances – expect acoustic Cuban sounds to set the vibe of the night and the fried chicken topped with caviar to blow your mind. For post-beach afternoons, the Maxx Resort’s only sushi bar Maguro is somewhat a hidden gem right on the water and serves the best salmon topped rolls I’ve ever had.
Rest and recreation are at the heart of the brand, look to its first-class wellness facility for the proof. I spent two afternoons there during my three night stay and would have gladly spent many more. The flagship Maxx Wellbeing Centre is next-level, promising a 360 degree approach to health and wellness with a 5750sqm sanctuary spread across two floors. The ground floor hosts a recreational area perfect for a lo-fi approach, with an opulent Hammam treatment space, Olympic-sized indoor swimming pool, and six detoxifying recreation rooms including an infrared sauna, herbal sauna, steam room, rain room, and Himalayan salt room. The first floor is home to the site’s Longevity Center and resident doctor Dr. Buğra Öktem who specialises in Ayurvedic practices. Here, all-encompassing wellness programmes have been expertly curated on the brand’s ‘Longevity, Relaxation and Rehabilitation’ axis and offers extensive treatments, therapies and facilities that include, cryotherapy, an ozone sauna, Nuvola floating sleep bed, floatation pool, SCIO Quantum testing, messotherapy, PRP treatments, IV Infusions, to name a few. There is good reason why the centre just won a World Spa Award 2024.
If you’re visiting the centre sans bespoke wellness programme, I recommend the Balinese massage which combines gentle flowing movements with stretches, rolling, kneading, reflexology and pressure point work to stimulate blood flow, oxygen and energy which is guaranteed to make you drift away (I know I did, thanks to the gentle nudges of my therapist to wake me up again). The Maxx Wellbeing Centre is impressively well thought through, right down to the slippers provided which are like cosy clouds laden with soft acupuncture points.
The Laidback Nomad: Cook’s Club Adakoy, Marmaris
Cook’s Club Adakoy, Marmaris ©Cook’s Club Adakoy, Marmaris
If a rustic and remote adventure is more your MO, Cook’s Club Adakoy is an ideal retreat. Having opened its doors in 2019, the adult-only beachfront hotel consciously curates a unique experience that fuses its destination’s culture (there are 10 worldwide sites), with local and international influences, which are perfectly suited to its diversity of visitors – it is a clear favourite among Brits and young people intent on slowing things down.
Cook’s Club Adakoy, Marmaris ©Cook’s Club Adakoy, Marmaris
Tucked away on the Adakoy peninsula, the journey to reach it requires a drive through the south coast’s rugged mountain landscape or a boat ride. But the trek is worth it. Once you arrive you’ll find an oasis-like hotel perched on a bay that feels untouched by excessive modernity, even though busy Marmaris is only a short 20 minutes away. The low-key feel of the place translates into how things are run: there are a range of timetabled activities listed on the Weekly Fun Programme which you can book haphazardly by signing your name with a pen on a group form at reception; the only on-site restaurant (The Cantina) functions like a self-service food court that offers both buffet dishes and made-to-order meals; the hotel’s central feature is the pool where you can find most guests lounging around and taking in the sounds of DJs setting the soundscape of the day – though it’s worth noting the club-feel gets going before midday.
But that is all part of the hotel’s charm, it is laidback, down-to-earth and intent on unwinding its guests with the help of its bohemian flare. Highlights included a private sunset cruise to explore Marmaris Bay at golden hour while drinking Turkish tea and grazing on a charcuterie board, which was as romantic as it sounds. You also won’t want to miss the open air cinema which you can catch in the evenings right on the water – I can safely say I’ve never watched Coach Carter while sat in a lounger on the beach at night.
For extra TLC, you can take a trip to the day spa or enjoy the newly built Hammam, but for more Zen, the hotel recommends its private Yoga Shala.
The Next-Level B&B: D-Resort Göcek, Turkish Riviera
D-Resort Göcek, Turkish Riviera ©D-Resort Göcek, Turkish Riviera
As far as idyllic landscapes go, D-Resort Göcek takes the whole cake. Encaved by lush green mountain tops and the clear, warm waters of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas, this boutique concept hotel is an oasis within its own. You’ll find its 14 different styles of rooms winding down carefully curated waterways, gardens with growing shrubs from all over the world and pathways canopied by palm trees, which will instantly put you at ease.
D-Resort Göcek, Turkish Riviera ©D-Resort Göcek, Turkish Riviera
This is where nature and a bustling seaside town fashioned by the countryside and hundreds of small bays and islands, collide. And the resort wants you to embrace it. While it readily caters to your every need, D-Resort Göcek’s unique composition encourages visitors to venture out, so much so the hotel general manager describes the property as a B&B where guests can come and go as they please. It’s probably why you’ll find only one restaurant on site, Olives Restaurant which serves up the distinct flavours of Turkish cuisine, the others are a buggy or bike ride away (the hotel provides both). D’Breeze restaurant is located on the resort’s private beach, D-Resort Beach, and provides a perfect blend of authentic, local Aegean flavours with Greek cuisines – expect fresh fish, seafood, and locally produced dishes (ergo the best sea bass I’ve had). If Japanese Peruvian is what you crave, look to Q Lounge, which might be hard to spot with it being submerged within the dark pine forests on the hilltops of Göcek Bay. There, you can enjoy fresh cut sashimi, handmade sushi rolls and Robata grill dishes, alongside twists such as ceviche and zucchini blossoms with shrimp, all while soaking up some of the best views Turkey has to offer.
If you want to explore further afield, D-Resort Göcek is within close proximity to both Dalaman and Fethiye, which are around 30km away, so you can finally check out the Oludeniz Blue Lagoon and Butterfly Valley you’ve had saved on TikTok for far too long. Equally, if you’re one who likes to get their money’s worth, the resort really does deliver. As well as sunlit, airy rooms, a white sanded private beach and plenty of culinary delights, there are pools and the D-SPA to enjoy, which offers a holistic customised experience inspired by beauty treatments from both Asia and the West. And breathe…
The Urban Sanctuary: Vakko Hotel & Residence, Istanbul
Need an escape from the hustle and bustle Istanbul? Look no further than Vakko Hotel & Residence. Located in the heart of Nişantaşı, the fashion district of Istanbul, this luxury boutique hotel is the first of its kind from Vakko, Turkey’s leading luxury heritage fashion, goods and lifestyle brand established in 1934. The sartorial element of the hotel runs deep, so much so it is sat in an elegant building above the Vakko flagship store and original Vakko L’Atelier, where guests can waltz through handmade patisseries and artisan chocolates, as well as the brand’s latest collections. Unsurprisingly, the hotel’s niche centres on its exclusive fashion-focused experiences and personalised services, which range from made to measure tailoring services with Vakko tailors to in-room personal shopping with Vakko stylists.
©Vakko Hotel & Residence
Each of the 31 suites situated at the property are incredibly spacious – expect a large walk-in wardrobe, a living room with a dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, a luxurious marble bathroom with rain showers, and floor-to-ceiling soundproof windows to block out the sounds of that hustle and bustle mentioned earlier. Sumptuously stylish in the best way, a lot of care has gone into the interiors of each suite (obviously), which boasts an instantly soothing soft colour palette of earthy green, cream, bronze and black, as well as monochrome photographs and soft furnishings from Vakko Home that make for an Instagramable moment. Outside of the suites, there is an all-day bistro-style restaurant serving modern French cuisine with international flavours, as well as a wellness and fitness facility, the Sanitas Spa & Wellness, which delivers the kind of massages that will quickly remedy the pains of all the incline walking you’re guaranteed to endure in Istanbul.
The pull of the hotel also lies in its undeniably good location on Abdi Ipekci Avenue – one of Istanbul’s most exclusive shopping streets populated with the likes of Louis Vuitton and Prada — which ensures easy access to the city’s historic landmarks as well as are some of Istanbul’s best restaurants, art galleries and interior design and concept stores such as Rifat Ozbek and Désolé.
Sameeha Shaikh is Grazia‘s b_eauty writer, working across all categories to bring you insights on the latest trends, industry news and the products you need to know about, viral or not (most probably viral).
