Welcome to Checking In, a review series in which our editors and contributors rate the best new (and revamped) luxury hotels based on a rigorous—and occasionally tongue-in-cheek—10-point system: Each question answered “yes” gets one point. Will room service bring you caviar? Does your suite have its own butler? Does the bathroom have a bidet? Find out below.
In three words: Glamorous beachside bliss
What’s the deal?
Didn’t it seem like everyone on your Instagram was in Bodrum this summer? You weren’t imagining it: The beguiling peninsula on Turkey’s celebrated Turquoise Coast is certainly having a moment, with a host of global hospitality heavyweights—Mandarin Oriental, Aman, Scorpios, and Edition, with more like Bulgari and St. Regis forthcoming—popping up along the coast in recent years, and global jet-setters have been descending in droves. When Maxx Royal opened in May near Cennet (“paradise”) Bay, one of Bodrum’s most scenic stretches, it set itself apart from the fray as one of the few Turkish brands making a play for the luxury circuit—joining the ranks of the iconic Macakizi, a few minutes’ sail away. This marks the third resort offering from a homegrown group that has properties in Antalya, and comes with a partnership with Mykonos icon Scorpios, here set on a promontory abutting the property.
The best room: While the villas, which range from two to five bedrooms, are hard to beat with their contemporary design and gardens with private pools, the Lagunas are a standout in their own right. Whether you spring for a duplex with two or three bedrooms or the spacious studios and one bedrooms, each of them flanks an undulating seawater lagoon overlooking the water.
The secluded beach
The Rundown
Did they greet you by name at check-in?
Not merely at check-in—if you book a private car transfer from the hotel (starting at 190€), the resort will arrange a complimentary airport meet-and-greet service, with someone waiting for you the moment you deplane.
Welcome drink ready and waiting when you arrived? Bonus point if it wasn’t just fruit juice.
From strong Turkish coffee that jolts the long-haul weariness right out of you to glasses of champagne, anything you want appears in a flash in the airy reception area. Enjoy it as a mammoth digital art installation by Turkish-American artist Refik Anadol swirls in the background.
Does the resort have a standout perk?
The hotel has a fleet of boats ranging from Axopars to Mazu 52s which can be chartered for short jaunts or full day tours of the peninsula—but the best way to bypass the summer traffic is to book a breezy water transfer from the airport (starting at 500€).
The terrace of the sky-high reception area
Maxx Royal Bodrum
Private butler for every room?
Only the villas come with butler service, but all guests are assigned a dedicated team of Maxx Royal Assistants. They’re available via WhatsApp 24 hours a day to help with any arrangements, from restaurant bookings to tours and more.
Is there a heated floor in the bathroom? What about a bidet?
No heated floors, but you won’t miss them; as this is a seasonal property, the weather is pretty much always sublime when you’re there. Bathrooms are equipped with discreet in-seat bidets—no fancy high-tech remotes and screens to navigate, but they get the job done.
Are the toiletries full sized?
Bathrooms are fitted with full-size Diptyque products.
Maxx Royal Bodrum’s main pool
Maxx Royal Bodrum
Is there a private pool for the room’s exclusive use? How are the spa and gym?
Villas have private pools, but the Laguna category come with direct access to a shared seawater lagoon. Everyone else can make their way to any of the three heated pools around the property. The spa, spread across 61,000 square feet, has a Turkish hammam, a tranquil indoor pool, and dedicated treatment rooms for everything fron ayurvedic massages to skeletal alignment to ozone therapy. The expansive gym, meanwhile, could give Equinox a run for its money.
Are the restaurants worth their salt?
While Maxx Royal as a brand is deeply rooted in its Turkish environs (the shopping promenade features standout Istanbul transplants like jewelry emporium Begüm Khan and leather purveyor Madame Malachite), the resort’s dizzying array of restaurants evoke a cosmopolitan sensibility with global culinary stars aplenty: There are outposts of Spago, Caviar Kaspia, Michelin-starred chef Alfredo Russo’s Oro, and Dubai-London-Ibiza hotspot Maine. Other highlights include the laidback beach restaurant Casa Sol and the museum-like pastry shop Le Melange.
Is there caviar on the room service menu? If so, what kind?
Not on the room-service menu, but the resort is home to an outpost of the iconic Caviar Kaspia, so you can sort out any cravings there. Choose from Imperial Baeri, White Sturgeon, Oscietra Reserve, Beluga Royal, and much more.
Caviar Kaspia
Maxx Royal Bodrum
Do you want to spend Friday night in the lobby bar?
The sleek Lounge Bar, actually located three levels below the sky-high lobby, is a stunner, but just a few steps beyond lies the alfresco pool bar—either is a great place to while away an evening. If you need something more high-energy, Scorpios is a stone’s throw from the lobby.
Would you buy the hotel if you could?
Given the size it might be a bit too much maintenance for a holiday home, but I’ll definitely be back.
The Verdict
Maxx Royal Bodrum somehow manages to have something for everyone: nightlife revelers will make a beeline for Scorpios and families will head straight for the 12,000-square-foot Maxxi Land kids’ club; everyone will while away their days by the pools or the beach. And despite its vast size, the lush walkways and tucked-away corners manage to make the sprawl feel refreshingly intimate.
Rates: Doubles from $957
Score: 8
What Our Score Means:
1-3: Fire your travel agent if they suggest you stay here.
4-6: Solid if you’re in a pinch—but only if you’re in a pinch.
7-8: Very good. We’d stay here again and recommend it without qualms.
9-10: Forget booking a week. When can we move in permanently?
