Finally caved in (influenced by my travel agent @theluxurytraveller) and decided to try my first Aman- famous for being the ultimate luxury hotel. I stayed at Amanruya (@amanruya), in beautiful Bodrum, Turkey.
The resort was beautifully designed, combining Mediterranean and Turkish aesthetic and surrounded by olive and pine trees. Everywhere you looked felt so serene, as if time stopped.
Amanruya Villa
I liked the minimalist but luxury design of Amanruya Pavilions. The inside of the villa was spacious and luminous with plenty of sunlight during the day thanks to all the windows and the skylights in the ceilings. Wood and marble were the noble materials used to decorate the villa. Every detailed seemed finely curated and very pleasing to the eye.
But my favourite part was the terrace—so pristine and well-made that it was difficult to get out of the pavilion. First, there was plenty of privacy making it a perfect place to unwind. Second, The pool was surprisingly big, bigger than what it seemed in pictures. The terrace has a Balinese bed, two individual sunbeds as well as a dining table—perfect for having your morning coffee. I had garden views with marvellous olive and pine trees just in front of my terrace and from my Balinese bed I could see the sea afar.
Main Pool
If you wish to take a break from the villa—which I highly doubt— there is a main pool by the main restaurant. A library and other resting areas with amazing views are also available. They have a gym but sadly I didn’t make time to go. Oh well, next time!
Amanruya Beach Club
Amanruya in Bodrum have an amazing beach club. The beach club was a peaceful Eden by de Aegean Sea. To access the beach club you’ll need the buggy service unless you feel walking a very long distance in the heat through an unpaved road—wouldn’t advise it. The beach have plenty comfortable sunbeds and enough space between them that gave you some sort of privacy. The beach is pebbled but they’ve made some wooden piers with stairs directly into the sea. You have a restaurant which happened to be a nice spot to have lunch by the sea and also a bar.
Service and Food
Service was impressive, every time you go out of your villa it was all magically cleaned and gathered up. Yes, that means new towels, new bathrobe, new everything. I think that is one of the things that sets Aman apart from other luxury properties.
In-room dining always arrived quickly, but the menu was quite small. After a few days eating in the villa food became repetitive. Overall, food was good but not remarkable. A buggy service is available to get you to the main restaurant or the beach club which is very convenient as the pebbled pathway can be a little difficult to walk in some shoes.
Final Thoughts
So, what I valued the most during my stay was the sense of serenity. The resort didn’t feel crowded. It seemed like you were the only guest in the hotel but the hotel was almost full.
Amanruya in Bodrum left a good impression on me. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to rest and doesn’t want to be bothered at all. It’s the perfect place to truly disconnect.
I hope to stay in other Aman properties in the future to compare them.
