The welcome
After an hour-long car journey along bumpy winding roads, arriving at this resort overlooking the Aegean coastline is a welcome relief. I'm greeted by the door staff, and as I'm early, I'm asked to wait until the room is ready. The desk staff are friendlyand I sit down to lunch before being taken to my room on the third floor of the main building.
The neighbourhood
Ideal for those seeking solitude and rejuvenation, this expansive resort is a 50-kilometre drive from Milas-Bodrum Airport and home to three of the eight bays along the Kaplankaya coastline. Didim, a popular seaside holiday destination, is a 45-minute drive away while Bodrum city is easily accessible by boat, making day trips possible. For those seeking seclusion, there is little need to leave the property except to make the 10-minute transfer to Anhinga, a boho beach club enclave shrouded in palm trees and loungers.
The room
Of the resort's 141 rooms and villas, I'm in one of the 75 rooms in the main building. The additional 66 Ridge Villas are set on the hills, some with their own private infinity pools. My superior deluxe sea view room is crisp and modern design-wise and has its own balcony and floor-to-ceiling windows that offer cliff-side and coastline views. There's a king bed, walk-in wardrobe and a spacious marble bathroom with a tub, dual sinks, shower and toilet. An iPad controls the lights and curtains and there's a Bluetooth speaker that also acts as a phone charger on the bedside table. The Organic Pharmacy bathroom products are a nice touch and in keeping with the sustainable ethos.
The service
Hit and miss. Aside from the initial confusion regarding my dietary requirements upon arrival I’m left sitting for too long at a couple of the dining outlets without being attended to in an adequate amount of time. Despite the hiccups with the hospitality team, interactions with the resort’s spa and recreation employees are better than expected, as are those with the hotel’s medical screening staff, who go out of their way to offer a positive wellness experience.
The scene
Wellness-inspired and family-friendly. The natural landscape and diversity of flora and fauna combine for relaxing environs. It being mid-summer, it's buzzing with fitness types and health-focused clientele, which makes for a pleasant, sociable atmosphere.
The food
There are five restaurants and bars to keep the dining experiences fresh. Sage and Sea is the all-day dining establishment and provides guests with Aegean and Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, while Wild Thyme is a more casual option, overlooking the resort's lounge pool and offering guests sweeping views of the ocean below. Mezzes here start from 24 Turkish lira (Dh15). Mezze by the Sea is the pick of the outlets for me. Perched atop a grassy hill a short walk from the main building, the open-air set-up makes the best use of the landscape and is the perfect spot for a sunset supper with family or a loved one. The menu includes mezzes, soups, seafood mains, salads and desserts with prices starting from 20 Turkish lira (Dh13). The Beach and Library bars are ideal for a pre-dinner drink. Breakfast is served in Sage and Sea and a hearty affair with plenty of hot and cold stations boasting a variety of dishes, including capsicums and mushrooms with cheese fillings and the usual omelette options. The cut your own fresh resort tomatoes corner is a nice use of the ripened produce from the dedicated garden.
Loved
The 10,000-square-metre Six Senses spa – the biggest of its kind in Europe – with its 20 treatments rooms, hammams, meditation caves and innovative Watsu pool. Wellness treatments start from 450 Turkish lira (Dh283).
Hated
That I was forced to wait more than an hour for a room service order that was muddled in the process and required me to phone and
remind them.
The verdict
A great choice for anyone wanting to get back to nature and focus on their well-being in a friendly supported environment.
The bottom line
Rooms at Six Senses Kaplankaya start from 2,346 Turkish lira (Dh1,487) per night, including breakfast, taxes and Wi-Fi.
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