Maçakizi Bodrum

Location

In the charming village of Türkbükü on the north side of the Bodrum peninsula, Maçakizi, sits between the glamor of a yacht-dotted bay and the quiet, pine-scented hills that rise behind it. The hotel – a tumble of white cottages and bougainvillaea – spills into the Aegean Sea. A five-minute stroll to the jetty-front restaurants and late-night boutiques, it’s also 40km from Bodrum international airport and 22km from downtown Bodrum.

The Proprietors

Originally founded in 1977 as a small guesthouse by the legendary Ayla Emiroğlu—affectionately known as the “Queen of Spades”— Maçakizi (which translates to “Queen of Spades” in Turkish) quickly became a retreat for Istanbul’s creative crowd. Under the direction of her son, Sahir Erozan, it evolved into a magnet for the international jet set. In 2000, the hotel relocated from downtown Bodrum to its current home in Türkbükü, expanding into its current 74-room incarnation. Unlike some of the flashier newcomers along the coast, Maçakizi continues to lure loyal guests year after year with its discreet terraced gardens cascading to the sea, impeccable yet relaxed service, and long-lunches that spill into dusky evenings. Presiding over it all is the much-loved Australian GM, Andrew Jacobs – often seen in making the rounds and mingling with familiar faces.

The Design

The interiors at Maçakizi are not a pastiche of Ottoman nostalgia or coastal kitsch. Instead, the design —by Istanbul-based Tabanlıoğlu Architects—was heavily guided by owner Sahir Erozan, and the result feels like the private sprawling summer home of someone with impeccable taste and a penchant for the undone. Breezy, whitewashed walls are offset by time-worn photographs, vintage pieces and art, some from Erozan’s travels and others from renowned galleries. Bougainvillaea climbs stone walls, rattan fans stir the salty air, and everywhere you look, labyrinthine pathways lead to sun-dappled communal spaces: bars, open-air restaurants, and its marble-clad hammam. The pièce de résistance is the wooden deck, where sunbeds float just above the sea, and sunlight filters through a lattice-shade awning casting lace-like shadows.

The Scene

Mornings begin with the scent of jasmine and Turkish coffee drifting down from the terrace. A winding stone path leads through olive trees to the water’s edge. We like to take an early swim, then wander to the nearby village for simit—Turkish bagel-like pastry—and syrupy figs and cherries from a roadside cart. Then it’s back to join the rest of the outstretched, tanned limbs on the sunbeds, where models and families play backgammon. As the sun begins to drip, sarongs are replaced by linen tailoring, open-collared shirts, and silk kaftans as guests splay between the open-air main restaurant or book-ahead fine diner.

The Rooms

Like the rest of the hotel, Maçakizi’s rooms and suites are designed to feel effortless. Travertine floors offset by clean timber detailing and a palette of neutrals and soft whites. Garden View rooms look onto greenery and climbing jasmine, while Sea View rooms open up to the Aegean, framed by the vivid pink of bougainvillea. The suites offer more space and seclusion without ever tipping into excess—private, pared-back, and unmistakably ‘Maçakizi’. For those with deep pockets and traveling in a large group, the 10-bedroom villa is a 10-minute boat ride around the bay. It’s a mansion on the sea, which sleeps 22 but can hold up to 300 guests for a private soiree.

The Service

Friendly and professional. Staff are dressed in linen short sleeve shirts and chinos and are relaxed but eager-to-please. This isn’t buttoned up silver service, but a breezy brand of seaside luxury.

Food & Drink

Food has always been central to Maçakizi —an unhurried procession from late breakfasts of Turkish pastries, local cheeses, vine-ripened tomatoes, and fresh fruits to lunches that stretch into golden hour. At Ayla, the hotel’s open-air fine-dining restaurant, Michelin-awarded chef Aret Sahakyan offers a modern take on age-old Aegean cuisine: raw honeyed figs with goat cheese and pistachio oil; just-caught red mullet grilled over charcoal; silky eggplant purée beneath slabs of slow-roasted lamb shoulder. Vegetables, many sourced from its own garden or local farms, take centre stage—charred, marinated, or simply dressed in glistening olive oil. The main Michelin-starred restaurant, set under canvas and vine serves delicate zucchini flowers stuffed with herbed rice, light green pea and truffle pasta, and just-grilled local octopus that tastes of sea and smoke. Friends of the hotel make a weekly pilgrimage to Maçakizi for handmade manti—tiny lamb dumplings finished with thick garlicky yogurt, sumac, and paprika —served only on Sundays.

Wellness

Wellness at Maçakizi is understated but considered. Morning yoga is held on a quiet deck overlooking the bay, and the spa offers a no-frills menu: deep-tissue massages, salt scrubs, and classic treatments in the marble-clad hammam with views across the Aegean. Recent additions include an infrared sauna. There’s also a gym with high-spec equipment. Nothing over-engineered, just what’s needed.