Amanruya, Bodrum, Turkey

AMANRUYA—OR peace (aman) and dream (ruya)—is an achingly beautiful resort, nestled into a hillside valley in Turkey’s Bodrum Peninsula. Part Ottoman architecture, part contemporary design, the resort is built on a vast acreage that spreads across multiple levels, terraces and secluded gardens. An intricate pebbled pathway winds its way down to the private, olive grove-fringed Beach Club and the Aegean Sea beyond.

The cleverly landscaped expanse—which encompasses 36 individual stone pool terrace cottages—means that guests often feel like the only inhabitants in a secret, hidden paradise.

Each cottage comes with a pool (big enough for proper lengths, not just a paddle) and pergola garden. Inside, rooms are lined in cool marble and feature an enormous fourposter bed. We particularly appreciated the gifts—including scarves, traditional pottery and soaps—that are part of the nightly turndown service, which made thoughtful keepsakes of our time at Amanruya.

You can choose where you’d like to eat, from cooling, wood-panelled and marble rooms to private gardens and balmy, sundrenched terraces. We enjoyed a generous, traditional Turkish breakfast on the latter, overlooking the glistening sea and Olympic-sized infinity pool.

The kitchens offer a concise, Mediterranean-inspired menu, with the majority of ingredients locally sourced or grown in the gardens. Don’t miss the complimentary and refreshing Turkish-style afternoon tea, which should flow seamlessly into cocktails at sunset.

Onsite amenities include a three-storey library tower, with 360˚ panoramic views, a yoga and fitness studio, spa, art gallery and a variety of water-sports equipment, which can be launched from the private jetty. If you can bear to tear yourself away, the hotel also offers historic tours of the area, aboard the 40ft Vicem yacht. EE Pool suite from £740 per night, including breakfast for two people (00 90 252 311 12 12; www.amanruya.com)