After a busy 24 hours in beautiful Pamukkale and Hierapolis we arrived in Bodrum late afternoon. Bodrum is known for its year round hot temperatures, flashy international marinas, pumping nightlife, elegant shopping boutiques, top dining establishments and many other experiences which attract people to this vibrant harbour city! Bodrum is a beautiful city with white buildings that ooze charm and an incredible amount of history which add a fantastic dimension to this otherwise resort city. Bodrum is home to a 15th century Crusader castle, the world class Museum of Underwater Archaeology, and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus which is one of Seven Wonders of the Ancient World!
[spacer height=”10px”]We were staying at the gorgeous Marmara Bodrum hotel in a spacious Corner Sea Suite. Our open plan suite is stunning with a wonderfully comfortable king sized bed as well as a living area with sofa, armchair, coffee table, desk and wardrobe! We loved the stylish, natural decor and delightful, quirky little touches and artwork which gave our room an elegant and relaxed feel. Our marble bathroom had a shower over bath with luxurious, indulgent Molton Brown toiletries (my fave), robes and towels provided. In addition our suite had all the necessary mod-cons you’d expect of a five star hotel including air conditioning, high speed wireless internet, a flatscreen television and a minibar.
The whole hotel overlooks Bodrum and offers majestic views of the beautiful city below! Our gorgeous Corner Sea Suite had a balcony where we were blessed with scenic views of Bodrum, Bodrum Castle and the beautiful blue Aegean Sea in the backdrop. Every aspect of our stay at The Marmara Bodrum was perfect and the views were without a doubt the highlight of our stay and ensured our stay in Bodrum was truly unforgettable!
The Marmara is set among beautifully landscaped grounds and the relaxed, peaceful atmosphere helped ensure it was one of our favourite hotels in Turkey. The hotel provides fantastic leisure facilities for its guests which include a spa, gym, pool, sports such as tennis and basketball and a shuttle bus to nearby Flamm Beach! The hotel gym is excellent, modern and well equipped and in addition to the Spa there is also a sauna, Turkish bath and jacuzzi with a fantastic view of Bodrum! The hotel has two beautiful pools, one that offers scenic views over the city along with a half-Olympic pool for those who feel like doing some laps during their holiday!
The hotel has a stylish lounge bar, a relaxed pool bar and a restaurant, Tuti Restaurant. Tuti Restaurant offers “tantalizing flavors accompanied by dazzling views” of beautiful Bodrum. The restaurant is an ideal place to enjoy a romantic sunset, views of Bodrum and creative, high quality Mediterranean cuisine. Breakfast is also served in the restaurant and we were very impressed with the wide selection of fresh, healthy, delicious breakfast items provided in the buffet which ensured we had the perfect start to our day!
BODRUM CASTLE
As we only had one free morning in Bodrum before we boarded our gulet we decided to spend it exploring Bodrum Castle. Bodrum Castle is a fantastic 15th Century castle which is a wonderfully preserved fortress that is situated on the promontory where the two beautiful bays of Bodrum meet. The Castle changed hands a number of times throughout history and for over a century the castle remained the second most important castle of the Knights’ Order and served as a refuge for all Christians in Asia Minor!
In 1961 the Castle officially became The Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology. It exhibits a fantastic collection which includes many amphorae retrieved by the famous Bodrum sponge divers, during the groundbreaking exploratory dives made in 1958 which was the year when pioneers planted the first seeds of scientific nautical archaeology! The museum has expanded over the years and is now considered the most important of its kind in Europe. The museum offers a fantastic insight back in time to the worlds of ancient mariners who sailed to meet their destiny shipwrecked on Anatolian shores or to the medieval Age of Knights who built the castle from stones that once were part of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus! The castle and museum which is housed inside are both incredible and we’d highly recommend visiting whilst in Bodrum. The views from the castle of Bodrum and its bays are gorgeous!
Bodrum is a gorgeous Turkish town and we loved every aspect of our stay at the very luxurious The Marmara Bodrum and I would love to return and spend more time here one day. Bodrum was also the final stop on our Turkey Land Tour which has been absolutely incredible. We’ve fallen head over heels in love with this wonderful country and are so thankful we booked our Turkey travels with Neyzen Travel who have been one of the best tour companies we’ve ever travelled with and one we’d recommend in a heartbeat to anyone considering visiting beautiful Turkey. Whilst one door closes, the next opens and next up on our Turkey itinerary is a week sailing around the Turkish coastline and Greek Island of Simi with Neyzen!
Read all about our sailing trip here: Luxury Sailing in Turkey with Neyzen Yachting
Want to read more travel posts on Turkey?
Istanbul, Turkey Sailing, Aphrodisias, Ephesus, Hierapolis & Pamukkale, Assos, Troy, Pergamon, Gallipoli.
