{"id":95305,"date":"2023-05-26T21:36:12","date_gmt":"2023-05-27T01:36:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/?p=95305"},"modified":"2023-08-04T22:07:05","modified_gmt":"2023-08-05T02:07:05","slug":"history-repeats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2023\/05\/history-repeats\/","title":{"rendered":"History Repeats"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Bodrum<\/p>\n

Mark Antony liked southwestern Turkey so much he gave it to Cleopatra as a wedding gift. We like it so much we\u2019re giving you the rundown on its best new hotel.<\/h4>\n

Perhaps you\u2019re unfamiliar with the southwestern coast of Turkey, known today by a triumvirate of glitzy nicknames: the Turkish Riviera<\/em>, the St. Tropez of Turkey<\/em>, the Turquoise Coast<\/em>. You shouldn\u2019t be. The region is legendary for its beauty and backstory. Mark Antony was so impressed he gave it to Cleopatra as a wedding gift. It\u2019s got two of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Santa Claus was born here, and so was Herodotus, the \u201cfather of history.\u201d<\/p>\n

History repeats. These days, the Turkish Riviera is again a world-famous destination, known as much for superyachts and being a mainstay on the global party circuit as for its illustrious ancient past. It\u2019s home to some of the most lavish hotels in the world, each one filled with luxuries impossible to exaggerate. But a newcomer, Bodrum Loft<\/a>, has charted a different path to grandeur.<\/p>\n

Built into a promontory that stretches out from the Bodrum Peninsula, Bodrum Loft is meant to resemble a traditional Aegean fishing village. Spacious villas cascade down the hill. Colors are muted and traditional. There\u2019s a secret garden on the grounds, and a private beach minutes away by buggy. But the hotel\u2019s essentially in the midst of a forest. An arboretum of olive and sandalwood, laurel and mastic, cranberry and citrus. Raw materials blend into those surroundings, locally sourced wood, reed, and stone \u2014 the latter excavated right from site. Facades and walkways fuse into the terrain, the land\u2019s own product a binding agent to itself.<\/p>\n

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Created by the beloved Istanbul firm Tabanl\u0131o\u011flu Architects, Bodrum Loft<\/a> is relentlessly dedicated to the organic. Work began with a survey of the trees. They studied the angles of the sun. The patterns of the winds. The slopes of the hillsides. Then they built in blocks, a mixture of open and semi-open spaces melting into the landscape, so that light and breeze could stream through, and nearly every space retained its straight view to the sea.<\/p>\n

In many ways, Bodrum Loft is the opposite of those transient yachts so prevalent in this region. Nothing here just passes through. Opened in the midst of the pandemic, first to family friends and then to the broader public, it’s oriented toward guests who tend to stay for weeks or months. \u201cThe accommodation system is mostly for long-term stays,\u201d the hotel tells us, \u201cand long-term means for a season, because our hotel is open from May to the end of October.\u201d Often, guests will rent a villa for the entire six-month season. And when they\u2019re away, that\u2019s where we come in. <\/p>\n

There are typical hotel rooms, set on upper floors with views out to sea, but it\u2019s the villas that come suited perfectly for a longer stay. Two- to four-room spaces, each sports a semi-open floor plan and a kitchen, nanny room, and laundry. You won\u2019t find many of the typical design touches \u2014 tchotchkes or found objects \u2014 that decorate other high-caliber boutique hotels. Minimalism has a very specific function here: to keep the focus on the village as a whole, and the landscape that holds it. Like we said, a different path.<\/p>\n

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Nuts & Bolts<\/h4>\n

A bite-sized breakdown of your most frequently asked questions about Bodrum Loft<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Who comes here?<\/strong>
\nThe appeal\u2019s obvious: sunshine and beaches, hidden coves and vibrant culture and history. But what stands out about those who make it to Bodrum Loft is the two-tier system. Some guests come for the long term, others for just a couple days or a week. But it should tell you something that many spend half a year here. Others dip in for a chic stay and wish it lasted longer.<\/p>\n

When\u2019s the best time to visit?<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s open from May through October. Stay within that timeframe and you\u2019re set. The temperature rarely drops below 60, and summers get especially warm \u2014 and lively, as clubs and restaurants really begin to buzz. <\/p>\n

What else is there to do in the area?<\/strong>
\nNightlife and history: a potent Bodrum combination. The Halikarnas Club is the the famous nightclub that dates to 1979, and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus is the Seventh Wonder of the World that dates to 350 BC. Take a walking tour of Bodrum Town or visit the Museum of Underwater Archaeology for a sense of this place\u2019s long significance. That, or have the Loft concierge set you up with up for wine tasting, cooking courses, bird watching, or olive harvesting.<\/p>\n

Best room for a solo traveler? A couple? A family?<\/strong>
\nSolo travelers or couples might check out the Superior Room, a 42m\u00b2 room with a sea view. Larger parties can choose between big, bigger, and biggest. The one to four bedroom villas include a living area with kitchen, nanny room, laundry, and open space with a sea view. <\/p>\n

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What\u2019s a design feature I would miss if you didn\u2019t tell me about it?<\/strong>
\nThe most impressive part of the architecture may be its restraint. Bodrum Loft has some 57,000 square meters of property to its name. They only built on less than a third \u2014 allowing plenty of untouched nature to serve as the ultimate organic amenity. <\/p>\n

What’s there to eat?<\/strong>
\nThe excellent fare at four restaurants. Loft Elia serves crafted recipes from local produce for breakfast and dinner (it\u2019s also the spot for a cocktail). Paper Moon is the upscale Italian restaurant that doubles as the spot for an afternoon aperitivo. KIMU Sushi (coming soon) replaces the Loft\u2019s previous collaboration with Nobu. And Patisserie Loft is the Turkish brand Vakko\u2019s spin on French pastries, under the watchful eye of the prestigious French Chef Philippe Chatelain. <\/p>\n

Anything to say about sustainability?<\/strong>
\nA system that purifies sea water for use at the hotel, green roofs that collection rainwater for irrigation, a large swath of resortland dedicated just to the peninsula\u2019s endemic trees \u2014 not to mention the local materials and natural climate control by way of construction and breeze. It\u2019s one of the most sustainably minded hotels in the region. <\/p>\n

What’s the final word?<\/strong>
\nInspired design leads the way to a greater appreciation of the Aegean\u2019s charms on the Bodrum Peninsula. We\u2019ve hardly seen a better integration with the landscape \u2014 without a single sacrifice to comfort. <\/p>\n

 
\nBook Bodrum Loft<\/a> on Tablet Hotels.<\/em><\/p>\n

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