If you hadn’t just arrived after a civilised four-hour flight you could be mistaken for thinking you were in the Caribbean. Hotel D Maris, a large resort on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, makes no apologies for its brutal architecture which sits aloft a cliff and looms over the clear turquoise water. The sea is calm and the beach so white it looks like snow.
The hotel would make a fitting backdrop for a Bond film. A dark and sultry atmosphere descends over the interior corridors. The many terraces and balconies are perfect for watching the silhouettes of helicopters arriving on the backdrop of a blood-red sky.
Dinner at Zuma (one of the six restaurants on-site) is an experience not to be missed. Guests graze on works of art and drink their way through a sophisticated cocktail menu, whilst the DJ spins tunes that are so good it’s impossible not to dance.
By day the resort is health-conscious and the activities are endless. From Pilates to paddle boarding there is something for everyone and an expert to advise. I opted for a canoeing session with a German watersports instructor; he was patient and encouraging as I pushed myself to circle nearby Rabbit Island (yes it does have rabbits on and guests usually take carrots over to feed them).
When you have sampled each of the five beaches, a cruise along the peninsula on the elegant ‘Pasa’ Gulet will be the perfect end to the holiday. Sip champagne, snorkel, gorge on macaroons and drop the anchor in crystal clear coves.
