Six Senses Kaplankaya review: Bond-lair-esque coastal cool in Turkey

North of Bodrum, near sleepy Kaplankaya, lies a serene outpost of Six Senses. It’s about 45 minutes from Milas Airport (the main airport for Bodrum), an hour and a half from Bodrum town (or a 30-minute speedboat), or for those with the means, a swift helicopter ride. We took the road route which was a pleasant way to see a bit more of the rural area and gave us a good idea of quite how secluded the resort is – we drove for miles on winding roads through tall, crackled trees, catching fleeting snapshots of an older Turkey with stone shepherds’ huts the only dwellings.

At the end of the meandering route you’ll reach the three-hectare site of Six Senses Kaplankaya, carved out of the hillside, stepping down to several tranquil coves. The site consists of the main body of the hotel itself with some accommodation and pushes out to villas as well as residences for permanent inhabitants who share access to the hotel’s facilities. While seemingly vast, everything is generally in short walking distance or a buggy ride should the mood take you.

Why stay here

Designed by Clodagh Design and Foster + Partners, it all feels rather Bond-lair-esque: squat buildings clinging to the coast with flat roofs and wooden slatting letting light slant through. Staff, however, are a whole lot more welcoming than Goldfinger henchman “Oddjob” and the mood is one of cool and calm.

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Upon arrival, the first thing we’re struck by is the sweeping view of the cerulean, sunlight-speckled Aegean Sea with distant, hazy views of the Bodrum peninsula through the giant windows, out across the living roofs of the hotel buildings. Sustainability is front and centre for Six Senses and this is a great way to conserve energy. The similarity to the views from the very top of Six Senses’s Yao Noi destination are nicely mirrored here.

Walk towards the view and the ground drops away, revealing the five storeys the hotel occupies, all windowed as you look seaward. It’s quite unusual in its form and trades a little of its intimacy for grandeur, shackling as much of the natural light as it can. It’s a feature throughout the hotel, little windows and balconies crop up giving brief glimpses of the natural rocky seascape.

Take the wide stairs (or grab the lift) and wander down the stone paths to the sea, surrounded by plenty of beautiful flora including a few prickly pears, sprawls of spiky, perfumed rosemary and the ubiquitous olive trees. The paths give way to lawns dotted with sun-loungers; the lawns give way to a glorious curve of sand slipping into the ocean – it’s picture perfect, the waves creating a lulling backdrop as they gently hit the shore. There are three coves here, one dedicated to families, this crescent closest to the hotel and Anhinga, around 45 minutes walk away, which is home to one of the hotel’s restaurants. Being one with nature is taken quite literally here with sundecks built onto and into the shallow rocky sides of the cove via a network of snaking paths and ladders.

Back inside the hotel, the decor is simple, consistent and ultra modern. Interesting and quirky items lurk on shelves and in corners – loads of envy-inducing ceramics, stout woven fishing baskets, hunks of stone and chunks of polished crystal and curving lumps of wood provide plenty of character to the new wooden, tiled and overall neutral interior.

Rooms and suites

The hotel has 141 rooms, six suites and 66 ridge terrace rooms. The 75 rooms in the main body of the hotel are very generously spaced – a huge walk-in wardrobe makes your stay just that much more enjoyable (nobody wants to look at their suitcase for several days). The slats and natural materials found in the rest of the hotel continue into the rooms; strawberry blonde wooden floors and walls, earthy wooden greys for furniture; soft linen blinds and lamps, woven leather bed-heads and mottled blue kilims complete the look. Aircon is circulated by what look like 16 googly eyes with, I’m sure, some well-considered angling.

Bathrooms are as big as the rooms with large oval baths, stone sinks, and showers with all mod cons – on and off buttons, clearly labelled, are a nice touch. Lighting and blinds are easily controlled through clearly marked panels located throughout the room or the iPad next to the bed, through which you can also order room service or book activities.

Balconies are sizable and private – you’ll only see the tops of green roofs and the sea, stretching out below. For families and larger groups, pool villas and residences are a more suitable option – located up and around the site.

Eating and drinking

Breakfast is taken on the sundeck on the hotel’s lower floor providing a great selection of pastries, salads, Turkey’s bounteous cheeses, strained yoghurt and lots of dried fruit, nuts and honeycomb. There is also a hot counter with sucuk (a spicy Turkish sausage), helim (that’s halloumi to you and I), menemen (eggs scrambled with tomatoes, peppers and spices) and a few Western staples. A gozleme station provides a deliciously fun addition – a savoury type of “turnover”, they are made with unleavened dough typically stuffed with cheese and spinach (though fillings are plentiful and varied) and cooked on a hot metal dome.

The sunset bar, as you might suspect, is the best spot in the hotel to watch the sun go down. It is situated right next to “Mezze by the Sea” which, as you might suspect, serves mezze by the sea. This is top notch chow – a beautiful range of mezze are presented on a tray – you pick as many as you like to scoop up with hunks of bread. On the menu is karniyarik (aubergine stuffed with tomato rice); pembe sultan (beetroot and yoghurt with rose petals); acili ezme, a spicy blend of charred peppers, chillies, herbs and tomatoes; Ahtapotlu Börülce Salatası (octopus and samphire salad); and lakerda (salted bonito) – you catch the drift. Mains, for those with rooms, are grilled fish or lamb with that delicious buttery rice that somehow only the Turks know how to do and a bouquet of rabbit-ear rocket, floppy and peppery.

The Beach cafe serves some family favourites and sandward staples – burgers, tacos, pizza, salads and some perfectly-cooked silky crispy calamari.

For upmarket fare, take the hotel shuttle to Anhinga, a “hidden” restaurant in a secluded bay about ten minutes from the hotel. It’s high-end modern Med food with some artful plating and great quality ingredients; make sure you leave room for the burnt cheesecake – the star of the show.

What to do

There are endless activities going on at Six Senses Kaplankaya – from watersports like paddle-boarding to tennis, for those in the mood. Wellness is front and centre here – take a hike, run or bike ride along coastal paths – or you can engage in aerial yoga. A “Wellness Screening” session provides an intimate look inside yourself to gauge whether you’ve been keeping up with your exercise, a healthy diet and getting enough sleep along with recommendations for getting to your optimum (including a pod that will take you, albeit virtually, to the top of Everest). Good news – you can’t fail the test.

An incredibly well-decked out gym has a bristling array of sparkling equipment ready to put you through your paces and the two outdoor pools and one indoor pool mean you have no excuses for not growing gills while you stay here.

One of the highlights of our stay was a walk around the path that hugs the coast running away from the hotel. Narin Deniz Erkan is the hotel’s fitness guru and guided us on our short wander. A lockdown escapee from Istanbul, she now can’t imagine life without these one-to-ones with nature.

The jewel in the hotel’s crown is its gargantuan spa – at 10,000 sqm it’s larger than any in Europe. It has all manner of paths to zen, from spiritual to physical healing via meditation chambers, Watsu flotation massage, sound therapy, a hot Himalayan salt room, hydrothermal features, private steam and sauna rooms, an ice room – you name it, they have it. For such a large space, this sanctum is surprisingly intimate, well-lit and carefully decorated with meditative Buddhas.

Six Senses Kaplankaya, Bozbük Mahallesi Merkez Sokak No: 198, Milas, Muğla, Turkey. Rooms from £338 per night based on two sharing a superior twin sea view on a B&B basis; sixsenses.com