ABOVE: There are 36 stone cottages in all, each comes decked out with local acajau wood, Turkish marble and a four-poster bed.

There are few lifestyle experiences more unique or memorable than a stay at an Aman resort. The elegant, stylish hotels never have more than 50 keys, each location is unique, the architecture is always in keeping with its surroundings, and the service is beyond comparison. In fact, Amans are so incredible that guests, who are nearly always repeat customers (sometimes known as Amanjunkies) rarely tell their friends for fear their secret haven suffers a mass invasion by the madding crowd.

Well, now that you’re in the know, you should also be aware of the fact that Aman has recently opened its 24th location. It’s called Amanruya and it’s set on a tiered hillside overlooking the Mediterranean on Turkey’s Bodrum Peninsula. The 36 private stone cottages are hidden in a pine forest and ancient olive groves. Each has its own garden, swimming pool, traditional Turkish fireplace, four-poster bed, expansive bathroom, as well as heated marble floors covered by Turkish rugs.

If you’re in the mood for some more privacy but away from your isolated sanctuary, then follow the winding path that connects all the villas to the secluded pebble beach. Don’t mind seeing other people? Head to the common buildings adjacent to the 50-metre marble swimming pool, where there’s a three-storey library, an art gallery and a boutique.

ABOVE: The design of the resort was a product of the vision of the late Turkish architect Turgut Cansever (who originally bought the land with his partners in 1970) and the conceptualisation of his daughter Emine, and son-in-law, Mehmet Ogun. All the resort’s cottages come with beautiful indoor bathrooms as well as outdoor showers, a courtyard, a private heated pool and views across the Aegean Sea.

As with all Amans you can detox at the superlative spa or brush up your game with free lessons at the resort’s tennis courts. The dining pavilions, of which there are four, are scattered throughout the property and they focus on Turkish, Asian, and Continental cuisine.

To say Amanruya is sublime is an understatement. Adrian Zecha, the founder and executive chairman of Amanresorts once tried to explain to Official Bespoke the secret behind Aman’s enviable knack for location spotting. “It’s difficult to articulate why I might find one site suitable and another not,” he said after some thought, “it’s basically gut instinct.” Now 78 years of age and still going strong, Zecha’s gut is one of the few things in today’s world we can still trust to deliver.

WHAT Amanruya
WHERE Bodrum, Turkey
COST Introductory offer of 1,200 USD a night
WHY The Amanruya gave Bodrum some much needed sophistication when it opened in December 2011. The fabulous village-like resort is Zecha’s third property around our region, after the Chedi in Oman, and the Amanjena in Morocco.