You might assume the life of a travel journalist is all fun and frivolity, but the truth is, travelling for work is just that - work. Yes, I get to visit places that are beautiful, full of intrigue and rich in history, but it's never a holiday; my schedule is abundant in tightly packed itineraries with little or no time to explore as I fancy. So an invite to spend a few days at 5 star resort Kempinski Barbaros Bay, Bodrum to simply relax and rejuvenate was unusual, but serendipitous and very welcome.
I must confess, after two jam-packed consecutive press trips, I was most eagerly anticipating donning my Seafolly swimsuit and languishing in an opalescent indigo sea and forgetting my troubles for a little while. Staying at a Kempinski resort meant my holiday would begin as soon as I arrived in Bodrum, with a chauffeured Porsche awaiting to welcome and ferry me to Barbaros Bay.
Kempinski Barbaros Bay sits elegantly on the side of a Bodrum cliff, proudly watching over the magnificent Aegean sea, and with an atrium that spans four floors, the sea appears to peer into the bosom of the hotel, waiting on and sustaining it with its constant gaze. I was fortunate to procure a room with a sea view, one that assumes an intensely hued scene in daylight and a magical serenity by moonlight.
With Kempinski Barbaros Bay's incredible views, its infinity pool and private beach, basking luxuriously in the sun is an easy task, but I found myself enjoying far more, the comforts and treatments of the resort's Six Senses Spa.
The Six Senses Spa resides in bedrock of the resort; a leisurely meander down the winding staircases (or lifts) brings guests to an almost magical niche in the hotel with its beautiful and holistic Asian and traditional Turkish design and its halcyon atmosphere. After deliberating the extensive treatment brochure, I decided on the Six Senses' traditional Turkish hammam; I hadn't experienced a hammam before and the friendly staff insisted it would be a shame to forego the opportunity.
Following a stretch in the steam room, I was guided to the magnificent marble hammam, where I was scrubbed vigorously from head to toe before a sack like accoutrement was lifted over me, blown into then squeezed to free clouds of soap suds, cocooning me in foam. Hot water washed away the silken soap suds and I was left feeling invigorated and squeaky clean. My treatment over, I was invited to ease myself back into the real world in the spa's relaxation area, where I was served the best ginger tea I have ever had, accompanied by nutritious and super-foods almonds and figs. So impressed with the spa, I booked myself a hot stone massage the next evening and slept like the dead that night.
If conspicuous luxury, holistic relaxation and stunning scenery are what you're craving this summer - an escape from London Olympic fever perhaps, Kempinski Barbaros Bay in Bodrum offers you that and much more.
