Walking out with our luggage, I looked for a sign—and there was my name. While other tourists are herded off into large buses and beat-up taxis, my travel companions and I made our way to the sleek Land Rover with Maçakızı branding (the word in Turkish translates to Queen of Spades, so the spade is found subtly on almost everything). Cold water awaits inside, and we take off towards the nearby marina. A boat appears. And by boat, I mean small yacht. With our luggage onboard, the transport is a fun way to save time and enter the hotel at sea level, where pretty people hang out on sun loungers. The hotel is spread out over a series of terraces, with bougainvillea blooming everywhere and dogs or cats at every turn. Art — be it in the form of sculpture or paintings — can be found in every nook and cranny. The room is quaint and not oversized, with a small terrace and views overlooking the bay. Breakfast is included, and while sparse, it gets the job done.
Aqua di Parma toiletries? Check.
Ru…
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Weekly A to Z to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.