First look: inside Ian Schrager's new EDITION hotel on the Turquoise Coast, where ‘simplicity is true luxury’

The plates kept on coming: a basket of sesame-dotted simit bread. A wooden board loaded with local cheeses in different shapes. A marble slab topped with kaymak (like clotted cream). Then, bowls of honeycomb, pine honey and whipped butter, followed by fresh fruit and vegetables. And finally, when I thought the waiters had stopped, they placed down copper tins filled with fried sucuk (spicy sausage) and zesty menemen (scrambled eggs, peppers, tomatoes and spices). This is how kahvalti, or Turkish breakfast, is done at The Bodrum EDITION – where it’s served until a leisurely 6pm every day.

For their fifth property, which opened last weekend, the EDITION brand – owned by Marriott International and Ian Schrager, nightlife supremo and creator of the boutique hotel in the US – picked the Turquoise Coast of Turkey. The area is named after the mottled spots in the sea that span the spectrum from aquamarine in the shallows to lapis lazuli in its deeper points. Homer, the Greek poet, once called Bodrum “the land of eternal blue” and from the EDITION, all eyes are on the quiet Aegean. The only thing that cuts through the stillness are the white lines left behind by a water skier or a speed boat.

The entrance, on a road above the quiet and mainly residential bay, near to Yalikavak Marina on the north-west of the peninsula, gives nothing away. As soon as you step through the glass and marble lobby through to the top terrace, the swathe of blue comes into frame. The resort tumbles down, layer-upon-layer, in blocks of rooms (80 per cent of which have sea views), terraces with hammocks, lawns with pools, via steps, down to the nightclub, restaurants, pool deck, spa and at the bottom, the crescent of white sand, which is made of crushed-up marble (and is much cooler on the feet). It’s a steep climb back up, with 230 or so steps, but there are golf buggies to zip guests around, which is fun if only to see the Aegean coming in and out of view as they zoom round hairpin bends.

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All of the EDITION properties, be they city bolt-holes or beach resorts – in London, New York, Miami Beach and Sanya, China – draw on their individual locality while still sharing what Schrager defines as “a unifying force of attitude and sensibility.”

What this means for the Bodrum outpost is, apart from the omnipresence of the sea and the dedication to the ceremony of Turkish breakfast, is a balance of the local with what fans of the group have come to expect. Schrager announced at a press conference during the opening weekend that “the secret to designing a lifestyle hotel is that there is no formula.” But that’s not strictly true.

The architecture and design of The Bodrum EDITION has many of the hallmarks of the other properties, such as glass and white used in abundance; light woods; huge vases, filled with tropical plants placed everywhere from the lobby to the rooms; and smaller details, such as the Le Labo toiletries and scent created individually for every hotel.

Local traditions have been observed, too. The stone, which appears on walls through the property in a puzzle-like formation, was all broken by hand, as is the regional custom. Hundreds of olive trees punctuate the pathways, and magenta and white bougainvillea plaits itself around the wooden slat-shaded terraces of the suites and restaurants. Looking back at the building from a boat on the bay, it’s compact and boxy – and not necessarily beautiful – but it fits with the regional silhouette of sugar cube-like houses, which, in this bay, all turn an ethereal peach at sunset.

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The cream of Turkey’s creative crop was also hand-picked to feature at the hotel. The ’74 Escape pop-up shop and gallery will feature rotating collections – at the moment expect colourful jute tote bags and throws by Marché Istanbul, and a selection of menswear pieces from Umit Benan, an acclaimed Turkish designer. There’s also a postcard exhibition, each designed by the likes of fashion photographers Inez & Vinoodh, Margherita Missoni and Tilda Swinton.

A roster of international and local DJ talent will take to the decks at Discetto, the “mini disco” – most days from 6pm until late. Cocktails are designed for sharing – with guests drinking from crystal pitchers under a very Studio 54-esque disco ball.

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For the culinary offering, however, they didn’t go local. Instead, they flew in Diego Muñoz, the Peruvian chef formerly of the feted Astrid & Gastón in Lima. Here, he’ll oversee the two restaurants: Kitchen, home of the Turkish breakfast and an all-day Mediterranean menu; and BRAVA, the thatched-roof beach-front spot serving Latin American-inflected sharing platters made with Turkish ingredients. Muñoz spent a month in Istanbul learning about the cooking culture, mastering how to make daily staples such as lahmacun (pizza). All of the ingredients are sourced from local markets and show up on plates including wood-grilled sea bream, whole roasted lobster, and leg of lamb, plus ceviches and crudos.

That the hotel has opened at a time when Turkish tourism is back on the rise is fortuitous. This year has already seen, according to recent reports, a 30 per cent increase in visitors compared with last year. But Schrager seemed unfazed by the dip in visitors while the hotel was being built. “Political climates change. Tourism changes. But through the ebbs and flows, we’ll still be standing.” EDITION’s competitors have responded in the same way: the Mandarin Oriental Bodrum just completed a refurbishment while the nearby Six Senses Kaplankaya opened in May.

Schrager and Marriott have come up with a winning recipe for a modern-day resort, keeping it relevant and authentic, and stripping out the fanfare when it comes to luxury – Schrager’s mantra is, after all, “simplicity is true luxury”. He cites Apple as inspiration. “[I want people to treat our hotels in] the same way they do Apple products. We’re non-demographic: young, old, singles, families, from any country, it doesn’t matter. Either we resonate with you or we don’t.”

So what next for EDITION? They have six more openings this year alone. Beyond that, he remained tight-lipped, only sharing one telling nugget of information: "We have 40 or so projects already signed – and on every continent.” The next opening is in the El Born district of Barcelona in September; the rest includes the Shanghai debut, followed by Los Angeles, and a second property in New York. Istanbul, Schrager hinted, might also be on the cards. And then? It’s anyone’s guess. But you can bet on a good breakfast.

Read the full review: The Bodrum EDITION

Double rooms from €350 (£310). Breakfast included. Free Wi-Fi. The hotel is open from April to October.