Some hotels give you a place to sleep. Others give you a beach, a buffet and a bar you’ll forget the name of the minute you check out. Then there’s Lujo. This is Bodrum turned up to full volume, a place where sushi and rosé lunches melt into DJ sets by the sea, where the water is so clear you can see straight to the seabed, and where evenings crescendo with full orchestras under the stars. It’s a resort that doesn’t just tick boxes, it rips up the list entirely and writes its own rules.
A Resort Built on Art and Joy
Lujo’s motto, Art and Joy, isn’t decoration on a brochure. It is the way the entire resort moves. Sculptural architecture frames the Aegean, bold interiors are softened by marble and stone, and every pathway seems designed to end in a view that makes you stop. The effect is part gallery, part playground, entirely unforgettable.
Arriving in Style
Lujo makes the journey part of the holiday. Private transfers can be arranged by yacht, seaplane, or sleek chauffeured cars, ensuring the moment you land in Bodrum you’re already on holiday time. I opted for a private car, complete with chilled drinks and the kind of smooth arrival that set the tone for everything that followed.
The Forest Room: My Sanctuary
I stayed in a Forest Room, a hidden retreat surrounded by greenery with a balcony jacuzzi that became my evening ritual. The room was sleek yet soothing, with double vanities, a pillow menu that turned sleeping into an art form, and little touches that made life effortless. Morning coffees on the balcony came courtesy of the in-room Nespresso machine, accompanied by nothing but birdsong and sunlight through the trees.
And when I wanted something, I didn’t need to fuss. Lujo’s personal advisors were only a WhatsApp message away, ready to arrange spa treatments, book restaurants, or line up a private cabana by the beach. The kind of attentive service that makes you wonder why the rest of the world hasn’t caught up.
Rooms That Redefine Choice
While my Forest Room gave me the perfect blend of privacy and comfort, Lujo is also home to an entire universe of accommodation styles. Some rooms spill straight into shared pools, others have terraces with bubbling jacuzzis, and the family suites feel like small apartments designed for everyone to have their own space.
For those who crave spectacle, the Sunset Villas come with private pools and sweeping sea views, while the Maki Villas are designed for chic seclusion, each with their own heated pools and gardens. At the very top, the Sunset Presidential Villa sprawls across as much as 1,300 square metres, complete with five bedrooms, its own pool, a children’s pool, and a jacuzzi. It feels less like a villa and more like a private estate, perched above the Aegean.
No matter the category, every room comes with Lujo’s signature touches: Nespresso machines, stocked minibars, double sinks, premium toiletries (including mini sets for children), and that all-important pillow and mattress menu. Comfort here is personalised, not standardised.
A Feast for the Senses
Every meal at Lujo felt like stepping into a different chapter of a novel. Koza was the all-day epic, offering everything from Turkish breakfast classics to sushi at brunch. Gaia served Mediterranean plates kissed by olive oil and sea breeze. Sorisso was unapologetically romantic, with bowls of handmade pasta that demanded a glass of Chianti. At Shibori, delicate sashimi and dramatic teppanyaki made dinner feel like theatre, while El Gaucho turned steak into a ceremony.
And then there were the moments that had nothing to do with menus. A long seaside lunch with a glass of rosé so cold it glistened, the Aegean stretching out in front of me, water so clear I could see straight to the seabed. One afternoon at OPA! Beach Club, fish tacos arrived fresh and bursting with flavour, the perfect companion to sushi rolls and a chilled cocktail. That was Bodrum at its most delicious.
OPA! Beach Club: The Epicentre of Beautiful Chaos
If Lujo has a soul, it lives at OPA!. Here the day begins with languid lounging and platters of sushi, builds with cocktails and international DJs, then crescendos into something part party, part spectacle. Beautiful people saunter between daybeds, laughter carries on the sea breeze, and everyone looks as if they belong on the cover of a magazine.
People watching here could be an Olympic sport. It is a stage where glamour comes naturally and fun is the only dress code.
Pools, Beaches and Aquaparks
Beyond OPA!, the resort’s private kilometre of beach stretches into zones. Joy Beach is for families, Escape Beach is tranquil, and the water everywhere is impossibly clear. Pools are scattered across the resort, some directly accessible from villas and rooms, others designed for indulgent lounging. For those who want a thrill, the aquapark delivers slides that leave even adults* grinning like children.
*me
The Spa: Moments to Share
The Sensum Spa was a highlight I’ll never forget. My husband and I booked a couples massage that stretched into an hour of pure bliss. Skilled therapists worked away the last traces of stress, and by the time we emerged from the treatment rooms, we felt as if we’d been reset. In fact, we loved it so much we went back for seconds. Add the hammam, the salt room, and the calm of the spa’s private gardens, and it felt like another holiday within a holiday.
Entertainment: Nights to Remember
Evenings at Lujo are not an afterthought. They are a spectacle. Live bands play beneath the stars, singers with voices to rival any international stage hold the audience in rapture, and full orchestras transform the open-air setting into a concert hall. Some nights are glamorous, others playful, but all are designed to remind you that holidays should be lived as much after dark as in the sun. Pablo Esco Bar – a late-night, sultry den for the true night owls – is where the party continues until the early hours.
Kijo Club: For the Next Generation of Guests
Families are never left behind. The Kijo Club sprawls across 4,500 square metres, with workshops in robotics, art and ceramics, gaming rooms for teens, and nursery spaces for little ones. It feels less like childcare and more like an academy of fun. Parents can rest easy knowing their children are not just occupied but entertained and inspired.
Why Lujo Stayed With Me
Luxury hotels often promise perfection but Lujo offers something more rare. Freedom. The freedom to fill your days with yoga, jet skiing, and fine dining, or to do nothing but float in a pool with a glass of Champagne. The freedom to party until sunrise at OPA! or lose yourself in the serenity of a spa ritual. The freedom to travel with children and still feel like you’re on a grown-up holiday.
It is the rare kind of resort that is both playful and sophisticated, glamorous yet grounded, where every detail is thought through and every experience feels designed for you.
If I had to choose one holiday that felt like the best of my life, Lujo would be it.
Meşelik Mah. Çomça Mevkii Sok. No:10, 48200 Bodrum/Muğla, Türkiye
