Maxx Royal Kemer Resort opened 10 years ago, and in that time has garnered a loyal following – guests come back year after year, and it’s easy to see why. From the minute you arrive, you feel like part of the family. Turkish hospitality is renowned for its warmth and generosity, but Maxx Royal takes it to a whole new level. The staff, the food, the general ambience are nothing short of outstanding.
The resort spans a quiet corner of the coast at Kiriş, a 10-minute drive from Kemer, and an hour from Antalya. The surrounding mountains make for a dramatic backdrop, and the national park is a protected area, ensuring unspoiled nature on the doorstep. If you’re feeling energetic, the hike up to the viewpoint is well worth it – but even soaking up the landscape from the beaches at the resort is breathtaking.
But perhaps Maxx Royal Kemer’s greatest asset is who it’s geared towards. You could just as easily come here on your own as you could with a family of ten, and have as good a time. And you can’t say that about many places. There’s enough choice in terms of accommodation, positioning and facilities to cater for everyone.
My three-bedroom beach villa felt a world away from the main restaurants and family area, and was so peaceful and secluded I could have happily stayed in it the entire time – which I pretty much did. It had everything anyone staying here – loud, energetic family or solace-seeking honeymooning couple – would need for a perfect holiday; a huge private outdoor pool and sundeck, beach cabana with minibar, Nespresso machine, two jacuzzis (one inside the bedroom and one on the sundeck) and three en-suite bedrooms. There’s even a personal sauna and steam room. Oh, and the washing machine was a nice touch.
As this is Turkey, there’s a lot of emphasis placed on the spa, and it is world class. At 4,500sqm, it has everything you may need, from a hammam, sauna, salt and steam rooms to an unbelievable thirty treatment rooms. Yes, thirty. As you can imagine, the choice of therapies is virtually limitless, from ayurvedic body scrubs, reiki and singing bowls to platelet rich plasma injections and intravenous drips to cure a hangover. Personally, I was happy with a standard 90-minute aromatherapy massage. Well, I say ‘standard’, but it was anything but – truly blissful. There are, too, non-invasive facial treatments to be had, professional detox programmes, plus a hair salon so you can leave feeling fully reset, even reinvented, should you wish.
When it comes to dining, all the restaurants at Maxx Royal Kemer are à la carte – something you rarely see in an all-inclusive resort. The cuisines span Turkish, Mexican, Mediterranean, Far Eastern, even surf and turf, and there’s a café, Le Melange, that serves French pastries, coffee and cakes, and a chocolaterie that whips up French premium Valrhona creations in a dazzling array of flavours. And should you be left wanting, the Twenty4 restaurant is open, well, 24/7.
The highlight for me came on my final evening. I was fortunate to score a table at Gastro – the beachside fine dining restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Alfredo Russo. His pescetarian tasting menu began with a fresh oyster on ice and a chilled glass of Chandon Champagne, before going into a suite of seafood dishes paired with wines from Central Anatolia by Lucien Arkas Bağları.
I dwell on these because they were that good; the 2022 Mon Rêve rosé and the 2021 La Passito dessert wine being particular highlights. My waiter, Joe, was a consummate professional and even served me a glass of his own vermouth to try with the Turkish cheese board, then brought out not one but two desserts so I could compare them. If you can’t decide between the 70-hour orange and the homemade tiramisu, order both. They’re sublime.
My evening at Gastro aside, I was more than content to dine either in my villa or in my beach cabana – well, because it seemed a shame not to make the most of my stunning surroundings while there. Everything I tried was superbly cooked and presented, and served to me by my private butler, Anastasia, from Ukraine.
In fact, that’s what I should mention last. It’s that personal touch. All the suites at Maxx Royal Kemer come with a Maxx Assistant – someone who’s on hand to look after you throughout your stay. Guests download an app, and have full access to all the resort’s services and facilities, as well as communication with their assistant. In the case of the beach villas, you’re also assigned a butler. This was a concept I’d not experienced before, having both a butler and a personal assistant, so to say I felt taken care of would be an understatement.
And the pièce de résistance has to be the almond-milk jacuzzi Anastasia prepared for me one evening, complete with a bottle of bubbly on ice and chocolate-covered strawberries on the side – all of which I enjoyed under a beautiful full moon.
Does life get much better? I think not.
Suites at Maxx Royal Kemer Resort start from around €860 per night, on an all-inclusive basis. Beach villas start from €15,750 per night, on an all-inclusive basis, accommodating up to 10 people. For more information, dive in at www.maxxroyal.com.
