Sunday Magazine – August 11, 2019

S MAGAZINE ★ 11 AUGUST 2019 31

Edited by Laura Mulley

Even the main buffet has a dizzying choice of

breads made on site. Pick a fresh fish to be

grilled over hot coals, or be mesmerised by the

deftness and danger of the knife-wielding chef

at the salad bar, where we expected the loss

of a fingertip, all to create delicious, piquant

salads, bursting with flavour and freshness.

The Club Marvy farm also produces delicious

(free) organic wine for the hotel. And they say

you can drink a lot more and not suffer any

terrible hangover effects. After careful research

I can confirm that this might in fact be true.

Or be tempted by another amazing perk –

the free ice-cream bar where the kids (and

adults) could hardly believe their luck as they

created masterpieces from homemade waffles

stacked high with scoops of fabulous flavours,

topped with fruit, pistachios or chocolate chips.

Everyone is well-fed at Club Marvy. Even the

cats are sleek, healthy and happy. Unlike the

mangy specimens that often turn up at your

table begging for scraps, here there are 20

cats treated as pets, vet-checked and

vaccinated – and they’ll come for a stroke

rather than a mouthful of your squid.

Club Marvy is impressive in many ways. From

the simple chic of the spotless rooms with the

oh-so comfortable beds and waffle sheets, to

embracing the local artistic scene with monthly

gallery openings that celebrate up and coming

(often female) artists. The happy staff

positively glow with pride over their hotel. As

one enthused, “Where beautiful souls come

together.” It really is an inspiring place to stay.

Mel Brodie

Discover an Aegean gem,

with fine food and

stunning surroundings

Tur k ish de li ght

F

or my spa treatment I am in a bamboo

cabana built on stilts over the clear

Aegean sea. One side is open to the

dazzling view of the ocean, and white

drapes blow lazily in the breeze. I lie

down to find a glass window in the floor so

I can watch the waves lap over the rocks

below. An orange-speckled butterfly settles

right underneath me. I sigh with contentment.

And the massage hasn’t even started yet.

It is this attention to detail that makes Club

Marvy such a special place to stay. Only half

an hour from Izmir on the Turkish Riviera, this

is no run-of-the-mill all-inclusive resort. Totally

revamped two years ago, it is a big hotel with a

boutique approach, and cleverly put together.

Built around two small bays, there are

separate beaches – one for families, the other

for over-18s. The adult beach has an Ibizan

vibe and a DJ playing chill-out music, to the

point that I fell asleep while reading my book.

It’s not often you can choose between being

a child or a grown-up. But Club Marvy does just

that. One area of the hotel has adult-only rooms

and a restaurant on the site of an old windmill.

Make sure you have breakfast here (even if you

have to ditch the kids) for the Turkish pastries

with homemade pomegranate jam and

honeycomb straight from the hive, menemen

(eggs with peppers and tomatoes), cheeses,

fresh herbs and olives... and the view out over

bougainvillea and cypress trees to the sea.

But don’t feel like you’re missing out if you

have the family with you. Quite the opposite.

As well as kids’ clubs, there are two swimming

pools and a 12-slide waterpark tucked away

unobtrusively at the edge of the grounds. Even

though we didn’t have children, we bravely slid

and shrieked down the scarier ones. The

activities list is endless, from sailing and

paddleboarding to tennis and yoga. But our

days were about relaxing – and eating. Food

was definitely at the heart of the stay.

A family-run hotel, Club Marvy has women

at its core, a welcome surprise in a country

with a strong male tradition. The owner and

matriarch, Ece Tonbul, champions Aegean

culture and food, winning awards for

sustainability. Ece’s mother runs an organic

farm where much of what you eat and drink

at the hotel comes from. Two female culinary

big hitters oversee all six of the restaurants

and there is foodie flair wherever you turn.

Rooms at Club Marvy start at £146 per night.

The price is based on two sharing on an

all-inclusive basis. To book, visit clubmarvy.com.

Spa treatments with

an ocean view

Relax by the pool (above) or

at Club Marvy’s Luvi bar

●S