Aman Resorts Hotels in Golturkbuku

This was our first time at an Aman and we didn't love it. After reading some other reviews, Amanruya seems to rank differently though to some of their other properties. Although we wouldn't return to this particular Aman, we would give another one a try. In short, we had a good stay but it wasn't faultless - by far. Considering the price you pay and value you get for money, I can only give it 3/5. ROOM 4/5 My understanding is that all the rooms are the same, just with different views. In our case we were surrounded by lovely gardens and big trees. The outdoor area is spacious and definitely the highlight for us. We spent most of our time at our private heated pool or in the sala relaxing. Every so often you get staff walking across the gardens so just bear in mind that you do not have complete privacy. The inside is beautifully laid out and furnished but perhaps a bit sterile for some. We stayed at the end of October and as it was getting colder, you spent more time indoors than in summer. Unfortunately the rooms weren't exactly conducive to lingering... i.e. the chairs are made for sitting rather than lying and reading a book. The living room area is also right next to your bed and doesn't have a very cosy feel. I guess the best way of putting it is slight style over substance. At least for us. (But perhaps this is an Aman-thing?) The bathroom is huge and gorgeous. Great toiletries, lovely tub. Fantastic bed and pillows. Nice music selection with ipod. There is also a TV with DVD player but you have to ask reception for a list of movies available to borrow. FOOD 4/5 The quality of ingredients and food overall was fantastic. Fresh produce with so much flavour that was very well executed! Starting with breakfast, the à la carte selection is varied and we didn't get bored after 5 days. The Menemen is a standout, as well as the Bodrum Breakfast which contains many local items like cheeses, hummus, honey and cream... We actually only had lunch at the beach once during our stay as breakfast kept us full until the evening. It's a shame because they have a different menu for lunch with Pides, Kebabs, etc. - unfortunately this food is not available for dinner. We brought it up with the Manager and he did mention that they had been talking about opening the beach restaurant in the evenings. Otherwise you are left with only one option, the main restaurant, as there is nothing close by outside of the resort. The food at dinner was excellent though and everything we tried was flavoursome and very well executed. The salads, mezzes, even the pasta was cooked to absolute perfection. The Baklava was the standout. I have never had such good Baklava in my life. I'm giving food 4/5 purely because of the lack of choice overall. Especially the room service menu was quite small and uninspired. Why put a burger on the menu and not some local items or mezze? I know some things travel better than others and the burgers were good enough - but more effort coul