Located in the secluded bay of Günlüklü on Turkey’s Aegean coast, just east of Göcek, AHÃMA is a sanctuary shaped by conservation, design, and connection to place. A new member of The Aficionados, this 20 hectare eco-biome sits among ancient sweetgum forests and the Babadağ Mountains, a rare patch of coastline where the subtle architecture of this new hotel follows the contours of its terrain.
Taking its name from the Lycian word for ‘beloved,’ AHÃMA is defined by a careful, almost reverential approach to its surroundings. The architecture is restrained, and timber-framed suites, maisonettes and a private villa are scattered across the topography, blending into the trees and rocky slopes. Materials are drawn from the landscape — stone, reed, charred wood, linen — with a muted palette that “borrows from the wild.”
Creative direction spans international and local minds including Spanish landscape designer Álvaro Sampedro, whose vast gardens fringe the wild forest and beach, and Mexican architect Héctor Esrawe, who conceived the sculptural Sound Temple nestled within the trees. Interiors are grounded, with handwoven kilims, ceramics by Studio Neu, and lighting by Lana Launay.
At the heart of the property stands the Glass House, a transparent pavilion that is the life and soul of AHÃMA. Four distinct restaurants expand on the property’s identity: refined Mediterranean fare at the Glass House, fire-led cooking at AY, omakase precision with local produce at Ēge Umi, and bold coastal Mexican flavours at Mezkla Göcek.
Wellness is a big deal here too, with forest yoga, breathwork on sun decks, and treatments centred around sweetgum and salt. The Sound Temple, meanwhile, offers immersive sonic journeys among the trees.
Surrounded by cultural relics and turquoise bays, AHÃMA is a modern vision of hospitality that is firmly rooted in its location’s past.
Ahama Turkish Riviera Photography, courtesy The Aficionados and AHÃMA.
