Honest review
XO in Fethiye surprised us with a contrast: a beach club with music until two in the morning — and a protected zone next door where turtles lay their eggs, so beyond the marker posts there are no sunbeds at all. A good sign: the nature here is real, not decorative.
The welcome is done beautifully — a domed lobby, sparkling wine and handmade chocolate; suite guests have a separate quiet check-in room. The suites themselves are laconic: travertine, glass, Acqua di Parma toiletries, some with direct pool access and a living hedge instead of a fence. The suites differ by location, and that choice is worth discussing before you book.
The beach strip is unusually wide for the region — you will hardly find one like it in Bodrum or Marmaris. The sand is natural, greyish; in its own zone the resort tops it up with lighter sand. Cabanas run from 200 to 350 euros, the family and adult sides are kept apart — reserve in advance. As a mother, I was won over by the baby cradles right on the shore — light, with soft little mattresses, to the sound of the sea.
The gastronomy is strong: a quality buffet in the main restaurant, a round-the-clock restaurant on the "royal road" — a lane of bars and boutiques among olive trees, a French-style patisserie and an "alchemist" bar where cocktails take on the flavours of food — it is included in the package, as is imported premium-brand alcohol.
The spa covers 4,000 square metres: ice and salt rooms, a hammam, Thai mats, Ayurveda with shirodhara. For an anniversary, book the private ritual for two — about two hours, with its own hammam and sparkling wine. The free sports side is a collaboration with BXR London: Pilates, yoga, gong meditations.
Who this is for: couples after a premium all-inclusive with nightlife and a spa; at the same time the children's part, with a waterpark and a Kidzania-style club, is done properly, and the zones are sensibly kept apart.
First-hand experience of the Maldives Expert team — we have been here ourselves
Video review
