Canyon Ranch will be stretching out of the United States of America for the first time in its 40-year existence when it debuts this summer in Kaplankaya, Bodrum — located in the south of Turkey.
Over the years, Canyon Ranch has gained a reputation for its health, well-being and fitness offerings along with services for those wanting to shed vices and bad habits.
The group’s managing director Marcus Iseli describes it as the “only brand of its kind in the world”.
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Canyon Ranch was founded in the United States in 1976 by Mel Zuckerman at a ranch in Tucson, Arizona. “Zuckerman was invited to Istanbul 20 years ago to look at a project. That was the first time that Canyon Ranch was exposed to Turkey as a market. It did not, however, go through because he found the project offered to him in those days was not feasible,” Iseli reveals.
But Zuckerman and the brand kept an eye on Turkey’s hospitality scene. “We have representation in Istanbul through a gentleman who has been going to Canyon Ranch for more than 20 years now. So when that development came up in Bodrum, he made contact [in a bid to] connect the developer and Canyon Ranch’s head office, that’s how it all started.”
The project began taking up shape until the economic downturn dampened plans. “The plans and talks started in 2008-09; unfortunately because of the economic crisis [the project] was temporarily shelved. Around one-and-a-half to two years ago, the project was taken out again and we broke ground. What Mel Zuckerman was trying to get off the ground 20 years ago has finally materialised,” Iseli says with a sense of accomplishment.
Iseli, who has worked with brands such as Four Seasons and other luxury hotel operators, says that this project resurfaced at the best possible time. “It’s a good time to invest and get things going because once things are settling down you are in a good positon. And I know there are certain projects still on hold in Bodrum, well-known five-star international brands, which have been shelved for the moment. But, the reality is once they decide that everything has settled down and they pull the project out next year and start breaking ground, it will take them a minimum of two years [to get the property up and running].”
He adds: “For us now, we are ready to go. As for things settling down we are in a good position. And our owners and developers have a strong portfolio and balance sheets. Moving forward with this project was the right decision.”
“It is important [in order to set up a Canyon Ranch property] to have a holistic environment, which means we have a pristine place that’s quiet, untouched — just like Tuscon, Arizona where it all started almost 40 years ago,” Iseli continues.
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