Hi Garry
Sorry I did not read your first post properly

I think everyones right, self catering is not such a cheap option as it used to be a few years ago.
We have always done AI for the last 4 or 5 years with our children, but last year we had a self catering apartment in Hisaronu. We actually spent less than we would have for the price I was quoted for 2 weeks AI at the Belcekiz Beach.

There are fors and againsts for both. If my children were the ages of yours I would probably opt for AI, because you are getting the entertainment etc, as well in with the price. Ours are at an age now when they dont always want to join in or watch the entertainment anyway plus they hardly eat enough to keep a cat alive, so for us, SC was a better option because we only paid for what they actually ate and drank!!! We roughly spent £1000 for 2 weeks, that included all food, drink, trips (we did 2) and shopping(we did not bring much back though). We really enjoyed eating out somewhere different every night, we felt far less institutionalised than we have in AI hotels.
You can have the best of both worlds with AI in Olu, because there are so many restaurants right outside the hotel you can eat out too, to break up the boredom!

sometimes it works for and against you have to work out what is best for your party

i personally prefer s/c in either altinkum or hisoronu there are some fantastis appartments around last year we paid 350 a week for a fantastis 5 bedroom duplex in altinkum i can send you the detals, and this year its 25o a week in hissaronu for 3 bed groun floor with direct acsses to the pool we only paid £75 each for our flights so its a bargain and you can eat and drink where evere and when ever you want to

thats really good value for hisaronu
is that the fethiye hisaronu

yes this the hisorronu above olu deniz i didnt know there was another one i booked it privately through holiday lettings

yes hisaronu koy near marmaris
but that is a great deal for where you are going

Hi all
Just an update on my situation.
Just as I thought First choice have cancelled my Edinburgh flight to a Glasgow one, and I have told them to stick their Holliday.They have just lost out on £2000 min per year of our money as I will never use them again.
I have just checked Aegean flights and they are now asking £1100 (up£200) for an EDinburgh departure.
I have been looking on Goldtrails website and have found 2 wks SC in Marmaris for £1395, Iam not sure if I will book this, as I have read many good and bad reports regarding this company. I know you get what you pay for and this is fine for my wife and myself, but I have to do right by my 3 kids (9,5,2).
Thanks for all your info and hope we all have a great 2008 holiday.
Cheers G.

How about booking something really cheap with one of the budget tour operators like Goldtrail, Portland, Eclipse and just use the flights. People on here have done this before.

You could then book your accommodation through travel republic, hotelopeia, findmeaccomm etc This often seems cheaper than booking direct with the actual accommodation (pehaps they bulk buy the rooms?) Accommodation seems cheap in Turkey compared to lots of other places it's just the flights that can be steep.

Hi ginkster,

Have a close look at which property Goldtrail are offering, and then do plenty of research on here and other sites.

If the property has decent reports, I would definitely book it. If not speak to Goldtrail, as they are sure to have alternative properties available. They are, after all, the UK's largest independent Tour Operator to Turkey.

Hope that this helps.