The hotels you mention are in Olu Deniz. If you decide to go there, definately book a taxi as the coach transfer can be 2 hours and more. A taxi will take about an hour and a quarter.

If you would like somewhere with a shorter transfer time then have a look at the Bodrum Peninsula. By taxi it will take around 45 minutes to most of the resorts.

You don't say whether you are looking for a quiet reosrt or a busy one but there are both kind around Bodrum. If you fancy somewhere lively you could look at Gumbet with its many bars and restaurants; if you fancy SC Tropicana Beach or Siest beach are nice, a HB option would be the Parkim Ayaz or for AI the Royal Asarlik, these accomodations are on the beach and close to the resort centre, with the apartments being a few minutes outside.

If you prefer somewhere a bit quieter and laid back then maybe Bitez would suit, there is some lovely acoomodation; Meis Apartments, Basri Apartments and Summer Garden are good for SC, Small World Hotel and Toloman Hotel are nice too if you prefer B&B or HB. There is no AI hotel in Bitez though but there are lots of lovely restaurants and to be honest I much prefer to eat out than be restricted to a hotel anyway.

Both resorts have a nice beach and are both close to Bodrum and as I said previously they are both about 45 minutes from the airport.

If you want to know anything else about the area let me know

Kedi

I have to agree with Kedi. The Bodrum peninsula sounds like it would suit you. The airport is just 35km from Bodrum itself. There are AI hotels but as you said, if you want to get out and about, maybe B&B or SC would suit you better. You can eat out as cheaply or as grandly as you want - it would be worth doing some research about the area to see which resort would suit you best. Try looking at Gumbet, Bitez, Turgetreis or Yalikavak and see what takes your fancy. Once you've got an area in mind, then you get some thoughts on which would be best for you.

its a personal thing but i much prefer olu deniz than the bodrum area, really depends what you are looking for, the lagoon area of olu deniz is very scenic , we found the bodrum area quite expensive and not so scenic, and ive been to all the mentioned resorts, when i compare to other resorts i go to in turkey. olu deniz is only 38 miles from the airport so can be got to fairly quickly if you get a private taxi . have a read up on the resorts as what suits one person doesnt always suit another

bramley-apple,

You may find members Resort Reports and Hotel Reviews useful in researching your holiday. Turkey is a wonderful country, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Darren

Olu Deniz will be scorching hot in August as its surrounded by mountains.
I felt very claustrophobic there and must admit I must be the only person on HT who didnt like it.
The main beach slopes steeply into the sea and can be rough near the shore.
The beaches on the lagoon are nice but I have read on another forum the sunbeds are quite expensive compared to other resorts which can mount up to a considerable amount over 2 weeks.I found it more expensive there 3 years ago than Gumbet this year and Icmeler last October.
I went to the Parkim Ayaz in Gumbet in May which I really enjoyed.It was on a HB basis and the food was excellent as the owners have their own organic farm.There was lots of facilities for children such as a climbing wall,mini golf and pools with slides and evening entertainment.Its also on the beach with plenty of free sunbeds and hammocks.
The sea is quite shallow for a long way out and its calm as its on a bay. i
Icmeler is my favourite resort and I am off there on Monday but it is a 2 hour transfer so not what you want.I personally think its worth the transfer and can be shortened if you get a private transfer.
Have you considered Side? There are some very good AI hotels but the area is very popular with other Europeans and there doesnt seem to be the friendliness that there is in other resorts.
I hope you manage to find the perfect place for you as everyone has their favourite.

Hello

Thanks ever so much for everyone replying to my questions....

First of all...wow...thanks for all the brilliant information and speedy replies, there is quite a lot to digest and research, im sure i will get be back in touch shortly with some more questions if needed....

Thanks again everbody...

bramley-apple

Have a look at Icmeler,its lovely,great views and so green.I would never go all inclusive,so many lovely places to dine out,and very reasonably priced,a lot cheaper than Rhodes.From Icmeler we did a trip to a place called Akyaka,and Gokova Bay,what a lovely place and great beach,proper sand,couldnt believe how much cheaper it was there to eat out.

Hi Bramley-apple. We're off to Turkey for our second visit next August. We previously stayed in Gumbet which we really enjoyed but I think it will probably be too much 'in your face' considering you're holidaying with a child. We've opted for the Hotel Karbel in Olu Deniz for next summer. I can't say I'm looking forward to the long transfer but after much oohing and aahing we've decided to go for it. The hotel has really good reviews and I fancy the scenery in Olu. Good Luck with you search!

Gumbet is fine for children, we have two young children and they have a great time there.

we also love akyaka and we have our main summer holiday there every year, such a fabulous scenic place in a conservation area surrounded by mountains and as its mainly a turkish holiday resort the prices in restaurants are the cheapest we have seen in turkey, the beach is sandy and very shallow for kids, theres no loud drunken brits about so thats a huge bonus, no kareoke bars etc. have a look at the gallery ive put loads of photos in there of akyaka

We have just returned from the Panormos Hotel(through Goldtrail) in Altinkum which is Bed & Breakfast and would be perfect for your requirements. Everything you want is close at hand and the staff are superb. Going B & B gives you the option to try out different restaurants from local traditional Turkish to touristy Turkish, look out for Set Menu deals, excellent value. Trawl the internet over xmas for your best deal to make your Booking in January. Good luck in your search, you have plenty to go at.

Les

Dalyan may also suit you. It is in a beautiful setting by a river, taxi boats take you down the river to the most beautiful beach(google for images of turtle beach). The area is protected as it is a nesting area for turtles so there is no building allowed on the beach or near it. There are a couple of beach bars of course, so you are not stuck for refreshments. The restaurants by the river have a spectacular backdrop of ancient tombs.
The resort is only about 30 - 40 mins from the airport.
Turunc is also absolutely beautiful, but is probably too far from the airport, it takes up to 2 hours depending on the driver. The last part of the journey is over the mountain from Icmeler where the views are absolutely breath taking.
Turkey is definitely still much cheaper than Europe, food and choice of restaurants are great, so you do tend to miss out if you go AI.
Wherever you choose have a great time!

Dalyan sounds perfect for you...... boat trips to the beach/river delta, flat scenic resort with historic tombs, great restaurants and a market.

transfer is 40 mins from Dalaman Airport, take a look at Thomas Cook and check hotel reviews on here.

we liked dalyan but didnt like the fact you couldnt get to a beach easily so i think if a beach is important to you, then dalyan isnt really suitable although once you get to the beach it is lovely, but its about 45 mins on a boat or 20 mins in a taxi each way, this has put us off staying there for a holiday aswell too many mozzies we went for a day trip in the summer and enjoyed that

We had a two week holiday in Dalyan a few years ago, and we found we actually loved the fact that you went on a stunning boat ride to get to the beach. Its also possible to get a dolmus which is a lot quicker (can't remember the exact time). The boat ride added a new dimension to the holiday. We had no bother with mozzies there.

i agree the boat trip is lovely but not if you want to go the beach everyday with kids in tow, its just something to take into consideration , we did think it was a lovely resort, but it was more expensive than akyaka and not having a beach close wouldnt be suitable for us, i just think people should be warned about this, as i might put some people off although some might not mind, but worth a mention