Welcome to the forums thebairnffc

We have some reviews here:- http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/reviews/turkey/bodrum-region/gumbet/parkim-ayaz-hotel/

The Parkim Ayaz has been refurbished recently and had some very good reports. It is right on the beach and in the centre of the resort. You will find plenty of nightlife in Gumbet from nice, relaxing bars to lively music bars, lots of lovely restaurants and a couple of clubs if you fancy.

The weather should be lovely in May, hot during the day but not scorching and warmish in the evnings although you may want a cardi some nights.

If you want to know any more about the area just ask as I lived there for 3 years.

Kedi

Nightlife for the over 40 lot (that's me then), well I would tend to avoid Bar St. Apart from it being noisy with over-priced, weak spirits (or is that me getting old LOL), seeing some of the young ones there would probably make you feel old (it did me, but it also made me glad I wasn't young again!).

There's loads of bars that cater for the young at heart (sounds better than older) - try a few and you'll probably find one that really suits you and tend to gravitate towards that one more often than not (that's what it's like with our favourite bar - we stumbled across it one night and have now been going there for years).

May is a lovely time of the year to visit - our Turkish friends always say that May and September are the best months to be there. You may need a cardi at night but it will only be a cardi, nothing heavier. The water in the pools may be a bit nippy as it won't have had the summer to warm up but the sea's not too bad. We were there in late April last year (and will be there again at the same time this year) and it was t-shirt and shorts all day and maybe a cardi at night.

As for the food, I don't know what board you are on at the hotel but do take the opportunity to go out for some meals as there are some great restaurants around - Seray Zetas, Chinatown, Cheers/Mascot, etc, etc, etc. And do try some of the Turkish dishes - they are fantastic - some of the stews (cokertme for example) are really tasty, as are the kebabs (there are many kinds so don't just think of the doners you get here at home). The vegetables are so fresh and tasty and the bread is to die for. I know that hotels tend to play safe and stick to the things that appeal to most tastes so it would be a shame to go to Turkey and not try some of the local food. Another good restaurant is Adana 01 which is on the road from the windmill out to Gumbet junction - it's really good and that little bit different as it's in the more Turkish part (that sounds silly, maybe I should have said less touristy part) of Gumbet.

If you want to know any more, just ask. We have a house in Gumbet and go out there as often as we can.

Looking to do a boat trip as last year while in Kos we went on a daytrip to the islands. Loved it. Any good boat trips would be appreciated

You can find a boat trip in any of the litle tour companies around the town. I think the best ones are those where you go on a small boat and they limit the number of people on board. Always ask first what kind of boat trip it is as some of them go on big boats and pack people on like sardines