icmeler is next to marmaris and has a nice beach and plenty of shops, bars etc we went for the day last week as i choose to stay in a quieter less commercial resort, i also like olu deniz ,thats has gorgeous scenery , not so many bars ,shops as icmeler but in my view nicer scenery, hisaronu is about 2 miles up the hill from olu and has more bars, shops etc , have a read up on both resorts and see which you prefer, everyones idea of holidays is different. i personally hate the places that have english breakfasts advertised, loud music blaring etc like blackpool which is what marmaris is like, i prefer quieter more scenic places with a nice beach etc,hence loving akyaka, but i do like icmeler and olu deniz too which are more lively than akyaka but not as lively as marmaris

If you are looking for a traditional turkish resort my personal favorite is the small village of Cirali located 80kms southwest from Antalya.

Cirali is protected by the WWF, for the conservation of the sea turtles and it's natural surroundings.

It is a wonderful place for families and the mature traveller with it's clean 4km secluded beach, the ancient ruins of Olympos and the flames of CHIMAERA. Cirali caters to a quieter crowd with only a few local bars and restaurants playing live turkish music. No big resort hotels or discos only small family run hotels and pansiyons. For some it might be too quiet but a great place to relax. I have children with similar ages and they never run out of things to do. I personally do not like loud resorts.

İt is one of the last remaining villages that has not been taken over by mass tourism.

Have a look at these links for more info

http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/where_we_work/mediterranean/news/stories/index.cfm?uNewsID=15130

http://www.cirali.org/index_eng.html

http://cirali.com.tr

Here are some previous posts about Cirali. http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=71706&highlight=cirali

with a young family what about Altinkum (translates Golden sand). its an hour and a quarter from bodrum airport. there are three main beaches and lots of little ones dotted beyond the bay. the water is crystal clear and the sea shelves so that it is no more than waist high for about 50 yards. there is a water park and plenty of nightlife, the whole of the bay has bars and restaurants suiting most tastes. the resort is more commercialised but if you do not want the singing waiters and karaoke bars there are quieter places there too,

there are three big supermarkets which sell just about everything like back home. the turkish town of didim is a 20 min stroll away and there are plenty of restaurants along the boulavard up to the town. the turkish food is lovely.

on the safety side there are clinics which have english speaking doctors and who are very good and do not charge expensive like in spain if you have to visit one.also the chemists are good if you need to get anything which you may need or have forgotton from home. you are well based for trips. a saturday market in didim is a must.they sell fruit and veg bigger than dustbin lids and clothes etc. its people are so friendly. if you are going for an hotel try the Tuntas. its right by the beach and is clean and well recommended. as you can tell i like it. we have been going for the last three years, twice a year.

Thanks a lot for the info franny i think i have narrowed it down to either icemeler or altinkum. We have just come back from bulgaria and we loved it although some people don't! I think it's just a case of go and see for yourself really and if you don't like like it don't go again.
thanks

your best bet would be icmeler, it has a good beach with plenty of bars and shops , and it is only ten minutes away on the dolmus from marmaris