everyone has their favourites but having been to most resorts in turkey over a span of 27 years we love akyaka. its scenic, fairly quiet, in a conservation area , so no big high rise hotels, and has only limited packages as its mainly a diy holiday, but this does keep all the riff raff out. marmaris is about 20 miles away so about half hour ride on a dolmus for a big shopping centre etc. it does have a lovely beach too, have a look at these links

http://akyaka.com/index.php

http://www.turkuaz-guide.net/gokova.html

http://www.idymahotel.com/en/index.htm

http://www.marmarisinfo.com/sightseeing/cleopatra.phtml

http://www.akyaka.org/index_eng.htm

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/akyaka/

http://www.exclusiveescapes.co.uk/destinations/property/incogn/detail/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akyaka%2C_Mu%C4%9Fla

http://tomsanokaliptus.com/

http://www.gatetoturkey.com/turkey_a_z_tour/01015/

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ciaranburns/Aktour.html

Take a look at Bitez on the Bodrum Peninsula. It is a small resort about 15 minutes away from Bodrum by bus and 5 minutes away from lively Gumbet by taxi. There are some lovely restaurants there and it is all set along the beach front, so no traffic to deal with. The beach is nice there, some shingle and some sand and there are some good hotels and apartments too.

If you like to explore as well as going into Bodrum to look round you can also get buses from the main bus station all over the Peninsula, there are some nice places to visit and it is lovley travelling round on the little mini buses looking at the views.

Kedi

Many thanks for all that. I am off to have a look at some of the sites.

Julie

Also worth looking at Turunc and Dalyan, both resorts that sound like they meet your requirements. Turunc is a village in a beautiful bay, surrounded by mountains. Although it is small, you really are spoilt for choice with restuarants, we've been going years and there are still restaurants we haven't tried yet!
The main street is pedestrianised at night, and has a lovely atmostphere, it is the sort of place where you soon get chatting to like-minded people, and the staff in the restaurants and bars soon get to know you, as you wander through the village deciding where to eat.
Dalyan is also in a beautiful position on the river, and eating dinner at night with the backdrop of the river and the illuminated tombs is something else. The beach is reached by water taxis, which adds another aspect to the holiday, as it really is unspoilt, as it is a conservation area, because of the loggerhead turtles.
Both of these are the sort of places where people seem to go to once and get hooked, and can't help returning!

Icmeler, Make sure you get your hotel in the Old village which is 15 to 20 minutes away from the center of the resort, Excellent food and Excellent people.

Here are a few links for Bitez if you are interested:

http://www.bitezbeach.com/

http://www.living-turkey.com/living_in_bodrum/about_bodrum_PHOTO_GALLERY_Bitez_Beach.htm

http://www.bitezseaside.com/en/about-bitez.html

http://www.bigloveturkey.com/pages/bitezbeach.asp

http://www.bodrumbeach.com/bitez-beach/

http://aegeantourtravel.com/city/bitez.html

Thanks so far for all the advice. I am thinking that Bitez looks right for us or Turunc......I don't know...now they all look good. There were some apartments called Meis in Bitez that looked good but I can't get any availability for September. I will spend another half hour on it and leave it until tomorrow. I am sure you all know how it does your head in looking for the right place!

If you can't get Meis Apartments then Basri Apartments are very nice too:

http://www.basriapartbodrum.com/

Have to say been to Turkey 9 times and the best resort of all was Bitez. So relaxing plenty of restaurants very friendly waiters. Check out the Sah Hotel we are just back great place only 12 rooms and right on the promenade.

We have not long returned from Bitez after spending three weeks there.

Our hearts yearn to be there...

So much so we are booking to go back next week

Can't wait

Armutalan are of marmaris is fairly quiet..we stop there every year..plenty of restaurants at reasonable prices

i have to agree with you we have just returned from the alpina and it was great loads of lovely places to eat nice walks in the evenings and only 1 lira on the dolmus to the front i think youve got the best of bothe worlds in this area i never understand why people need to be right in the centre when its so easy to get where you want.

Thanks everyone, I will have a look at the last 2 recommendations. I still would like to go to Bitez but there is not a lot from Scotland. Even looking at doing DIY, the flights are expensive and poor times.

If it is easier to go to Dalalman from Scotland then have a look at Turunc, it is a small resort further along from Marmaris.

Thanks again, I will look at that.