Marmaris has the glory of Turkey's most Europeanized city. There is a Street of bars here, and in other respects it resembles the resorts of Spain or Italy. However, Marmaris is a small city. If you do not take into account new quarters located far from the sea, it can be bypassed in an hour or two. But this applies only to the Old Town, where the fortress, port and the notorious Street of Bars are located.
Seven kilometers west of the center, a strip of resort hotels stretches along the sea, which abuts against the village of Icmeler. This former fishing village has already become part of Marmaris. Icmeler tourists appreciate the beautiful nature, peace and tranquility. At the same time, you can quickly get to the center of Marmaris by city bus. Where to stay in Icmeler? In this article we will take a closer look at one of the hotels in a quiet suburban area - Portofino Hotel 4 * (Turkey, Marmaris). We supplemented our description with reviews and photos taken by tourists.
The nuances of rest in Icmeler
Tourism in a fishing village began to develop later than in Marmaris. But this circumstance later only added points to the resort of Icmeler. Land was cheap, and hoteliers were buying vast tracts of land. Therefore, the hotels here are surrounded by spacious parks.
The buildings themselves were built relatively recently. Hotel Portofino Hotel 4 *, for example, was opened in 1992. Its area is six and a half thousand square meters.
The sea in Icmeler is cleaner than in Marmaris. The transparency of the water attracts divers here. After all, at the bottom you can see Mediterranean corals. In the bay of Icmeler there is a seamount with tunnels and caves, which also attracts scuba divers. Therefore, in a small resort there is a diving school.
Icmeler can not be called a backwater. There are many restaurants and cafes, and you can also go on excursions in the nearby villages of Turunch and Dacha. And most importantly: not far from Icmeler, literally behind a rocky ridge, another water area is splashing - the Aegean Sea.
Where is the hotel located? Territory
This is a chain hotel. It belongs to the Dora Group Hotels line. The hotel is located on the first line from the sea. The nearest airport (in the city of Dalaman) separates from the Dora Portofino Hotel 4 * about a hundred kilometers. Another air harbor - Bodrum - is 120 km away.
Transfer from airports takes, according to tourists, about an hour. The center of Marmaris from the hotel "Portofino" - ten kilometers. This distance is easy to overcome on dolmush. These minibuses with an orange strip run from seven in the morning until half past one in the night. Each hotel has a taxi rank. All cars are equipped with meters, and drivers take payment at clearly established rates, so there is no point in bargaining with the driver.
Hotel Portofino 4 * consists of one six-story building, which was completely renovated in 2013. The hotel has one swimming pool with a children's section. To the beach, go 1 minute (50 meters).
Number of rooms
Portofino Hotel 4 * (Marmaris) - a small hotel. It has only 50 rooms. All of them belong to a single category - the standard. These rooms in the reviews of tourists are estimated as quite spacious - 24 square meters. These rooms are designed for two persons, a maximum of three.
The rooms are always cool thanks to the split climate control system, which is controlled individually. In the evenings you can watch satellite TV. A safe is provided in the room for storing valuables. There is also a minibar in the room. Its filling is paid, with the exception of water and soft drinks.
Each room has a balcony. There is also a private bathroom with a shower. The status of a four-star hotel obliges the administration to equip the rooms with a hairdryer, bathrobes, and toiletries. And all these amenities are available.
Tourists bring special thanks to the management for the fact that wifi works well here. Unlike many other hotels in Turkey, he catches Portofino 4 * in every room of the hotel.
Maids do the cleaning of guest apartments every day, and bed linen is changed three times a week. As a minus, tourists noted the lack of curtains in the shower and the fact that the hotel does not give beach towels.
Nutrition
Portofino Hotel 4 * operates on an all-inclusive basis. This is not “ultra all inclusive” as in five-star hotels. Nevertheless, tourists praise the food at the Portofino Hotel. Guests begin to feed for free at seven in the morning, and finish at midnight. Bars work longer, but for the money. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are on schedule. However, for each meal a lot of time is allotted. So it’s possible to oversleep breakfast only for those who walked all night on the Street of Bars.
The food in the hotel is very good, varied and delicious. The assortment of dishes is quite large. Lunches and dinners often serve fish and grilled meats, soups and delicious desserts. The rest - as in other Turkish "fours" with "all inclusive": soft drinks and local alcohol - for free, imported, freshly squeezed juices and ice cream - for the money. The hotel does not have an à la carte restaurant or a children's menu.
Beach and Pool
Hotel Portofino Hotel 4 * is located on the first line from the sea. In Icmeler, most of the beaches are owned by hotels. But at the same time, not only guests can be there. Anyone who is not a guest of the hotel who owns the beach can use a paid sunbed. This circumstance sometimes leads to misunderstandings. There were times when hotel guests could not rent sunbeds by the sea, as they were already bought by strangers. Vacationers who find themselves in a similar situation, in their reviews recommend that when such a problem arises, be persistent and even contact the administrator.
Hotel guests regard the beach itself as wonderful. Coating - sand with a small interspersing of small pebbles. Because of the islands that block the entrance to the bay by storms, it is almost always calm. Tourists praise the purity of the water.
If you go a little further to the west, then you will get to the beach of the village Turunch. He is awarded the Blue Flag every year. Icmeler Beach has a variety of water activities. The hotel Portofino 4 * has a freshwater pool. The section for kids adjoins it. Around the pool are sunbeds with mattresses and umbrellas - free for guests.
Service at Portofino Hotel 4 *
Unlike most Turkish hotels, the staff at Portofino 4 * does not speak Russian. And there are negligible guests from the Russian Federation. This fact, some Russian tourists attributed to the advantages of the hotel. The hotel has animation. But again, only those tourists who know foreign languages can appreciate the wit of the guys.
For children, the hotel has a fenced area in shallow water in the pool and a small playground. The hotel also offers bike hire ($ 10 per day). Many tourists used this service, as Icmeler and Marmaris are connected by a beautiful 14-km promenade without ups and downs. A ride on it with a breeze (and save money on dolmush) - a real pleasure.
Excursions
Icmeler, although located ten kilometers from the city of Marmaris, does not at all suffer from its status as a “quiet village”. Minibuses shuttle quite often, and you can always get out into the old fortress, which is a must to visit. Tourists in reviews do not recommend spending holidays just to sit at Portofino Hotel 4 *. Turkey is too beautiful a country to allow such a pastime.
Tourist ships depart from the marina of Icmeler to the islands of the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. If you rent a bike, you can go to the coastal village of Orhaniye. It is notable for the underwater scythe of Kyzkum. You can go along it for 600 meters inland, and the water will be knee-deep.
Not far from Turunc are the ruins of the ancient Greek polis Amos. Experienced travelers also recommend visiting the island of Paradise, which is the border between the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean. In the vicinity of the village of Kumlubuk (following Turunch) there is a cave with stalactites and stalagmites. And in Selimiye you can see the ruins of the ancient city of Tisanos.
Portofino Hotel 4 * (Marmaris): reviews
If you are used to the chic palaces of the Turkish “fives” with Russian-language animation, then you are clearly not here. This hotel fully deserves its four-star status. He is not pretentious and simple. In the reviews, the Portofino Hotel 4 * hotel is called by tourists as small, clean and tidy, where it is deliciously fed, and the guests are treated kindly and with warmth.