Ideal Pearl Hotel

There's plenty of space for guests to spread out at the Ideal Pearl Hotel, which helps keep the vibe relaxed during the day. The spacious, modern lobby, with striking fuchsia accents, has discrete clusters of plush seating. But the pool is the main hub of activity here, with white wicker chairs and tables under large umbrellas set back enough to separate the areas. In the evening, there's organized activities and entertainment for guests, who are mainly British and Russian couples and small groups. The hotel is open only during the summer season; typically first of May until the end of October, though exact dates may vary. 

Three blocks inland from the Marmaris seafront, the Ideal Pearl sits on a small hill above a one-block night market where locals sell handicrafts and trinkets (follow the signs for “Sanat Sokağı,” or “Art Street”). It’s set amongst other hotels and vacation lodgings, so there’s not much of interest on the five-minute walk to the shoreline. The closest part of the waterfront promenade is also where a lot of big hotels are, leaving less room for the more densely packed restaurants and bars you’ll find closer to the public beach, which is five minutes away by car. It’s a 10- to 15-minute drive to Marmaris’s old town, castle, harbor, and bus station. The beaches of the neighboring resort İçmeler are a 10-minute drive in the opposite direction. Dalaman, the closest airport, is 90 minutes away by car.

Rich purple bedspreads, accent walls, and leather headboards and chairs give guest rooms a luxurious feel. All are Standard Rooms with either one double or two single beds, and there's not much space to spare. All units have small angular balconies, with about half facing the pool area and half facing the surrounding neighborhood and the hills beyond. Electrical outlets are ample and well-placed, and amenities include AC, small wall-mounted flat-screen TVs, minibars, safes, and free Wi-Fi, but there are no coffeemakers or kettles. Bathrooms are on the small side too, with their walk-in showers with removable showerheads taking up most of the space. Hairdryers and toiletries are included. 

This hotel offers solid amenities for a comfortable stay. The mid-sized pool area is surrounded by sunbeds, umbrellas, and tables and chairs, and an animation team organizes poolside activities such as darts and bingo tournaments, plus water polo and other games during the day. There's a snack served by the pool in the afternoons, and in the evenings, live-music performances and other small-scale shows given on an adjacent stage. 

A round pool bar with white wicker chairs separates the swimming area from additional outdoor seating between the lobby and the main restaurant, where a buffet of mostly Mediterranean and some international dishes is offered at lunch and dinner time. Pastas and grilled dishes are cooked at a show buffet outside, and once a week, there’s a Turkish night, including a döner kebab station. A continental breakfast buffet with cooked-to-order eggs is served on the hotel’s top floor, where there’s both indoor and outdoor seating as well. All drinks are included from 10am to 11pm, with drinks service lasting until midnight (extra charge). 

An elevator and a low-ceilinged stairwell lead up to the rooms and down to the spa area, where there’s a large Turkish bath and a sauna (reservation required) as well as four wooden-paneled massage rooms, two for couples and two for single guests (massage extra charge). Additional massage tables are set up in a courtyard area under cabanas covered with dried palm fronds. There’s also a small gym with a few cardio machines and free weights.

Thomas Cook, the hotel’s exclusive representative in the UK, organizes excursions such as boat trips and jeep tours for an extra charge. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel, including in the guest rooms. Dry-cleaning service and photography services are available for an extra charge.