Bono Hotel Old Town

This is an aparthotel for divers who prefer a proper town around them rather than a self-contained resort with everything behind one gate. Bono Hotel Old Town places you in the middle of Marmaris, with a garden, terrace, restaurant and spa facilities to give the day somewhere to go once the mask is back in the bag.

English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside Russian and Turkish. The hotel website is also available in English, Russian and Turkish, so you can get the essentials sorted without resorting to hand signals before breakfast.

The atmosphere is urban and central rather than hushed. That suits you if you like stepping out for a coffee, a meal or a wander through old Marmaris instead of spending every evening on hotel grounds.

You are in Marmaris, Turkey, in the old town. Marmaris Castle is about 0.1 miles away, while Marmaris Museum is roughly the same distance. The town centre is the setting here, not a distant backdrop: cafés, restaurants and bars are close enough to reach on foot, with Café Dolce around the corner and Marmaris Club Alem nearby.

Marmaris Public Beach is about 0.4 miles away, a walk of roughly six minutes. Icon Beach is around 3.9 miles away by road, and Icmeler Beach about 5.4 miles. For a little more urban wandering, Marmaris 19 May Youth Square is approximately 0.5 miles away, while Inönü Caddesi is around 1.4 miles from the hotel.

Dalaman Airport is about 59 miles away by road. The airport transfer service is available through the hotel, which is the sensible way to handle the final stretch if you arrive with dive luggage and no appetite for transport puzzles.

The room choice covers compact doubles for a straightforward couple’s stay, balcony rooms when you want somewhere to sit outside, and larger maisonette or duplex accommodation when you prefer more room around you. The Duplex Suite is the practical pick for a family or a small group, while a balcony room makes more sense for two people who plan to use the hotel as a base rather than a storage cupboard with a bed in it.

Air conditioning matters in Marmaris, particularly when you return warm, salty and ready to stop moving. Rooms also have a minibar, electric kettle, desk, wardrobe or cupboard, flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with shower or bath, towels, slippers, toiletries and a hairdryer. A drying rack is available for clothing, useful for swimwear and everyday kit without pretending it is a dive-centre facility.

Some accommodation is on the ground floor with garden or city views, while upper floors are reached by stairs only. The old-town position brings life close to the door, and the hotel’s own family guidance notes that rooms can be noisy; light sleepers should take that seriously. Daily housekeeping, free WiFi and private or express check-in and check-out keep the practical side uncomplicated.

The restaurant gives you a reason to stay in for at least some meals. Its cooking covers Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Turkish dishes, with a traditional and modern setting rather than a single narrow menu. Brunch, lunch, dinner, high tea and cocktails are available, so you can eat at a civilised hour or make a later meal of it when the day has slipped away.

Breakfast is included and follows a continental format, with halal choices and warm dishes alongside cheese. Vegetarian diets are catered for as well. That is useful after an early start: coffee, food and a little recovery time before heading out again, rather than an emergency hunt for something edible in a still-sleeping town.

There is one named restaurant, Bono Restaurant, whose own offer centres on breakfast. No separate hotel bar is listed, but cocktails are part of the restaurant service. Around the hotel, the old town supplies plenty of alternatives, including Café Dolce and Alice Cocktail & Coffee.

The garden and terrace give you somewhere to sit when you want air without committing to another expedition. After a dive day, that can be the entire plan: a chair, a drink, a shower and a slow decision about dinner. The property also has spa facilities and a hammam, with massage options covering the back, neck, feet, head, hands and the full body.

A couples massage is available for two people who would rather recover together than compare whose shoulders are worse. The public bath and hammam are chargeable services, while the spa setting itself is part of the hotel’s facilities. It is a useful option when your preferred evening activity is lying still and letting somebody else do the work.

For more movement, the hotel offers bicycle hire and a tour desk, with bike tours, table tennis and billiards among the available activities. Evening entertainment and a nightclub with DJ are also part of the property’s programme, while windsurfing, cycling, canoeing and other water-based activities are available in the wider area.

Check-in starts from 14:00 and check-out is by 12:00. Arrival time needs to be arranged with the property in advance, which is worth doing if your flight lands late or your transfer has the usual talent for taking longer than expected. Luggage storage is available, as are private and express check-in and check-out.

The hotel can arrange an airport shuttle, a shuttle service, car hire and bicycle hire. Dalaman Airport is about 59 miles away by road, so arranging the final transfer before arrival will be easier than trying to improvise it after a flight. A tour desk and currency exchange are also available at the property.

Children of any age are welcome. Cots can be requested for children aged up to two, while extra beds can be requested for children aged seven and over, subject to the selected accommodation. Upper floors are accessible by stairs only, so check the room position carefully if stairs are a nuisance after a full day in the water. Cash is accepted, and pets are not allowed.