Hi Tracy and welcome - a lot of people (us included) prefer self catering in Icmeler, as there are so many great places to eat and drink, and you can eat fairly cheaply. Many restaurants do set meals which are great value - or you can eat at the little kebab or pide places even cheaper. You can buy delicious fresh bread from the bakers for the equivalent of pennies and fruit and veg is also delicious and cheap too. There are places which sell cooked chickens, which with the bread and veg, would make a cheap meal if you didn't want to eat out all the time.
As for where to stay, there is no "better" area of the resort as such. What is often referred to as the "old village" - towards the back of the resort - is quieter, but there are lovely places to stay all over Icmeler, and to suit all budgets. We usually book everything separately - through
ICR - so why not give them a call and tell them the type of thing you're looking for, and I'm sure they will be able to come up with something.