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The Hillside Beach Club is a place that believes, when it comes to holidays, that more is more. A stay here isn’t a case of days spent kettled on the beach before trudging around a soulless buffet piling up lukewarm nuggets for the kids. This really is all in. A buzzing nightly buffet with live cooking stations and Turkish delights? Tick. À la carte restaurants for that special night? Tick. Spectacular Moulin Rouge-esque cabaret shows? Tick. Archery, football, darts and even bingo tournaments? Tick, tick, tick and full house.
If you’re after a resort where you can simply flop by the sea and switch off, Hillside Beach Club delivers, but at this relaxed resort the more you put in, the more you get out. When we dropped the reserve and actually joined in – from hoverboarding across glass‑calm water to getting embarrassingly involved in a game of bingo – an entirely different type of family holiday opened up. With so much to do either separately or as a clan there’s an easy, upbeat rhythm to the day that nudges everyone into the unexpected and towards talk about something other than their screen usage over dinner.
Why stay at Hillside Beach Club?
Because it’s a rare all‑in‑one resort that pleases both loungers and doers. Tucked into a sheltered cove on Turkey’s Turquoise Coast – Dalaman airport is an hour’s drive away – it is delightfully self‑contained: private beaches, a backdrop of pine-covered hills and water so clear you can count the pebbles. Families will love the safe, sociable atmosphere; couples can lean into spa time and its quieter corners; groups can mainline activities by day and shows by night. It’s also one of those places where the staff’s energy is infectious – instructors, entertainers and chefs who actually seem delighted you’ve chosen to spend your holiday with them.
What are the rooms like at Hillside Beach Club?
Rooms are designed for function and comfort over flashy theatrics – think clean lines, neutral tones and plenty of light. Storage is smart, beds are properly comfy and as virtually every room has a balcony or terrace facing the sea, you’ll get dreamy morning views. The superior family rooms are cleverly laid out for those travelling with kids, with two rooms and a bathroom jutting off a private terrace that cries out for sunset family games of Uno. Soundproofing is decent, the air‑con is efficient without being arctic and there’s a funicular railway for those not up for braving the steps from the beach to the rooms.
What is the food and drink like at Hillside Beach Club?
Hillside Beach Club works on a full board plus system, which means breakfast, lunch and dinner are included at both the main buffet restaurant and the two à la carte eateries: the adults-only Pasha on the Bay and the Beach Bar & Restaurant, which switches from casual daytime bites to Italian classics in the evening. You’d expect such a setup to create a Glastonbury-esque scramble for booking the à la carte options, but in our experience that wasn’t the case. That may be because drinks at breakfast, lunch and dinner are included at the main restaurant (they are charged for outside of mealtimes and at the other restaurants), but we mostly credit it to the quality of the buffet, which goes far beyond the hotplate. The clay ovens produce different offerings nightly (the lahmacun, a wafer-thin Turkish flatbread topped with spicy minced lamb, was a particular hit), salads are chopped to order and there’s a fresh fish counter where you pick your catch and cooking style and it gets delivered to your table. There are plenty of regional dishes and enough choice that everyone ends up happy, although the constant shuttle runs to stations can make it difficult to get everyone sitting at the table at the same time. This leaves the two à la carte restaurants for that special night. Pasha on the Bay offers good Mediterranean fare with polished service, but we preferred the Beach restaurant’s relaxed ambience and squeakily fresh pasta.
What’s the activity scene like at Hillside Beach Club?
This is where Hillside really shines, with fantastic facilities and a packed calendar. Tennis, yoga, fitness classes, guided walks, kayak paddles, crafts for kids and teens, and those ‘I never thought I’d try that’ one‑offs that fill the late morning nicely. There’s a small waterpark for younger kids and the main pool often hosts swimming races and water polo matches.
The only paid-for activities are the water sports which keep the bay buzzing: we had a blast hoverboarding – even if it was a triumph of youth over experience when it came to staying upright. If you’ve ever toyed with getting a diving qualification, this is a great and reasonably-priced place to do it. The on‑site school runs SSI courses and the instructors were excellent with our enthusiastic, gung‑ho eleven‑year‑old: firm on safety, clear in their teaching and generous with encouragement.
How good is the service at Hillside Beach Club?
Friendly, fast and surprisingly personal for a resort this busy. The seasonal team is a cosmopolitan bunch and that international energy comes through in the best way: you’ll get local tips from a dive guide one minute and an impromptu pirouette from an Argentinian dancer the next. Throughout our stay, staff remembered our names, checked in without hovering and were brilliant with our kids – particularly at the teen and tween-focussed activity centre.
What are the facilities like at Hillside Beach Club?
You’ve got multiple beaches and swimming areas (including quieter, more adult‑leaning spots), a main pool with space to actually swim in, and a spa that goes beyond the token sauna‑and‑steam. Expect a proper treatment menu, outdoor relaxation pockets under the pines and a gym with enough kit to keep your fitness streak alive on holiday. For families, the kids’ and teens’ clubs are thoughtfully programmed – not just a room with crayons – and evening childcare options mean you can make the most of the shows. Speaking of which… The nightly shindigs are surprisingly polished, a cut above the usual resort fare. You’ll find live music around the resort too, which helps keep the atmosphere animated.
What’s the area like around Hillside Beach Club?
Hillside sits in its own cove near Fethiye on Turkey’s southwest coast. It would be easy to stay put throughout your break, but you’d be missing out. There are regular shuttle buses to Fethiye, a harbour town with a lively market where stalls brim with spices, textiles and ceramics (plus knick-knacks, tat and knock-off football shirts). Fancy something more adventurous? Boat trips glide past secret coves and islands, jeep safaris rumble through pine forests and there’s even the option of paragliding from Babadağ mountain if you’re chasing an adrenaline rush. Or keep it cultural: the valley of Kayaköy is one of Turkey’s most fascinating historical sites. Believed to be the site of the Lycian city of Karmylassos, the area still hides sarcophagi and rock tombs among its ruins. Join a local guide for a half-day hike through the ghost village, where wild thyme and oregano scent the air and goat bells echo across the hills, then refuel with gözleme – stuffed Turkish flatbreads cooked over an open fire.
Why should you book a stay at Hillside Beach Club?
If your ideal holiday is page‑turning by the pool from dawn till dusk, Hillside Beach Club will treat you well. But if you’re willing to lean in you’re in for a seriously good break here. The buffet blows past expectations, the activities team makes fabulous firsts feel effortless and the evening shows bring a proper sense of occasion. Come ready to say yes and Hillside will more than deliver.
DETAILS
Address: Belen Mah. Belen Cad. No:132 Kayaköy, Fethiye, Mugla, 48300
Price: €257.95 in low season
Closest transport: Dalaman Airport, roughly an hour away by car.