Can you really enjoy a luxury holiday in Turkey when you’re travelling solo with a preschooler? Hayley Barclay took her energetic four-year-old to Hillside Beach Club on Turkey’s Turquoise Coast to find out
Taking an energetic, boisterous little boy who never stops talking on holiday by yourself in a hot country sounds about as stress-free as attempting a Zoom call with no childcare during a heatwave.
Throw a packed 1am budget-airline flight into the mix and, on paper, it should have been a hard swerve.
But with my son starting school in September, I was determined to squeeze in one last mum-and-son adventure. In my head, I had visions of us sitting happily beneath a beach umbrella, building sandcastles and making lovely holiday memories. Maybe.
I had a small checklist: somewhere neither of us had been before, a flight of no more than five hours and, crucially, a resort-based break to make life as easy as possible.
Turkey seemed a strong choice: brilliant food, reliably hot weather and a destination that is becoming as much of a luxury holiday heavyweight as it is a hair-transplant hotspot.
And so to Hillside Beach Club, on Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, a resort that repeatedly features on lists of the world’s best luxury family hotels.
Travelling Solo with a Preschooler to Turkey
We flew with SunExpress, Turkey’s budget carrier. Direct flights from Manchester to Dalaman were either 12.45am or 4pm; the latter meant sacrificing almost a whole day, so we opted for the middle-of-the-night flight.
It was hard work and unpleasant. The end.
But we arrived to glorious sunshine at 7am and, after a smooth transfer, were promptly offered a “holding room” at the resort where we could sleep and shower before our accommodation was ready.
For this, I could have kissed them. I was twitching with tiredness, but after a four-hour nap, we were ready to explore.
Hillside Beach Club: The Resort
Set in a private bay just outside Fethiye, Hillside Beach Club is big — about 25 acres, with three beaches and 330 rooms. Yet it feels less like a mega-resort and more like a busy, friendly village where everyone happens to be stylish and tanned.
The rooms are staggered into the cliffs, so the size never feels overwhelming. The water is so clear it almost looks computer-generated, while the coves and little harbour buzz with boats and watersports throughout the day.
There’s a Hillside app you’re encouraged to download. I initially thought, “Ugh, not another thing to clog up my phone,” but it proved massively useful for checking the daily timetable, booking activities and ordering drinks.
With high-end boutiques alongside convenience shops, you really don’t need to leave — and despite the resort’s size, it felt remarkably safe with a child.
Our Room at Hillside Beach Club
We stayed in a Superior Double Room and, with just the two of us, there was plenty of space. There was a walk-in wardrobe with mood lighting — something I loved — plus an outdoor loo and shower with Bluetooth speakers.
But it was the little touches that really impressed me: hair grips and ties, a mosquito candle, travel adaptors, cotton wool pads and even a sewing kit. Basically, everything you’re likely to forget but suddenly desperately need.
There are a couple of quirks worth knowing. Each room gets three complimentary coffee pods for the entire stay and one bottle of water per person per day, with no milk. Extras are chargeable, so if you’re serious about caffeine, get your supplies from the restaurant. There’s also a funicular lift connecting the beach to the cliff-side rooms which my son was particularly enamoured with, so you can avoid hundreds of steps in the heat.
Food and Restaurants at Hillside Beach Club
The main restaurant, by the pool, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet-style and is open for most of the day.
Think grilled fish and meat, Turkish specialities, fresh salads, grill stations and an excellent array of puddings. I had to choose a “theme” each day to stand any chance of getting through them all.
There’s also a wellness buffet and a Baby Chef, which is particularly useful for health-conscious guests and families with young children.
If you miss breakfast, Pasha on the Bay, at the other end of the resort, serves pastries and granola until noon. Decked out in white, with tables overlooking the bay, it’s also an adults-only spot in the evening, with candlelit tables, cocktails and a more romantic atmosphere.
The Beach Bar is another option if the main buffet feels too busy or repetitive. We had an eight-course Italian tasting menu there and were fit to burst — while my son appreciated having more space to run around.
My personal favourite was the lunchtime barbecue at adults-only Serenity Beach though: steak or salmon salad served in a tranquil, child-free bubble.
One thing to note: on the full-board package, drinks are only included at the main restaurant. Food at the other restaurants is included, but drinks are extra, so keep an eye on the app for any add-ons.
Family Facilities and Kids’ Club
This is where Hillside really comes into its own.
It caters for almost every type of guest — sporty, lounger, foodie, spa-seeker — and, most importantly for me, children.
The kids’ club isn’t simply tacked onto the side of the pool as an afterthought; it’s more like a mini resort. There’s a water park with four slides, a huge shaded sandpit, a baby area and enough games and activities to keep children occupied for days.
But what really makes it stand out is the staff: friendly, jolly, flexible, warm and seemingly obsessed with crafts.
In four days, my son made a hat, jewellery, a ceramic deer and a crocodile carnival costume — and that’s just what I could squeeze into our suitcase.
You can dip in and out as you please, with every activity listed on the app. There’s even a WhatsApp service so parents can message the team throughout the day, and they’ll take children for lunch too. Some days my son was having so much fun he had absolutely no interest in eating with me whatsoever.
In the evenings there are mini discos and shows, meaning even the most energetic child has something to do until they eventually drop from exhaustion.
Older children have their own Activity Centre, with DJ and dance sessions, basketball, canoeing, watersports, table tennis and beach volleyball.
And if you manage to escape for some time alone, the list of activities is almost absurd: padel, yoga, archery, sailing, pole dancing and Turkish dancing, alongside a huge programme of watersports. At times, it feels less like a hotel and more like an elite sports college.
Then there’s the floating cinema, creative and cooking workshops, sound and breath therapy, hiking and, one of my favourite experiences, a magical sunset cruise on the resort’s luxury yacht, complete with champagne, traditional mezze and cakes.
It sounds full-on — and it can be, if that’s what you want. But there are also glorious pockets of peace. Serenity Beach is a beautiful ten-minute hike away (with a boat back if you’re feeling lazy), while the hidden Balinese treetop spa is utter heaven.
Mindfulness touches are scattered throughout the resort too, from little libraries to rock-painting stations tucked away in unexpected corners.
I had worried about keeping my son entertained for five days. I didn’t want to turn what was supposed to be a dreamy final pre-school adventure into a stressy, bickering, overheated headache. He’s willful, convinced he’s always right and at an age where negotiating can feel like negotiating with a tiny union leader.
But it was almost the opposite.
Each day can be fluidly divided into chunks — some together, some apart — and no two days need look the same. I got time to myself; he got a holiday designed around him.
And the view alone could captivate even the most unimpressed pre-schooler.
Against the odds, it turned into a brilliant little adventure – and he’s already asking where we’re off to next.
Nightly rates at Hillside Beach Club start from £176. Rates based on two people sharing a standard room on a full board plus basis.
What I’d Pack for a Summer Holiday with a Preschooler
1. Tonies Bluey Listen & Play Bag
A portable entertainment centre for small people. My son is obsessed with his and this neat bag keeps the Toniebox, headphones, charger and his favourite Tonies together – ideal for airports, flights and hotel rooms.
2. Beautifect Face Sculpt Trio
This handy trio gives you bronzer, blush and highlighter in one compact, making it easy to fake that fresh-holiday glow and it’s super portable and easy to apply.
3. Crayola Colour Wonder PAW Patrol Set
I get one of these at the airport before every trip and they’re so great – colouring that doesn’t end up on the plane seat. The special markers only work on the Colour Wonder paper, with 18 pages of fun.
4. Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer Duo
This clever two-in-one has one formula for concealing blemishes and redness and another for brightening under-eyes. Basically, a good night’s sleep in a makeup compact and this luxury brand is always sleekly packaged but fairly priced.
Fun, colourful and cheap enough that if you leave it in the hotel bathroom it’s not the end of the world. Superdrug’s Trouble Maker range has everything from mascara and blush to lip products and primer, with prices starting at just £2.
6. Laura Geller Best of the Best Cream Full Face Basics
This is the ultimate beauty space-saver, with cream eyeshadows, bronzer, blush, highlighter and lip shades all packed into one compact. It also comes with instructions if you’re a contouring newbie, so a double win.
7. Cotopaxi Allpa Mini 20L Travel Pack
This colourful 20-litre backpack has room for snacks, a tablet and holiday treasures, while the unique Del Día colours mean every bag is different.
See more travel reviews here.
