Hotel Hillside Su

The hotel stands on the little beach of Konyalti in Antalya, with the Taurus mountains in the background. You should expect around half an hour to get to the airport. The centre of Antalya is a bit of a walk away, around 20-25 minutes.

Obviously, the hotel also has its own well-being centre. No surprise, it is white and offers all the usual international massages. An Indonesian masseuse will provide an oriental treatment, and terribly bitter ginger tea is served beforehand for relaxation purposes.
As in any boutique hotel, the accessories on display in the room are for sale, even the goldfish.

From a distance and during the day, the Hillside Su resembles a white block from which little symmetrical cubes have been cut out. At night, however, it lights up in purple tones and you cannot miss it. This is a truly welcome feature, especially when you're tired and driving around at night, and you don't want to spend hours looking for the hotel!
The hotel's entrance immediately sets the tone. immaculate, it occupies an immense interior courtyard, decorated with enormous mirror balls, from which various corridors lead to the rooms. You might be slightly aghast at first, and you'll probably feel as if you've just stepped into an ultramodern airport, or in a pop video clip, but you'll quickly get used to it.
On the top floor are numerous white mattresses that prove very hard to resist. In fact their style and design call for some serious slouching.
The reception area is totally trendy, with a long white (much like the rest of the room) neon-lit desk decorated with a couple of goldfish swimming around in their bowls, a sort of hotel mascot... You'll probably get a vague impression of being on the set of a science-fiction movie, but in a good way: it could be "hotels of the future". With minimalism pushed to its limits, the Hillside Su stands out clearly among its duller competitors.
Inside the hotel, the swimming pool is a perfect illustration of the establishment's concept, which is centred around relaxation, partying and a designer setting. Long and square-shaped (essential), it is surrounded by thick mattresses laid on the ground instead of deck chairs... and extremely comfortable they are too. It's just another invitation to a neverending siesta. The lawn surrounding the establishment is unbelievably green and fresh for the region, and provides a lovely place to wander around.

We did appreciate the nap and relaxation area on the lawn, with poster beds and cushy white mattresses. Don't hesitate to try these out.

The rooms explain why this is one of the most popular places in Antalya: high walls and huge black and white photos of the various celebrities who have stayed at the hotel in the past. Once you pass the designer reception desk and find a comfortable place to relax by the (designer) swimming pool, you won't have to worry - your room will not disappoint you. White walls, a white floor (with fashionably smoothed-down concrete), a wide white bed (with a Turkish-style mattress placed on a concrete podium), a white sofa with a pouffe (super comfy), white blinds and a white wardrobe. Unsurprisingly, the bathroom is white too and has a shower that covers the entire length of the wall.
Elements of the interior decorating include a goldfish and a Mathmos lamp, as well as a transparent mini bar: hard to make up your mind over which to choose? Never mind, you can buy all three...
However, we did find something to complain about: in such a designer setting, why not replace the ugly TV sets of the olden days with modern flat screen models?
The simple task of turning on the light seems to be governed by an unusual concept and it took us some considerable effort to find the switches.
We particularly appreciated the style of the white rooms, which was trendy and pure, providing a truly pleasant setting.
We also appreciated the corner with a mattress and a cushion on the balcony: it's an irresistible invitation to relax and do nothing all day.
We weren't that impressed with the view afforded by some of the rooms located on the side of the building, which look directly out onto the aquatic theme park and are exposed to its annoying music.

There is a single item that breaks away from the overwhelming use of white and that is the main restaurant, the "Kirmiz". It is entirely red (Turkish-speakers will have guessed as "Kirmiz" means "Red" in Turkish). Red ceiling, red floor, red tables... need we go on? Rest assured, the food shows a little more colour diversity.
We should add that the cuisine served in the Kirmiz is truly excellent.. It offers a buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and is one of the best self-service establishments we tried. Very long (occupying nearly two rooms), it offers copious and varied dishes: we recommend that you take the time to see what's on offer before choosing. The oriental desserts are also delicious. There are fresh herbs and sauces, vegetables, Turkish specialities such as burek, meat, pizza, fish, and organic food (even some tofu!): one thing is certain, you won't walk out with an empty belly.
There are two other restaurants on offer (in addition to the poolside bar that serves light snacks): the second floor lounge bar (next to the reception desk) that serves Italian dishes, and the (rather charming) seafood restaurant on the fifth floor. The latter is white (what else) and of course pure, and affords a splendid view: from its large bay windows to its terrace, it looks out onto the blue Mediterranean sea and the Taurus mountains. It serves fish and operates as a sushi bar but you have to book in advance, as it has a limited capacity of 50 guests.

The beach is only a 5 minute stroll away. It is a private beach that is separated from the hotel by a public promenade that follows the coastline. Don't forget your keys, or you'll have to go all the way around (or ask for some help at the beach bar).
Offering you a pebble beach and a blue sea, the beach also has sunshades and deck chairs. It is a pity though that the deck chairs are made of dull white plastic. They certainly fit in nicely with the white theme, but the model that was chosen has no esthetic value.
We also felt that there was a little too much music, although it did consist of a mix of soft-pop and some "electronic" sounds. There is a question that naturally comes to mind, especially for those who are trying to catch some sleep on the beach: "Is a bit of silence so that I can enjoy the sound of the sea really too much to ask for!?". Apparently it is, and as soon as the sun sets, the lounge music parties begin...
The beach is composed of pebbles, a typical feature of the Turkish coastline. However, the water is crystal clear and quickly becomes deep. It's probably not the best place for children, but that shouldn't be too much of a problem, as the hotel is designed for couples.

We did appreciate the relaxation area (white!) next to the beach bar (also white!) with its mattresses and a relaxing and modern oriental setting - the perfect place to unwind in the shade and admire the sea.
We weren't impressed with the beach; which is too small and quickly overcrowded in the high season.