"Once IKOS, always IKOS!" We repeated this sentence several times during our first stay at the IKOS Olivia Resort. As you may remember from my first IKOS post , we loved the IKOS world so much that we immediately booked another week’s holiday at an IKOS for the following year (repeat bookers receive 10% off the flat rate).
The IKOS hotels have committed themselves to the so-called infinite lifestyle, which means they offer luxury all inclusive holidays. This includes every drink (branded spirits, selection of over 300 wines, etc.), all food (top cuisine), minibar, beach chairs, children's activities, sports and watersports, etc. You can definitely leave your wallet in the safe!
As you may know, it can get rather chilly in Greece in October, which is why, this time, we decided to try out the new IKOS Aria on Kos. With its more southern location, we were hoping to catch an even milder climate there. And indeed... with an average air temperature of around 25 degrees and sea temperature of 20 degrees in October 2019, nothing would stand in the way of a carefree beach holiday on Kos.
So, would the Aria excite us as much as the Olivia? Is the resort, which has only been open for six months in full swing? How would we find the new mini-adventure?
IKOS Aria Resort Kos - My travel report / my experiences
Excited, full of anticipation, and in the hotel’s own transfer bus, we entered the gates of the resort, which sits on the azure blue Aegean sea, southwest of the island. The IKOS is located near Kefalos, a region with few hotels yet with the most beautiful beaches. Aria is one kilometer long and has the most wonderful fine sand. Actually it is more like a resort with two private beaches which are connected by a publicly accessible excavation site. This legendary place, with the island of Kastri directly opposite (can be visited by boat) gives the resort an unmistakable, elegant look.
But now back to that hotel reception... As soon as we walked through those doors, we immediately felt like we were transported back to the IKOS world, although this time, we were about 350 kilometers away from Olivia. The typical, light, contemporary decor and the warm hospitality had us feeling relaxed as soon as we checked in. And what really struck us about Aria, was the fact that one gets a view of the entire resort and sea from the lobby (bar).
In any case, you will be warmly welcomed here, and informed about the resort over a first drink. Depending on the time of arrival, you can then have your first meal in one of the many restaurants.
Our stay - privacy and a view or close to the pool?
We wanted to settle into our bungalow right away. It's actually called "One Bedroom Suite with Private Garden".
Even with the rooms, IKOS shows off with its well thought-out modern design and Mediterranean colour concept. The garden is spacious, the couches and lounges, very comfortable. Here you can meditate undisturbed in the mornings and relax with a drink from the fully stocked minibar in the evenings…
If you are staying in this room-category as a family of 4 or 5 then do bear in mind that the living room with its sofabed will be “occupied” during your stay. A two bedroom suite would be an alternative. By the way, there would also be rooms with a private pool. However, I find this unsuitable for families with small children (non-swimmers), as you would always have to be on your guard!
The location of our suite within the resort was perfect for us. Slightly elevated with wonderful sea views and lots of privacy (see heart on plan below).
Other bungalows in this same category are also located right next to the main pool. The advantage here, is that it is almost the same as having your own private pool, but it is less quiet there and your garden would be visible to other hotel guests.
TIP: On the resort overview, I have marked which rooms I would like to have if I were to visit Aria again. If we were to go ahead and choose the same category, I would prefer the rooms to the right of the main pool (blue rectangle). From there you can get into the water very quickly and at the same time enjoy more privacy. Otherwise, I could also imagine selecting a panorama junior suite (blue circle), which has a direct sea view. These rooms are smaller with a double bed and sofa bed in one room. The price difference, on the other hand, is marginal.
Food - Eight excellent restaurants to satisfy every tastebud
Whether Greek, Italian or Asian - you have the choice at IKOS. Eight different restaurants take care of your hunger needs. And this, almost non-stop throughout the day. Just the "Oliva" (Spanish), the "Provence" (French) and the "Anaya" (Asian) are only open in the evenings.
At the “Flavors” buffet restaurant, you get the best variety of breakfast items, but in other restaurants it is quieter and the food is available until 11 a.m. for all late risers.
At the “Flavors” buffet restaurant, you get the best variety of breakfast items, but in other restaurants it is quieter and the food is available until 11 a.m. for all late risers.
At lunchtime there were often long waiting times for the Greek restaurant "Ouzo", probably due to its direct location by the sea. But you can easily avoid this by dining at any of the other four restaurants or by having your favourite dishes conveniently delivered to the beach...
For dinner, reservations are required everywhere except for the "Flavors" buffet restaurant. You can make three bookings on the website before you arrive, and I recommend making more bookings with the concierge on the day of arrival so that you can try at least one meal in all the restaurants. I promise you, it's worth it! The buffet is definitely a good alternative, but all the restaurants have their own special flair and an excellent range. Each member of our group had a different favourite restaurant. I personally found the food at "Oliva" to be the best.
If I had to make any suggestions for improvement though, I would mention the choice of desserts. Most desserts are based on crèmes or mousses and there aren't enough cakes and baked goods to match my liking. But that is complaining on a high level!
Experience - The diverse infinite lifestyle range you are used to from IKOS
Aqua aerobics, yoga, Pilates, ... the diverse course program could almost make you feel guilty. Especially since the wellness offer is extremely tempting! In any case, both sport fans and those looking for relaxation will get their money's worth at IKOS. A number of heated indoor, outdoor and kid’s pools invite you to swim and bathe.
And then, of course, the azure blue sea beckons! The beach is full of very pleasant fine sand and is equipped with comfortable sun loungers and parasols. Here, too, value is placed highly on privacy: the distance between the loungers are evenly spread out.
The attentive staff are ready with beach towels, drinks and food, and will even clean your sunglasses!
Children - treated with high regard in IKOS resorts
In some luxury hotels, children are at most, tolerated (by staff and by other guests). But in IKOS resorts, this is not the case. Here they are made to feel very welcome! In all restaurants there is a menu tailored to children and entertainment is carefully thought out (art supplies, TV corner, ...). The little ones can even "play grownups" at the bar: virgin mojito or baby cappuccino? Everything is possible!
Our children were very enthusiastic about the possibility of renting all kinds of bicycles and tricycles and using them to explore the resort.
At the beach, the young ones can equip themselves with sand toys, ensuring that nothing stands in the way of building castles (if you want, you can also make use of the resort’s beach supervision. The Kid’s club employees offer 30 minutes free of charge) and the children 's pool is available for worry-free swimming fun.
After so much fun and games, it’s time for something sweet: the gelateria at the pool bar is another highlight (and not just for the kids, of course!).
For those wanting to leave their little ones in the care of professional hands or for those seeking even more children’s activities, then the IKOS Kid’s club is available. A top quality kid’s program (divided into three age groups- from 4 months to approx. 17 years) is offered here. Specially trained and qualified staff look after our young guests with great love, attention and care, and creatively develop a new activity plan each week: in addition to games, the children can take part in art, sports and cooking activities as well as indulging in water sports.
With the exception of the crèche (4 months to 3 years) and the babysitter service, all these services are included in the original price.
The new MINI Drive Adventure - explore the island in comfort
We felt so comfortable during our stay that we didn’t really feel the need to leave the resort. However, we couldn’t miss out on the opportunity of exploring the island for the day with the new inclusive MINI Cooper either. After all, we’d never been to Kos before. Child seats are also provided free of charge.
The MINI Drive Adventure was a fun change and the town of KOS is small and charming. Apart from this though, the landscape does not have much to write home about. The vegetation was quite arid and apart from the town of Kos itself, we didn't find any other highlights. Admittedly, we didn't drive the whole island either. After all, we wanted to be back in time for dinner ;-)...
Conclusion:
To return to the questions mentioned at the beginning: Yes, the Aria lived up to our high expectations and excited us just as much as the Olivia. Each resort has its own unique flair, but the IKOS Infinite Lifestyle concept is embedded beautifully in both. Although Aria's grand opening had only been six months prior to our visit, the staff were already fully integrated and everything ran smoothly.
"Once IKOS - always IKOS!"
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