It's the beginning of 2018 when I plan our vacation. I'm looking to spend ten relaxing days somewhere in Europe by the sea, for the autumn.
On my favorite travel agency website https://www.ewtc.de Greece immediately catches my eye, mainly because we've never been there before. The IKOS Olivia Resort ranks as the most popular hotel on the site and is advertised with key phrases such as “holiday pleasure in a class of its own”, “great gardens with large pools”, “absolute privacy in an idyllic, Mediterranean setting for couples and famiies”. And this is all-inclusive? I’m already hooked! I book the four of us for October 2018.
IKOS Olivia Resort - my travelogue/my experiences
We fly with Swiss from Zurich to Thessaloniki and then use the hotel's own transfer to Gerakini. By the way, if you book a minimum of five nights directly, the transfer from and to the airport is free.
Nestled among silvery olive trees, near Gerakini, lies the Hotel IKOS Olivia, with its main building and numerous bungalows spread across a 22 hectare complex.
The spacious resort is located directly on the 450 meter long private beach next to the azure blue Aegean Sea, and offers a lot of privacy. Everywhere smells of pine trees, rosemary and dozens of other herbs and flowers. You really think you are in paradise. Not least because of the innovative "Infinite Lifestyle" concept of the IKOS hotel group: “Unlimited all-inclusive luxury awaits every guest here”.
All-inclusive may seem rather daunting for the discerning traveller. All too often, the range of food and service goes hand in hand with rather inferior quality. IKOS, however, manages the balancing act between all-inclusive and five-star luxury perfectly. From your own minibar, to delicious food, to all the drinks you can think of (also from a wide variety of brands): everything is included in the all-inclusive price. There is a reason why this hotel has repeatedly received the Trip Advisor award for best all inclusive in Europe and worldwide.
The property has a thoughtful contemporary design, and the materials and colours match the colour of the azure sea and its sand-coloured surroundings.
Where to sleep?- Panorama Junior Suite or One Bedroom Bungalow Suite?
There are a total of six different room categories. We opted for the Panorama Junior Suite. From the 4th floor you have a great view over the pool and the sea, which we value greatly, and our children prefer to sleep in the same room as us. Our friends, meanwhile, book a bungalow suite with a separate bedroom and private garden.
From there, of course, access to the beach and the pool is shorter, but because you are on the groundfloor and looking out into the greenery, the inside rooms lack that natural flooding of light.
There are also five types of deluxe suites to choose from, two of which have a private pool. Guests of the Deluxe Collection can enjoy various additional services such as their own check-in/check-out, an additional pool, a separate beach area, and a candlelight dinner on the beach, etc. The offer we receive, however, is already so good that we decide not to pay this deluxe surcharge.
Food - Every gourmet gets their money's worth
Four different à la carte restaurants and one buffet restaurant (Flavours) await with a selection of Asian and Mediterranean delicacies. There are Greek (Ouzo), Italian (Fresco), French (Provence) and Asian (Anaya) restaurants, whose dishes were all created by Michelin star chefs.
According to the all-inclusive principle, you can practically eat all day long.
Breakfast is served from 7.30am to 11am in the following restaurants:
Flavors
Provence
Ouzo
Lunch is available at:
Flavors (12.30pm to 2.30pm)
Provence (12.30pm to 5pm)
Ouzo (12.30pm to 5pm)
Dinner is served from 6.30pm to 9.30pm in all five restaurants. For those wine-lovers out there, there are 300 different bottles to choose from.
Reservations are required for dinner. Before you arrive at the resort, you can make up to three bookings via the website. For the other evenings, we recommend making reservations with the concierge.
In addition to this, you can eat at selected restaurants outside the resort with the dine-out program. This gives you the opportunity to enjoy the local hospitality at no extra cost.
Having said that though, we find the in-house restaurants to be of such high quality that we don't even feel the need to leave the hotel to eat.
Furthermore, there is always the option of having a variety of foods served to you on the beach, by the pool or in your room! This is extremely practical for families with children. After all, you can’t always predict when our little ones are hungry and we certainly cannot expect them to adjust to the timings set for ‘half-board’. If the little one is hungry at 3 p.m., you can relax and have a portion of fries delivered to you at the beach. For the very insatiable, the minibar in the room is always freshly stocked with snacks and drinks.
Since these costs are all included in the all-inclusive package, it makes the trip much more affordable, especially for families.
We found the staff to be extremely committed, friendly, and unintrusive. You are always greeted warmly, the children are entertained, and requests are met, whenever possible. For example, although we are a larger group of 11 people, we can always sit together in the different restaurants.
Experiences - water polo, zumba, windsurfing? Or perhaps you prefer spa, beach and pool?
There is a wide range of free sports and leisure activities on offer. From tennis to yoga and pilates, mountain biking to windsurfing, and introductory diving to canoeing, you name it, they’ve got it.
The spa has a wide range of massages, beauty treatments and wellness packages that can be booked for an extra fee. I treat myself to a pedicure right at the beginning of my stay and am very satisfied.
The resort's private beach is spacious and full of wonderful powdery sand. There are many loungers and parasols to choose from, and the staff on the beach are ready to present you with a towel, should you wish to use one.
For those who are averse to salt water, there are various pools. The lagoon pool has its own water bar, the main pool is 450 m2, the spa pool is indoor/outdoor and the private pool is reserved for deluxe guests.
Since the weather during our stay in mid-October barely reaches the 20 degree mark, we are glad that all four pools are heated.
Families - privacy as well as kid’s entertainment
The size of the resort offers a lot of privacy. Both families, and couples feel very comfortable. As we are here during the school holidays, there are of course other kids. There are adult-only areas in the restaurants too, but this doesn’t mean children are not welcome as well. There's in fact a fun-packed program at the kids' club, run by trained professionals from Worldwide Kids (a UK childcare agency), which is included in the price. Only the crèche from four months to three years charges an additional fee. And in addition to all of this, our little visitors can indulge in some ball games at the football academy. It is recommended to reserve places for the kid’s club before you arrive.
We like the IKOS resort so much that we only end up leaving when returning home. Another extra, however, has since then, been added to the "Infinite Lifestyle" in all the IKOS hotels: guests can now borrow a Mini Cooper absolutely free of charge, for a whole day during their stay and explore the area with it! This so-called Mini Drive Adventure should be reserved with Guest Relations at least three days in advance.
Our conclusion
IKOS - this is all-inclusive at the highest level! We’re already looking forward to our next trip. After all, there are now a total of five resorts (another one on the peninsula Chalkidiki, one on Corfu, one on Kos and the first outside of Greece- Marbella in southern Spain).
Meanwhile, we have already stayed at the one on Kos, please check my other blog post "IKOS Aria Resort".
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