For the past 5 years, we’ve lived an obsession with Ikos Resorts. Since our first visit to Olivia in 2020, we’ve been on a mission to try out all 7 resorts and now we’ve stayed at all 7, which would I say is my favourite?

It’s worth noting that a lot will have changed in the 5 years since we started this journey. Olivia has been refurbished and Oceania is about to be refurbished, things change. But let’s dig into what I’ve learned over the past 5 years. 

Which Ikos has the best restaurants?

Ikos are known for their USP of à la carte restaurants included as part of the all inclusive package. Most of the resorts have a range of restaurants and a variety of cuisines. There’s loads of choice, and a great incentive to check out different resorts. 

Alongside the buffet, Flavors (also known as The Market at Porto Petro), you will find Ouzo (Greek), Fresco (Italian), Provence (French) and Anaya (Asian) at most of the resorts. 

Some of the resorts also have speciality restaurants such as Azul (Peruvian, Odisia), Sea Grill (Mediterranean, Odisia), Kerkyra (Corfian, Dassia), Kos (local Kos dishes, Aria), and then there’s Beach Club (Mediterranean, Oceania & Porto Petro), The Garden (casual, Olivia), and Oliva (Spanish, Porto Petro & Aria) to name just a few!. Don’t forget that Deluxe guests at Aria, Andalusia & Porto Petro also have Seasons (international)! 

One thing to consider is that not all restaurants are open all day. Some are only open for dinner, some open for breakfast and/or lunch but offer buffets only, so which resort do I think has the best restaurant scene? It has to be Ikos Dassia. 

Ikos Dassia has 8 restaurants, including Flavors. Kerkyra, Fresco and Ouzo are à la carte for breakfast. Kerkyra, Fresco, Enoteca and Ouzo are open for lunch with Enoteca being adults only and Ouzo does one of the best BBQ buffets across all Ikos resorts. For dinner, Kerkyra, Ouzo, Fresco, Provence, Anaya, Enoteca and Grill House are all à la carte and, conveniently, one for each night of a week long stay so you never need to set foot in the buffet!

Which Ikos had the best spa?

Our Ikos tradition is to visit the spa at the end of day 2 for a massage and use the sauna and steam room. After a hectic travel day the day before, usually involving a 3am or 4am start, it’s the perfect way to force us into relaxation mode and make the most of a week away from home. 

The range of treatments for men is quite limited, so we usually get the “busy minds destress” which includes a back and shoulder massage and a custom facial. The treatments have varied slightly across resorts, and of course, the facilities in each spa are slightly different too. My favourite spa is at Ikos Odisia. 

The best thing about the spa at Ikos Odisia is the stunning views across the day. From the relaxation room and from the indoor pool, you have panoramic views across the sea and cliffs, it’s just so beautiful. The treatments were excellent and the pool, sauna and steam facilities are excellent. We actually went to the spa a few times during our stay at Odisia because the facilities were so good. It’s obviously difficult to get pictures in spas, so you’ll have to take my  word for it!

How to save money on your next Ikos holiday!

Which Ikos is best for families?

I don’t have kids, so I’m really not best placed to comment on which resort is best for young people, and here’s my (admittedly controversial) hot take; Ikos Resorts are not built around children. 

Yes, Ikos allow children and make them feel welcome. Each of the hotels has a kids pool and a splash pad for the wee ones. There’s a kids club and activities to keep them occupied and all of the restaurants have kids menus. But here’s the thing; Ikos is all about gourmet food, speciality wines and cocktails and luxurious accommodation. I’ve not met many kids that give a toss about these things. 

In my opinion, Ikos is squarely aimed at well heeled grown ups who enjoy the nicer things in life, and some of them have children. Sure, Ikos could be adults only, but their proposition is already at the higher end of all inclusive resorts. By limiting free child places and charging adult prices from age 12, Ikos can make a decent margin on its younger guests which helps keep prices lower for the grown ups. 

Which Ikos is best for adults?

Notwithstanding my previous comment, Ikos is incredibly popular with families, and some resorts are better than others at carving out spaces just for grown ups. If you’re looking for an adults only break, my pick would be Ikos Andalusia or Ikos Dassia. 

Ikos Andalusia has 2 adults only pools, all of the restaurants have adult zones plus there’s an adults only cocktail bar and a nightclub. Dassia also has 2 adults only pools, Enoteca is adults only for lunch and there’s a nightclub for late night shenanigans. 

Which is my favourite Ikos?

Ah, the million dollar question! They’re all bloody brilliant! Some resorts have die hard followings, but having stayed at them all, I’m splitting hairs to pick a favourite. They all fall in the 8/10 to 10/10 range. 

I really struggle to pick an absolute favourite, but my highest rated are Ikos Andalusia and Ikos Aria, with honourable mention for Ikos Dassia. 

I loved the range of restaurants at Andalusia and the choice of à la carte, the fact that all of them had adult zones plus there’s 2 adults only pools and the adults only cocktail bar. The resort is compact and intimate, and easy to get around. We had terrible weather during our stay at Andalusia, and we were there during the Spain national power outage, but we still came away thinking – wow, what a spectacular hotel! 

Aria blew us away with their consistency in exceptional service. Every meal, every drink, every interaction with staff was faultless. The grounds are the most beautiful across all resorts; it was an absolute pleasure to walk around and I loved the aspects of Ancient Greek architecture incorporated into the resort. 

Dassia is an interesting one as we went to Dassia as a group of friends and so the vibe was completely different to our other Ikos holidays, which have just been the other half and me. Putting that aside, Dassia has the strongest choice of restaurants, 2 adults only pools and the nightclub which we absolutely loved. 

My favourite bits of all Ikos

The great thing about staying in brand hotels is the consistency. Whether it’s a Marriott, a Holiday Inn, or a Premier Inn, you kinda know what you’re getting. The same applies with Ikos. We know what we’re getting, we know it’ll be excellent, we know we’ll be able to relax as soon as we check in, but each resort is still different enough and has its own personality. We can enjoy the consistency of the brand but try out new places at the same time. 

Out of some of the more unique aspects of each of the resorts, I’ve already mentioned the Ancient Greek ruins at Aria. I love ancient history and having the ruins on your doorstep are a wonderful addition to the resort. Whilst all of the resorts are attractive, Aria takes the lead in being the most beautiful. 

I’ve also mentioned the adults only cocktail bar at Andalusia. This bar is my favourite place of all Ikos resorts – I just love how the seats all intertwine with each other, the views out to sea and the drinks, of course!

I haven’t mentioned Porto Petro much in this post, but I simply have to give a shout out to the awesome patisserie hidden beneath the lobby. The cakes were just outstanding and it was an absolute pleasure squeezing them into our already full bellies! I would also say that Porto Petro has the best theatre of all of the resorts. The shows are always fantastic and the theatre is indoors so even if the night is chilly, you can still catch a show!

We might have ticked off all 7 resorts, but with Ikos Kissamos opening next year, Olivia and Oceania being refurbished and other new hotels already in the pipeline, this isn’t the end of our Ikos adventure. In fact, we’re already booked to return to Andalusia with friends in May. Let the countdown begin!