Best IKOS Resort: How to Pick the Right One for Your Holiday

IKOS consistently delivers some of the best luxury all-inclusive holidays in Europe. The question most people arrive at fairly quickly is not whether to book IKOS, but which resort. There are eight properties across Greece and Spain, each with a distinct character. I’ve helped a lot of families and couples find the right one. Here’s what I’ve learned.

Which IKOS resort is best? The honest answer is that it depends on how you want your holiday to feel, not just where you want to go. IKOS has built something genuinely rare: a luxury all-inclusive that actually delivers on the promise. Once people experience it, most come back. The question is which IKOS resort is right for your version of it.

I’ve matched a lot of families and couples to their IKOS resort. Here’s what I’ve learned about how each one feels, and what to think about before you book.

Where Are the IKOS Resorts?

IKOS has resorts across Greece and Spain, with a new Crete property opening in 2026. Each shares the same DNA: exceptional dining, beachfront settings, UK-qualified childcare, and service that remembers the details you’d never think to ask about. But the atmosphere, layout, and setting of each resort shapes your experience in ways that don’t always show up in the brochure.

All IKOS resorts operate on their Infinite Lifestyle concept, which means everything is genuinely included: à la carte dining, premium drinks, local excursions, and the Dine Out programme at handpicked local restaurants. No wristbands. No hidden charges. It’s a meaningful step above the traditional all-inclusive model.

In Greece:

IKOS Olivia and IKOS Oceania sit on Halkidiki’s Kassandra peninsula, around 40 to 50 minutes from Thessaloniki Airport. Olivia is calm, flat, and built for families with small children. Oceania is hillside and intimate, with sea views that make everything feel elevated.

IKOS Dassia and IKOS Odisia are both on Corfu, 25 minutes from the airport. Dassia is livelier, with outstanding dining and an energy that suits families or couples who like a bit of buzz. Odisia is quieter, set among pine trees across the bay, with access to Dassia’s facilities when you want them. Worth flagging on Odisia: at 60 acres it is one of the larger IKOS resorts, mostly flat but with some uphill walks near the Elia and Oliva restaurants. Golf buggies run throughout, but it is a consideration for guests with mobility needs or families with pushchairs.

IKOS Aria is in Kos, 20 minutes from the airport. Sleek, spacious, elegant. The flat layout makes it particularly good for pushchairs and older guests, and it has a grown-up feel the others don’t quite match.

IKOS Kissamos opens on Crete’s west coast in 2026, in a part of the island that still feels genuinely undiscovered.

In Spain:

IKOS Andalusia is on the Costa del Sol, 55 minutes from Málaga. Sophisticated and sunny, with Marbella close enough for an evening out but no pressure to leave the resort if you’d rather not.

IKOS Porto Petro sits between two private coves on Mallorca’s south-east coast, under an hour from Palma. It is nature-led and refined, a different kind of quiet from the Greek resorts. One thing the brochure does not flag: Porto Petro is built on significant hills. Golf buggies run constantly, but the terrain is a consistent feature of daily life rather than an occasional inconvenience. For guests with mobility considerations, older legs or small children in pushchairs, this matters more than the website suggests.

Which IKOS Resort Is Best for Families?

IKOS sets the standard for family all-inclusive because the childcare is run by UK-qualified staff, the beaches are genuinely safe, and there’s no sense of compromise between what the adults want and what works for the children. The kids’ clubs are OFSTED-compliant, with age-specific programmes from babies through to teens.

For families with toddlers, IKOS Olivia is usually the answer. The flat layout, calm sea, and garden bungalows close to the beach make it physically easier to navigate with small children, and the setting is unhurried in a way that genuinely suits that stage of family life.

For slightly older children, IKOS Aria and IKOS Odisia offer that same ease with a bit more elegance. IKOS Dassia works well for families where the older kids want watersports and access to Corfu Town. IKOS Porto Petro is a strong option for teenagers who want more independence and a quieter base.

Which IKOS Resort Is Best for Couples?

The answer here depends on what kind of couple you are.

IKOS Oceania is the most intimate property in the portfolio. It’s peaceful, unhurried, and has a quality of stillness that makes it ideal for people who genuinely want to switch off. If the purpose of the trip is to reconnect, this is the one.

IKOS Porto Petro is refined and nature-led. The cove setting and the quieter atmosphere of Mallorca’s south-east coast give it a different character from the Greek resorts, and it suits couples who value privacy and natural surroundings.

IKOS Andalusia suits couples who want sun and quality, but also enjoy the option of stepping out for an evening in Marbella’s old town or a round of golf. It has a more cosmopolitan energy than the Greek portfolio.

IKOS Odisia has a secluded feel despite being accessible, and the combination of its calm pine-tree setting with the option to visit Dassia when you want something livelier works well for couples who like having the choice without feeling committed to either.

Which IKOS Resort Is Best for Food?

Food is where IKOS genuinely separates itself from the competition. All resorts offer menus developed in collaboration with Michelin-starred chefs and wine lists curated by specialist sommeliers. The IKOS dining experience spans multiple restaurants per resort, with à la carte options included as standard rather than reserved for premium tiers.

IKOS Dassia is the most frequently cited for food specifically. It has the strongest restaurant line-up across the IKOS portfolio, including several signature restaurants exclusive to Dassia within the group. The dining atmosphere at Dassia feels genuinely festive in a way some of the other resorts do not quite match.

The Dine Out programme is available across all resorts: handpicked local restaurants, all included in your stay. It’s one of the things that makes which IKOS resort you choose feel genuinely different from a traditional all-inclusive, and it’s worth planning ahead for. The best tables at the most sought-after Dine Out restaurants go early, and these are straightforward to secure in advance when you know which ones are worth the effort.

Which IKOS Resort Is Best for Active Travellers?

IKOS Andalusia and IKOS Porto Petro are both strong here. Golf, cycling, hiking, and water sports are well catered for. IKOS Aria has good watersports and coastal access. IKOS Dassia suits those who want paddleboarding, tennis, and easy access to explore Corfu. The active offering at all resorts is extensive enough that you can maintain a high level of movement without leaving the resort, or use it as a base for exploring the surrounding area.

Restaurant Reservations: What Most Guests Do Not Know

This is the single piece of advice that separates a great IKOS stay from a frustrating one, and it is almost never flagged in the brochure.

IKOS operates a two-tier restaurant pre-booking system. Standard (non-Deluxe Collection) guests can pre-book a limited number of dinner reservations before arrival. Deluxe Collection guests can pre-book all of them. The reservation window opens at a specific point in the season, well before peak summer travel, and the exact dates and number of pre-bookable dinners are confirmed at the time of booking.

IKOS is firm about walk-ins, particularly in peak summer when the most popular restaurants are at capacity. Guests who do not pre-book frequently find their first-choice restaurants are unavailable for their entire stay, and end up at the buffet for evenings they had planned to spend somewhere special.

The honest fix is one of two things. Either book Deluxe Collection if the restaurant tier matters to you, which is usually the case at Dassia, Andalusia and Porto Petro where the standout restaurants drive the dining experience. Or, if booking standard, prioritise the three pre-bookable dinners carefully and use my advice on which ones genuinely cannot be missed at your specific resort.

This is the kind of detail I save clients real disappointment on. It is not in any IKOS marketing, but it is the most common source of guest frustration I hear about.

Choosing Your Room Category

The "Promo" room category is the entry-level option, and on the surface it looks like a smart way to save money. What most people do not realise: you get whatever room is available on arrival, with no control over location.

This matters more than it sounds. At larger properties like Odisia (60 acres) and Porto Petro, the difference between a sea-facing room in Sea Village and an inland room near the theatre can be a 15-minute walk across the resort. At Dassia and Andalusia, the difference between a beach-adjacent room and one on the back perimeter shapes the entire holiday.

IKOS does sometimes upgrade returning guests as a loyalty gesture. First-time guests on Promo rates rarely benefit from this and tend to be given the rooms left over after everyone else has been allocated.

My recommendation for first-time IKOS guests is to book at least Superior category. It costs more, but it locks in both the room type and crucially the location within the resort. The premium pays back across the whole stay in ways that are hard to quantify until you are there.

Is the Deluxe Collection Worth It?

Deluxe Collection is genuinely a different holiday, not just a nicer room. It typically unlocks:

• Pre-booking of all restaurant reservations in advance, rather than the limited count standard guests get
• Private airport transfers
• A dedicated concierge throughout the stay
• Exclusive beach area and pool
• Spa treatment benefits
• Additional time with the MINI Countryman
• At Andalusia and Porto Petro: access to the Seasons restaurant, which is not available to other guests

Specific inclusions evolve year on year and vary by resort, so this is one of the things I confirm for clients at the time of booking rather than promising in writing.

The Deluxe value case depends heavily on the resort. At the Greek properties (Dassia, Olivia, Aria, Oceania, Odisia) where the restaurant pre-booking restriction is felt most acutely in peak summer, the Deluxe step-up frequently pays for itself in stress avoided. At the Spanish resorts (Andalusia, Porto Petro), the addition of Seasons makes the value case stronger again.

It is not the right answer for every client. It is the right answer for couples on a milestone trip, or families in peak summer who want to remove all logistical friction. I am happy to talk through the maths with you on the specific resort and dates you are looking at.

The MINI Countryman, and Other Things Worth Knowing

Every IKOS stay includes a complimentary Local Drive Adventure: access to a MINI Countryman to explore the surrounding area at your own pace (the car was a Tesla in earlier years; IKOS made the switch in 2025). Deluxe Collection guests get additional time. Corfu Old Town from Dassia or Odisia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with cobbled streets and Venetian architecture. Cala Mondragó Nature Park from Porto Petro. Ronda from Andalusia, one of Spain’s most dramatic hilltop towns, around 90 minutes inland and worth planning as a full day rather than a quick afternoon trip.

It’s a detail that opens the resort up in a way most all-inclusives don’t, and it’s the kind of thing that’s easy to overlook when booking independently but straightforward to build into the planning when someone is thinking about the holiday as a whole. If you’re interested in combining an IKOS stay with wider exploration, it’s worth reading about two-centre holidays in Europe as a starting point for what’s possible.

Why People Keep Coming Back to IKOS

IKOS guests return at an unusually high rate. The service is personal without being performative. The food is genuinely excellent. The included excursions and Dine Out options mean you get to discover the destination too, not just the resort. There’s no pressure to spend, no sense that the best experiences are hidden behind an upgrade. It doesn’t feel like a place that’s trying to extract more from you. It feels like a place that’s already thought of everything.

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Why Book With Me Instead

You can book IKOS directly. Plenty of people do. But here is what changes when you book through me.

My service is free to you. I am paid commission by the suppliers I book through, never by you. The holiday costs you the same as booking direct, often less because I can access trade rates and added-value extras you would not find online.

I handle the IKOS pre-booking system for you. The restaurant reservations that have to be made the moment the window opens, the kids’ club spots that go quickly, the spa appointments, the Local Drive Adventure slot, the Dine Out restaurant bookings: all of this is admin that has to happen at specific times to be worth anything. I do it on your behalf so you do not have to set a calendar reminder for a Tuesday morning in February. You just turn up to the holiday with everything already in place.

I get the room right at the time of booking. Two rooms in the same category can have very different outlooks, positions, and proximity to facilities. At a 60-acre resort like Odisia, or on the hills at Porto Petro, that detail shapes the whole stay. Getting it right at the time of booking, not after arrival, is the single biggest thing a good advisor adds.

You get a personalised area guide before you go. Most clients want to use the MINI Countryman day and the Dine Out programme to explore beyond the resort. I write a short personalised guide for the area around your resort, with the trips that work best for your family or your kind of break. Corfu Old Town and the inland villages from Dassia or Odisia. Ronda or Marbella from Andalusia. The bays and nature reserves from Porto Petro. Not a generic list pulled from a brochure: a few things actually worth your time.

And if something changes, I am there. Flights moved, family circumstances shifted, you decide late that you want to extend by three nights. Having someone who knows your booking, knows the operator, and knows the options is worth more than it sounds. Travel disruption is genuinely manageable when you are not navigating it alone.

I work with families and couples who want their IKOS holiday to feel exactly as good as it should. That means getting the right resort, the right room, the right timing, all the pre-bookings in place before you fly, and a sense of what is worth exploring once you are there. The whole holiday admin off your hands.

FAQs About Ikos Resorts

What makes Ikos different from other all-inclusive resorts?

Ikos operates what it calls an 'Infinite Lifestyle' concept - a premium all-inclusive model that includes fine dining restaurants (not just buffets), premium drinks, water sports, kids clubs, excursions, and even a concierge service for restaurant reservations in nearby towns. The standard of food and the quality of included activities sets it apart from traditional all-inclusive resorts, which tend to feel more contained and less considered.

Which Ikos resort is best for families?

Ikos Olivia in Halkidiki and Ikos Aria in Kos are both excellent for families. Olivia has one of the most extensive children's programmes and a beautiful long beach. Aria suits families with teenagers well given the wider range of activities and the more varied surrounding area. Ikos Oceania in Halkidiki is a slightly quieter option that suits families wanting a more relaxed pace alongside good kids' facilities.

Which Ikos resort is best for couples?

Ikos Dassia in Corfu and Ikos Porto Petro in Mallorca tend to suit couples best. Dassia has beautiful gardens, a more intimate feel than the larger Greek resorts, and Corfu town nearby for evenings out. Porto Petro is Ikos's most upscale property, positioned in a quieter corner of southern Mallorca with a sophisticated atmosphere and outstanding food and wine.

Are Ikos resorts worth the price?

Ikos resorts sit in the premium end of the all-inclusive market, and the price reflects what is included. When you factor in the quality of dining (which genuinely compares to standalone restaurants), the included activities, the service standard, and the fact that very little costs extra once you arrive, the value calculation looks more favourable. Clients I send consistently report that they spent less on-site than expected, which is not something you can say about many resorts.

How far in advance should I book an Ikos resort?

Ikos resorts are popular and the best room categories and dates sell out well in advance. For peak summer season (July and August), I recommend booking six to twelve months ahead, particularly for the Greek properties. Shoulder season (May, June, September, October) offers more flexibility and noticeably lower prices with very similar weather. Early booking also gives access to the best room upgrades and any launch offers.

When does the new IKOS Kissamos in Crete open?

IKOS Kissamos opens on Crete's west coast in 2026, in a part of the island that still feels genuinely undiscovered. It will be the brand's first Crete property. Early bookings opened in 2025 and the best room categories and shoulder-season dates are already going. If you are interested in the launch season, get on the list as early as possible.

Are children's clubs and watersports included at IKOS?

Yes. The Infinite Lifestyle includes UK-qualified, OFSTED-compliant kids clubs from babies through to teens, age-specific programmes, and most non-motorised watersports (paddleboarding, kayaking, sailing). Some motorised watersports and the spa are extra. Kids club spots, particularly for babies and toddlers, do book up. Reserve them at the time of booking rather than after arrival.

Is the MINI Countryman included at IKOS resorts?

Yes. Every IKOS stay includes a complimentary Local Drive Adventure with access to a MINI Countryman (the car was a Tesla in earlier years; IKOS switched in 2025). Deluxe Collection guests get additional time. Bookings are made on a slot basis at the resort and they go quickly in peak season, so it is worth planning the day in advance. Common drives include Corfu Old Town from Dassia or Odisia, Cala Mondragó Nature Park from Porto Petro, and Ronda from Andalusia (about 90 minutes inland).

Which UK airports fly to the IKOS resorts?

Most UK airports offer direct or one-stop routes. For the Greek resorts: Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Edinburgh and Birmingham all have direct flights in season to Thessaloniki (for Halkidiki), Corfu and Kos. For Spain: regular UK-wide direct flights to Málaga (for IKOS Andalusia) and Palma (for IKOS Porto Petro). I always price all UK airports against total transit time, not just the nearest hub.

Which IKOS resort is best for first-timers?

For first-time IKOS guests I usually recommend IKOS Olivia (families with young children), IKOS Dassia (families and couples wanting some buzz) or IKOS Oceania (couples wanting calm). All three have the strongest reputation for delivering the full IKOS experience without overwhelm. You can always book a second IKOS holiday later at a different property once you know what you love about the brand, and many clients do.

How do restaurant reservations work at IKOS resorts?

IKOS operates a two-tier pre-booking system. Standard (non-Deluxe Collection) guests can pre-book a limited number of dinner reservations before arrival. Deluxe Collection guests can pre-book all of them. The reservation window opens well before peak summer travel; exact dates and the count of pre-bookable dinners are confirmed at booking. IKOS is firm about walk-ins, particularly in peak summer. The honest fix is either to book Deluxe if the restaurant tier matters to you, or to prioritise the available pre-booked dinners carefully. This is the single biggest avoidable source of guest disappointment.

Is the IKOS Deluxe Collection worth the upgrade?

Deluxe Collection is genuinely a different holiday, not just a nicer room. It typically unlocks pre-booking of all restaurant reservations, private airport transfers, a dedicated concierge, exclusive beach area and pool, spa treatment benefits, additional MINI Countryman time, and at Andalusia and Porto Petro access to the Seasons restaurant. Specific inclusions evolve year on year. The value case is strongest at Greek properties where the restaurant pre-booking restriction is felt most in peak summer.

Should I book the IKOS Promo room category?

The Promo category means you get whatever room is available on arrival, with no control over location. At larger resorts like Odisia (60 acres) and Porto Petro, location can mean a 15-minute walk across the property. IKOS sometimes upgrades returning guests, but first-time guests on Promo rarely benefit. For first-time IKOS guests I recommend booking at least Superior category to lock in both the room type and the location.

Are IKOS Porto Petro and Odisia hilly?

Porto Petro is built on significant hills and the terrain is a consistent feature of daily life rather than an occasional walk. Golf buggies run constantly. Odisia is at 60 acres mostly flat but with some uphill walks near the Elia and Oliva restaurants. For guests with mobility considerations, older legs or families with pushchairs, this matters and is not flagged in the IKOS brochures.