Like all the Ikos resorts, children are exceptionally well catered for with the same universal childcare offerings at the kids clubs and babysitting. if your family is bigger. Location: Kos, Greece 393 contemporary rooms and suites offer every modern comfort you could possibly need, alongside exceptional views of the resorts manicured gardens and pools. And for an incredible sea view and an other-worldly beach, Ikos Olivia, Oceania and Porto Petro come out on top. 4,280 reviews #1 of 12 hotels in Gerakini Location 4.5 Cleanliness 4.9 Service 4.9 Value 4.8 2023 Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Ikos Resorts redefines all-inclusive as "Infinite Lifestyle," offering an impressive new level of holiday experience underlined by elegance and quality. So yep, Sani wins over Ikos in terms of the accommodation. Location: Mallorca, Balearics And it goes without saying that with the price you pay and the luxury they promise, the decor is high quality and very comfortable too. But I also know that different things matter more for some people than others. ), pedaloes and yoga. The beach stretches right along the breadth of the resort and sports some truly incredible views. There are 290 rooms in the resort, so it is not too big that the experience doesn't feel personal, but there is also a nice atmosphere around the resort. It's no surprise that both resorts are luxury. The resort exclusively has 600m of beachfront for you to enjoy, lined with comfortable loungers and umbrellas with plenty of room in between for sandcastle building. We had just our 8th stay in the Ikos Resorts. Travelers have placed two hotels in Greece, located on the islands of Kos and Corfu, on TripAdvisor's best in the world list for 2022. connect with us Greece's latest tourism industry news by Greek Travel Pages(gtp) It took eight years to drain the water and make the land habitable. While Sani offers different boards from full-board to half-board, but with both of these you still have to pay for your drinks. Theres lots to do outside the resort here with both Estepona and Marbella being within easy reach so definitely take advantage of the Local Drive Adventure and Culture Pass museums on offer include the Pablo Picasso Museum and the Centre Pompidou. View Foreign Travel Advice for Spain, To discover more on Ikos six resorts or to book your 2023 or 2024Ikos holiday, contact our team of personal travel managers today on 0203 816 0985 or click here to submit an online enquiry. Read More Ikos Magazine 2023 Press 27 April 2023 Ikos resorts are an amazing holiday destination for all - foodies, families, and adults - as Ikos package holidays promise to offer something memorable for everyone. And it goes without saying that there are bountiful options to keep children of all ages entertained. This meant our interior exit and entrance was down a hotel corridor. // How to "Teach" Travel to Kids // Best Books About Travel for Babies // Best Books About Travel for 2 - 6 Year Olds. Unsubscribe anytime (but why would you want to? If you only have five minutes to make a decision on whether you should go to Sani Resort or an Ikos Resort, then let me say this; go to any of them and you will have a fantastic holiday! Families will find ample space for sun block and suitcases, but couples in search of a cosier environment will be equally delighted. Ikos and Sani are actually the same, as in they are owned by the same company. Come evening you can take advantage of Michelin-star dining and expertly chosen international wines. There are 2 spas at Dassia, one in each of the main buildings, as well as an impressive 7 pools (and a kids splash zone). But I can also confidently say that the Anne Semonin spa at Ikos Dassia was also a 5-star experience. FURTHER READING: Want more luxury family travel content? They also offer almost exactly the same kids clubs, creche and babysitter services as they are managed by the UK-registered company Worldwide Kids. The resort is located on Playa Guadalmansa, which frankly is not the prettiest beach setting. There are 7 la carte restaurants and the brilliant Flavors buffet, as well as the Dine Out program you can use in various participating restaurants across the island. Foodies can rejoice with Dine Around programmes that allow guests to sample the culinary delights of the surrounding area at Ikos Oceania, Ikos Olivia, Ikos Dassia, Ikos Aria and Ikos Andalusia. However, we did prefer the beach at Ikos, and most likely this is because it's a natural beach with lots of space, while Sani is man-made and much smaller. Shock horror! Reservations always required for dinner requires some advance planning. Enough about cushions and trimmings, let's actually talk about the type of accommodation that is available and why Sani wins. In short, and in my opinion, there are two key differences you should know about at the outset, and then there are other smaller differences that are more "nice to know" rather than essential to the way the resort is set up. I'm committed to finding the best days out, holidays and activities for families with toddlers, as well as providing you with the best tips, tricks, and product recommendations for making the most of your trips. but that Kos would have been a longer flight, which is something we try to avoid with two young children. The hotels fleet of Teslas and free entry to a range of museums allows guests to venture out into the Greek region and explore to their hearts content. Here is my review of Sani Resort (we stayed in Sani Club), and here is my review of Ikos Dassia, which is on the Greek island of Corfu. Expect a choice of rooms and suites - some with individual pools - and all with contemporary dcor that provide the best of indoor and outdoor living at Ikos Aria. The kids will be well taken care of whatever you choose to do, with all the usual kids clubs offerings available at Andalusia as well as Football Escapes for some world-class coaching. We found the quality of care, professionalism of staff, and range of activities and facilities to be excellent at both Sani and Ikos. The Ikos hotels are a small chain of luxury resorts in various spots around the Mediterranean, including Corfu and Halkidiki in Greece, and Spain's Costa del Sol and Mallorca. As are a range of sports, games and activities; nightly entertainment; and dedicated age-appropriate kids clubs that have a schedule of daily fun to suit all. Guests can make use of Ikos Spa wet areas and the heated swimming pools, as well as the incredible beachfront locations that allow couples to lounge on pristine sanded shores. The facilities were slightly bigger at Ikos Dassia (and quite a bit newer because they were only in their second season) but we actually preferred the proximity of the Sani resort as it was close to the beach and very central to the whole resort, while the Ikos Dassia kids club location was on the other side of the resort to our accommodation. Save some energy for the nightclub too . Included in your stay is a local drive adventure as well as green fees at Los Naranjos golf course in Nueva Andaluca for budding McIlroys. And TripAdvisor's top all-inclusive resort according to travelers isIkos Dassia! You can discover more on Sani Resorts here. Every Ikos resort enjoys an incredible spa by Anne Semonin, but the one at Odisia is really quite breathtaking. Likewise, it's more important to us that the food is good and varied than it is we have an extensive drinks menu (because we're generally happy with beer and wine most of the time). Open date: March 2015 Some of the differences are very subtle (or non-existent!) While our kids are so young and we are so tired, we really don't want to leave the resort much. As for which is the best for kids, that will probably depend on your family and individual children Ikos Olivia, Andalucia and Oceania are all on the more compact side, which means less walking for tired legs. Its also worth mentioning that three of these pools are infinity edged, the ideal spot to take a new pic for the gram. Also which site to book is best value over a year ago Answer 3 answers 1 over a year ago 0 Votes over a year ago Reviewed this property Greater London, United Kingdom 0 Votes over a year ago Add your answer This all inclusive resort is similar in size to Oceania in terms of accommodation numbers, and it has 4 la carte restaurants and a buffet, so is again more on the intimate side, size wise, compared to Ikos Dassia, for example. Activities wise, if youre not at the spa or the pool, youre spoilt for choice with various sports like tennis (4 courts! Thanks for your support. While Ikos Dassia's facilities and decor was a bit fresher because it was newer, you really couldn't for a second say that Sani is a tired resort. Its worth mentioning that the resort itself is hilly, although definitely not inaccessible thanks to the ramps and golf buggies on standby. There are a handful of good, local restaurants participating in the Dine Out program too. Ikos Dassia (pictured above) also has two large swimming pools (both bigger in size than those at Sani if you want to be detail-specific) for all, two adults-only swimming pools, one Deluxe Collection and a kiddy's splash area too. The buffet has similar offerings and variety, and while Sani has more options included in the Dine Out menu (read more about that in my Sani review), it's also true that we didn't really maximise this because we didn't want to venture too far away either with the kids or without them leaving them with a babysitter. What's not to like?! White Terrace. Double Bungalow with Garden View at Ikos Olivia. We independently research our recommended products. And speaking of the beach, both resorts have the Babewatch service where kids club/creche staff have a station on the beach or near a swimming pool and you can leave your kid there for up to 30 minutes for free while you go for a swim, a cocktail or a snooze on your sun lounger! Sani's location in a bay in Halkidiki is easy to get to by car in around 50 minutes, but to be honest it's not very accessible by any other means, and actually walking to and from each hotel in the resort from Sani Club isn't easy. Location: Halkidiki, Greece The choice of accommodation is outstanding. You can see our separate guide to the best Sani hotels for families for a look at how they compare. And you can always opt for a private pool too, if you so desire. apartment but to then exit and enter the property down a hotel corridor. Join us for the finest holiday inspiration along with some exclusive Infinite Lifestyle is the name given to Ikos Resorts revolutionary all-inclusive concept. The fitness offerings are fantastic too with body pump, cross training, circuit training, HIIT, tabata and a cardio training room all available alongside a fitness studio. Each resort is well geared up for young children and the staff are all very friendly and welcoming with them. Location: Corfu, Greece The hotel stretches out across a kilometre of Mallorcan coastline, giving it a very spacious and paradisiacal feel. Sani Club and Sani Dunes are two of the most appropriate hotels in the brand for toddlers. Its one of the groups bigger resorts, with over 400 rooms, suites and villas on offer, but its on such a spacious plot that it never feels remotely crowded. Ikos Odisia is home to a 420-metre private beach, 10 indoor and outdoor pools, and the amazing Ikos Spa by Anne Semonin. In fact, my one big bug bear with Sani was that I really begrudged paying for water because it's actually essential to drink only bottled water in Greece and yet they charged us for any bottled water we drank in the restaurants, but they did thankfully give us plenty for our room. I kos Aria opened in May and is located on the south-west coast of the island on one of the most beautiful beaches of Kos. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And both brands deliver. I also hope, perhaps most importantly of all, that regardless of which resort you choose - Sani or Ikos - you now feel reassured you are investing in a wonderful luxury family holiday for you and your family! The accommodation has been specifically designed for all party sizes too, with rooms suitable for couples through to private bungalows that sleep up to six in utter privacy. change on all sites so please check regularly for updates. a resource set up by the Department of Health. There are adult-only areas available. Its the perfect resort for wannabe mermaids, with a private beach that spans 350m offering plenty of ocean to explore, alongside eight pools. ), they also have the Culture Pass which gives you a host of complimentary museum tickets for the local area. This is the big question and one that probably warrants its own individual blog post. Alternatively, to dial up the restful levels, visit the spa where a menu of holistic treatments is available from 8am until 8pm daily. The private pool was heated. There's just something so relaxing not worrying or even thinking about how much your hotel bill is going up with each room service order or sundowner drinks session, not to mention all the extras our kids enjoyed. It really does depend on what you are looking for in your holiday. There are plenty of amenities available, however, so it never feels crowded a whopping 9 restaurants, 6 bars and 7 pools. It doesnt look as though they offer beachside childcare, however. The 136 guest rooms and suites are ideal for couples and families sleeping up to four, while the 155 bungalow suites sleep between five and six located either on the beachfront or further in the resort but with private pools. We had our own private entrance and exit to the outside. They all sport their own private beach, landscaped gardens and a slew of restaurants helmed by Michelin starred chefs. Which do you think is the best Ikos resort? It never feels crowded or that people are waiting for sun beds, however! Ultimately, both brands offer a luxurious European get-away experience thats amazing for families. This is an all inclusive beach holiday that will absolutely blow your socks off. In other words, none of the Ikos resorts were purpose-built, albeit lots of intentional re-development and construction has occurred with some new buildings added on. 22 acres of perfectly landscaped gardens on the Gulf of Toroneos in beautiful Halkidiki sits Ikos Olivia.