Ikos Reviews

This was the very best all-inclusive hotel I have ever stayed at including several Caribbean resorts. Top quality food and beverages, very friendly staff and beautiful heated swimming pools, excellent waiter service on beach and pools. I could not find fault if i tried and have already recommended it to friends and will definitely return which is something I don't normally do.

Extremely beautiful, very clean, well maintained hotel in a gorgeous location with very friendly staff offering great value for money. Every member of staff was very welcoming and helpful. Spacious rooms with very comfortable beds, quick Wi-Fi and excellent a/c. Our room was thoroughly cleaned, each day. Many choices of bars and snack areas offering great cocktails. Lots of activities for all ages. Would definitely recommend for any family travelling with a baby\young children. My 18 month old toddler was “spoilt”. She loved the swimming pool, mini disco and enjoyed the food on offer. We didn’t use the crèche but noticed they offered a lot of “kiddy” classes. The hotel offered toddler menus in the restaurants. We felt the hotel staff couldn’t do enough. We requested a baby bottle steriliser, milk each day and a cot, happily supplied. The hotel has a very happy positive “vibe” throughout. Not one guest had a negative thing to say, all very positive. We were well looked after and very sad to leave. Many of the hotel guests were “repeaters” and we will definitely revisit again soon. A must see place for everyone.

We came here in April of this year. The hotel was superbly clean, lovely and calm. The food and beverages were outstanding for an all inclusive resort and you are waited on hand and foot, we barely went up to a bar for the whole week. The room service was so so, I think that there was some confusion with language barriers and we received the wrong things on two occasions. The buffet in the flavours restaurant had the most choice and some of the best food and the Asian a la carte restaurant was the best one we visited. There were lots of daytime activities however we felt the entertainment of an evening was a bit lacking, perhaps better for families but the bar etc lacked a bit of atmosphere however great for just relaxing, maybe this atmosphere issue was due to the fact we went out of peak season. The staff were all friendly and the rooms were spotlessly cleaned each day with a full mini bar replenishment of premium drinks, win! Even the toiletries were high end brands. The surrounding area, Nea Moudania was really run down but the hotel was beautiful, I wouldn't come here if you're looking to explore the local area. All in all for the price it was an amazing trip and perfect for couples and families

Best value for money hotel we have ever stayed in through our the world,

the only hotel i am going to go back to , the sooner the better,

5 star plus from us,from start to finish,

Everything about the hotel, staff, food, and services are excellent. I cannot praise this hotel enough. Everything was excellent. The staff were always friendly, attentive, and couldn't do enough to make our holiday comfortable and trouble free. The food in every restaurant was to an exceptional standard. I look forwards to going back next year.

Everything was perfect for us and our 3 boys of 12, 10 and 6.

Not much to do outside the resort but the weather was kind and the facilities brilliant. Would definitely recommend and return.

A-mazing hotel! The best all inclusive we have stayed at. Definately all the reviews here cover it very well. I have some top tips to mention on things we discovered good and bad that I haven't seen mentioned in other reviews that may or may not help other guests:

- unless you ask for bottled water the hotel provide jugs of tap water in the restaurants and bars (bottled water provided in the rooms and on request in the restaurants). I'm sure this might just be me as i saw lots of people drinking the tap water, but on the first day I had a jug of tap water and instantly had a couple of lets just say 'toilet problems.' no illness or anything like that and I was fine after an hour. Stuck to bottled water there after. No big issue but just a word of caution :)

- the food is amazing. Everyone says to book the restaurants in advance which is absolutely right, however a bit of blagging and sweet talking will get you a booking if they say they are 'fully booked.' On two particular occasions we didn't have a booking but since I told them it was my 'wife's birthday' on one occasion and 'its our last night and we really want to eat in the Greek restaurant as its our favourite!' They gladly let us in. (by the way they made my wife a special birthday cake in the Greek restaurant - amazing).

- we spoke to quite a lot of people that said their favourite restaurant was the Asian restaurant...this was our least favourite, we found generally Asian food that we have in London is a lot better. Service was a bit weird, the manager kept coming over cracking jokes. Some of the tables loved this banter. We found it annoying...sorry Asian restaurant. The Greek restaurant (Ouzo) we loved. The deep fried calamari...heaven. The lamb for main (slow cooked for 8 hours they told us)...heaven. Quite a few reviews on here not too keen on the Greek restaurant in the town but we loved it! Very limited menu but we found very authentic and tasty. Mixed grill for main was particularly good. The Italian restaurant we felt was the best Italian we have ever had (and that includes our trip to Lake Como, Italy, last year. Beef Carpaccio for starter, spaghetti carbonara for main...heaven. Wines also very good at the Italian restaurant.

- small tip; it took us 4 days to het an iron & ironing board from reception. People are supposed to return them within 2 hours and obviously this is an issue and / or the hotel need to get more of them.

- big tip; the day trip to Greece's 2nd biggest city which is about 45 minutes away (Thessaloniki) was we felt a waste of time. We like to get out and about so really like to do the trips. However this city in sorry to say is falling apart and there isn't much interesting to see. The tour takes you to a church, a monument of alexander the great and the ancient wall (a wall covered in graffiti). You then have time to look around the city. Everything was covered in graffiti, dirty and dropping to bits. Clearly due to the hard times it is suffering. A lot of beggars and unfortunately one group of beggars harrassed us quite aggressively. At 80 euros for the trip it wasn't worth it.

- other day trips are generally quite expensive due to everything being quite far away. We would have loved to do the vineyard tour (5 euros) but it was 220 euros to get there. Maybe if you can share the taxi / bus with other guests.

- not too many reviews mention this but the hotel has brilliant and NEW tennis courts, a squash court and what appears to be a brand new gym with all new equipment. We loved the indoor pool as we found it very quite with generally nobody else (or only 1 or 2 other people there). Theres also a great sauna, but what we really loved was playing squash.

- one of the best bits for me was the cycling. Cycle hire is free and if you turn right outside the bottom of the hotel (at the beach) you can cycle for 12km+ along a straight path that is a combination of a road (and first) and then just a path for walkers and cyclists. The road has hardly any cars on it. Maybe one every 10 minutes. Cycling along this path took you along the coast through various virtually empty villages and small towns. Amazing how quite and empty everything was..maybe because it was out of season but we couldn't help thinking where are the people that live here?

- theres a nightclub in the basement floor we went to one night. It was open 11pm - 2am. We made jokes that it would probably be a room with some music and a flashing light but to our surprise it was a proper nightclub with stage, bar and was really big. It was very surprising that the hotel didn't put the entertainment on in the nightclub given its a fantastic space. Maybe they use it more in season.

Overall we had a fantastic holiday and I would say if you love your food and drink...this is definately the right place. 5 stars all the way.

Stayed April 2016, travelled as a couple

What an outstanding hotel.

The rooms are to a really high standard, the staff could not be more helpful and the food is outstanding.

We had an amazing holiday and will definitely be going back regularly

Can't say enough good things about this hotel, food is varied and freshly cooked al la carte restaurants are lovely. Staff at this resort are the real heroes they are always smiling and cannot be more helpful. Book it you won't be disappointed.

Last May was our 3rd stay at the wonderful Oceania. Everything is excellent, wonderful all inclusive hotel. This September we are going to the Olivia to celebrate my Husbands birthday. We are looking forward to enjoy his birthday in the Asian restaurant as this was our favourite at the Oceania. I celebrated my Birthday at the Italian restaurant in April 2013, where we were spoilt by Anna. Can hardly wait to see this new addition to Ikos hotels.

Absolutely love the Ikos Olivia. Everything is perfect, couldn't fault anything. We can't wait to go back this September already counting down the days.

We visited this amazing Hotel September 2015 and are going back September of this year. Absolutely fell in love with The Ikos Olivia and we are so excited to be going back. Everything is of absolute excellence, wonderful wonderful place.

Just returned after 7days at this hotel. Hotel and facilities are very good, let down by mass produced cheap meals which were regularly cold in buffets especially. No quality meats on offer, on steaks or premium fish everything minced. Even served pigs cheek!! Took staff ages to respond to requests for in room items eg. Tea bags, water. Would not return Sani Beach resort in same area 100 per cent better in all areas.

We booked this hotel with some trepidation, we have tried all inclusive before with poor results.

We like NICE, and have travelled extensively including 23 cruises, so we have avoided all inclusive resorts as they in the past have not met our requirements for a NICE vacation.

We booked the hotel via Ikos Holidays on Travelzoo on a special deal, the ONLY reason we did so was the reviews were so good, but we're very sceptical, it was a season start-up price of about £900 for two in a upgraded suite and limousine transfers, with flights and ultra all-inclusive for a week mid April. We went, realising that a three and a half hour flight was expensive anyway, expecting to be very disappointed.

Well here is a truthfully balanced review.

Firstly, if you can get the deal we did, don't even hesitate, book it, do it now!

I arrived a bit grumpy and sceptical about transfers, and waited to start with a scruffy person pointing us to a private transfer battered bus to go around a load of hotels on our transfer to the hotel.

First WOW moment, a very pleasant elegant lady on arrival waiting for us to point us to our private, Mercedes Limousine to transfer to the hotel.

Still not quite convinced, we glided in air-con comfort towards the hotel through beautiful green farmland towards our hotel. The driver spoke English, was very polite and friendly and despite my usual wariness, he put me at ease.

Still VERY wary of European supposed five star hotels, we swept through a security barrier into a very fine looking hotel - second WOW moment.

First impressions were similar to a high level Marriott Resort ( we have been to many ).

I tipped the limousine driver, so no other reason but I wanted to, he was really kind, helpful and informative.

So, into reception on a beautifully sunny 25 Celsius day. Now here is something that impressed me, they are bombed with arrivals! Turns out they have loads of check in guests at same time- someone, unlike other hotels, took action, cases were tagged and we were all taken to a beautiful lounge bar to relax, given drinks and chill out whilst a good dozen well uniformed staff came around and did a slow check in, how lovely. I think one of the best "this is different " moments. We sat in this lounge and instantly felt, blimey, maybe it is a proper 4 or 5 start hotel.

We waited about 30 minutes or so for our turn, I am a businessman, and this was the first moment I noticed SOMEONE was doing something REALLY different here, the staff were beyond excellent, caring, helpful, happy, they were operating at RITZ standard, honestly, I was completely speechless, this is not what what was our balanced expectations.

I sipped my extra cold, excellent draft Greek beer, and started to mutter apologies to my wife, maybe it won't be bloody awful after all, many a moments during the week I would regret my preconceptions.

Check in process completed we walked to block 5, cases arrived in five minutes.

ROOM

We had a suite room upgrade at no extra charge gave a very nice sea view, private in hotel bar, private pool, private beach area. Other rooms also like very nice, private facilities did not mean that much extra because hotel was at startup I cannot say if upgrade is worth extra or not.

Room was spotless, big, comfortable big bed, balcony with beautiful views, air con, ironing board, fully stocked free bar, water, good wifi, I would say Marriott resort standard and more, I would usually pay £300 a night in some Marriott hotels for this, without extras.

So again, I eat humble pie, after a look around, went onto balcony, tables and chairs, and looked across towards the sea towards Mount Olympus, and exclaimed BLOODY HELL!, tell me again what this cost ?

THE HOTEL

Very well looked after, it reminded me of a five or six star cruise ship, spotless, glass being cleaned all the time, maintenance 100 percent, gardens perfect.

By this time I have given up being grumpy and told my wife it's the the best bloody decision she ever made!

POOLS

Run an international company selling pool water quality instruments, trust me, I am wary of swimming pools, they are run at perfect pool quality.

There are many lovely pools with infinity views, the best I have ever been in.

EATING

Food so so WAY above standards,

Room service

Main restaurant , in my views the best, unbelievable standard and variety of food. Loved it. Only reason we did not use it often is because of size and noise level, we preference more intimate.

Italian, evening restaurant, on terrace, lovely.

French, evening restaurants lovely.

Greek, lunch and dinner lovely

They also partner with local town restaurants which are included in the all inclusive package.

BEACH

Beautiful private beach with included loungers and shades.

Water clear, shallow walk into sea.

Inclusive water sports.

BARS

WOW, fully stocked with proper premium brand drinks, extensive wine list, waiters around beach, pools, bars, all the time!

PEOPLE

Guests during our visit were mainly British, middle aged, couples, discerning, we'll travelled, and expected high expectations.

FINALLY

Within 24 hours almost all people we talked with were trying to book to come back.

OK, we had a a great deal, but this hotel is REALLY punching at five stars.

I arrived sceptical and in 24 hours I was demanding we came back. I have travelled the world on business and pleasure, stayed at the Ritz, Claridges, eaten in Michelin restaurants and I know what NICE is, well done IKOS

The manager I came to meet, his names Savass, if this was my my business, I would be bloody proud of it, well done to you and all your team.

Will we return....... Without hesitation

Bruce and Carol, from Stratford Upon Avon.

Absolutely amazing best holiday we had , hotel is fabulous staff are amazing Thankyou so much to Maria , Vangelis mr savas, beach bar manager and security manger and all other staff who were also wonderful when my husband was ill . Can't wait to return 10 out 10 Thankyou to oceania and staff