5* All Inclusive Hotel in Halkidiki
The Ikos brand are a set of all inclusive luxury resorts in Greece & Spain. They have won various awards over the years for best all inclusive hotels in Europe / the World. We visited Ikos Olivia all inclusive hotel in Halkidiki (in Gerakini) situated in Mainland Greece and only just over a 3 hour flight away from London.
Ikos Olivia
Ikos Olivia is the best all inclusive hotel we have ever stayed at! I can now see why people rave about the Ikos brand and its premium all inclusive service – it is definitely a cut above the rest. So what makes it so special?
You can dine a la carte for breakfast, lunch and dinner
There are four a la carte restaurants (2 of which offer a la carte breakfast and lunch) plus a buffet and a local dine out option. Each of the restaurants has an outside area, some overlooking a pool and others right by the beach.
The al la carte restaurants include French, Italian, Asian and Greek and you can order 3 courses at each! You can book four of these in advance of your stay via the Ikos app. Some still have availability when you are there but we would recommend booking before you arrive to secure a spot.
The buffet offers plenty of variety and fresh food and the best dessert selection I have seen at an all inclusive hotel. The a la carte menus are designed by Michelin star chefs and the quality is definitely on par with great restaurants in London. We were very impressed overall with the dishes. We also loved that there were 3 dine out options within a 10 minute walk of the hotel which allowed you to explore the local area. There is also a gelataria on site with plenty of flavours and toppings.
Huge inclusive drinks menu
Some hotels have restrictions on the all inclusive drinks menu but not at Ikos Olivia! There are over 300 wines (including sparkling) to choose from in the resort and there are sommeliers who will help recommended wine pairing with your meals.
One of the real highlights were the cocktails. As well as a comprehensive list of cocktails to choose from, the bartenders were also happy to make classics. We tried almost the whole menu which included Aperol Spritz, Porn Star Martini, Negroni and Margarita.
Several swimming pools
There are plenty of swimming pools and, more importantly, plenty of sunbeds. No one wants to experience sunbed wars on holiday! They were also extremely comfortable and the staff will being over towels. You can also get food and drink served to your sunbed.
Our 18 month old (and plenty of other children) enjoyed the children’s splash pool. There was a slide with a water fountain and a mist spray tunnel which provided hours of entertainment.
Children’s playground
Ikos Olivia is a very family friendly hotel with plenty of highchairs, baby and toddler food and cutlery. It also has a covered playground with slides, swings, climbing frames and more within the complex.
Complimentary activities
Hiring a Tesla for day
Having a Tesla for the day is a big advantage of staying at one of the Ikos resorts. Make sure you book your date in advance via the app as availability can be limited. You can pick up the car from 9am and have it until 6pm. All insurance is included through the hotel which was a huge bonus.
We had never driven a Tesla or on the other side of the road prior to visiting Greece. Thankfully a Tesla is extremely intuitive and the roads in Halkidiki were fairly east to navigate, with most being dual carriageways.
We visited a local village called Afitos which was around 40 minutes from Ikos Olivia. It was a traditional and charming village with several tavernas for food and drink. There are also sweeping views over the sea which were gorgeous.
Around 10 minutes from Afitos was Kallithea Beach which was pretty busy in June! We parked in a residential street (most places don’t have restrictions) and walked down around hundred steps to get to the beach. You can hire sunbeds for the day.
Water Sports and Beach Hut
There were a number of complimentary water sports available at Ikos Olivia including a pedalo! Immy also loved the beach hut and toys that were provided along the Ikos private breach.
Room service
Usually room service is an additional charge but at Ikos Olivia it is part of the package. There is a much smaller menu but it is nice to have the option. We used it the first night we arrived as we were too late for dinner – unfortunately the pasta was pretty bland but maybe it was a one off given the high quality of the food generally. As mentioned above, you can also get food at your sunbed.
Live Entertainment
Ikos Olivia takes its evening entertainment seriously with live singers, bands and DJs. Every Friday it has a White Party on the beach which was lively! There is also children’s entertainment at the theatre during the week starting at 8.30pm.
Is Ikos worth it?
We booked our Ikos Olivia holiday via Jet2 and just looked for the cheapest week outside the summer holidays which turned out to be 20-27 June. It included 1 free drink on the plane per person and a private transfer to the resort (around 45 mins). Given the higher than normal prices, we only had a superior double room with a balcony – there are several upgrades to bungalows, larger rooms and ones with a swim up pool. Our room was pretty spacious with a sofa but didn’t have the same 5* exclusive feel as the hotel.
The choice and service is what makes Ikos a cut above the rest. We absolutely loved the food and drink, entertainment and kind, attentive service.
East London Girl: 5* Star All Inclusive Hotel in Halkidiki
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