Four of the best coastal hotels in Kos, Greece for 2021
Views of the Aegean take pride of place in the Greek island’s crop of stylish hotels.
Floor-to-ceiling windows and breezy seaside decor are standard at Ikos Aria, with many of the rooms enjoying dazzling views of the Aegean Sea.
1. OKU Kos
Kos has long been a destination well-catered to couples, its coastline lined with classy ‘boutique-style’ all-inclusives. OKU Kos, which opened last summer on the island’s north coast, has taken things up a notch. Sure, it’s adults only and has the same beachside vibe, but this is rather more boho than the cookie-cutter aesthetic elsewhere on the island. OKU has taken the buildings' photogenic bones and turned them into an Ibizan-style retreat, inspired no doubt by its sister hotel on the White Isle. There’s a laidback indoor-outdoor, shack-style restaurant, To Kima, serving Mediterranean food with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options, and a focus on regional produce and a farm-to-fork mentality overseen by Mark Vaessen, who’s come from Amsterdam’s SUSHISAMBA to keep things upmarket. The spa, meanwhile, uses local ingredients in its treatments, and there are daily yoga and Pilates classes right on the beach in the shaded shala, as well as wood-framed, design-focused NOHrD cardio equipment in the gym.
The rooms are equally chic: again, think boho Balearic rather than classic Greek island. Hessian drapes float from floor-to-ceiling windows, woven straw lamps dangle beside the beds, and balconies and terraces are shaded by woven roofs. It’s a space to recharge, but very much a couples’ retreat, with lazy hammocks threaded along the balconies and semi-private pools if you upgrade to a swim-up room. The ultimate? Two-bedroom villas, complete with private pools. From £160, B&B.
Adults-only hotel OKU Kos has a decidedly more Balearic vibe to other hotels on the island.
2. Ikos Aria
All rooms here have sea views but some overlook a tiny church-topped island. The small Ikos chain, which opened this property in 2019, does all-inclusive, but on a boutique level. Floor-to-ceiling windows and breezy seaside decor are standard, but with 374 rooms, there’s a choice of everything, from beachside retreats to suites with private pools. From £222, all inclusive.
3. Michelangelo Resort & Spa
Infinity pools don’t get much better than the Michelangelo’s yawning 525ft stretch melting into the Aegean, complete with swim-up bar. There’s also a beach with extraordinary views of neighbouring islands and the Turkish coast beyond. It’s a good bet for families, with a kids’ club and sea-view playground. From £106, half board.
4. Hotel Sonia
If you’re just stopping over in Kos en route to another island, this lovely little family-run hotel in Kos Town is just a block from the harbour, with Roman ruins in between. Simple but stylish rooms run the gamut from twins to family suites, and breakfast is served in the lovely, jasmine-fringed courtyard. From £85, B&B.
Published in the September 2021 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK)
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