Our Insider Intel

Set on a beautiful beach, Olivia is Ikos’ original outpost. With almost a decade of hospitality under its belt, service here is slick. Surrounded by ancient olive trees and fragrant firs, the scenery is sublime. Having undergone a recent glow up, it now offers the best value for money

The pros:

• One of the cheaper resorts
• Recent renovation
• Long stretch of sublime sandy shores
• Kids splash park
• Private pool rooms
• Local tavernas included in the Dine Out program

The cons:

• 45 minute transfer
• Smaller selection of pools and restaurants

‘We had the most amazing time with our 2 year old. The staff were so attentive, the restaurants were lovely, and the room service was next to none. We were  with our siblings and parents too and they all absolutely loved it from an adults-only (rather than family) perspective as well’ @alicelemaistre

‘I have been to Olivia 3 times and booked to go to Odissia next year. Have also done Sani. I tried other places and found myself going back to Ikos despite the hefty price tag. For me, food is the big game changer!! I’ve tried other all inclusives and in my opinion they don’t compare’ @anjchantal

‘I would say the stand out thing for me was the food! Amazing buffet and a la carte food. Although we were disappointed with the kids facilities and the Kids Club (lots of pre booking required). We wouldn’t return during peak season as there are other resorts which are better value in our opinion’ @freshadventures__

Our Insider Intel

Ikos Oceania is one of the brand’s grand dame hotels, with practice to perfection service. The beachfront location is one of the best, and the stunning sunsets second to none. There are fewer pools and restaurants at the resort, but the crystal clear ocean and wealth of local tavernas more than make up for it

The pros:

• Stunning scenery & incredible views
• Gorgeous beach
• Cheapest room rates
• One of the best for the ‘Local Discovery’ experience

The cons:

• Very hilly resort
• One of the oldest hotels
• No splash pad

‘Ikos Oceania was definitely a different style of holiday to what we’re used to and we did start to get cabin fever by the end. Not a bad thing, we were happy to feel like we’d genuinely got a ‘break’ from nonstop parenting, but our next trip will be max 5 days’ @farrahkfrost

‘After taking 3yr old twins to Oceania last yr, we are going to Olivia this yr for the splash park & better playground. The 2 are v close together & the concierge will organise a taxi or Tesla for you. It’s so easy and high quality. Nothing compares’ @rl_chapman

Our Insider Intel

The stylish stepping stone for boutique bolthole-goers into all inclusive resorts, there’s an intimate feel to Ikos Odisia, with well considered landscaping and modern design. Plus, the standout spa delivers on parental Pampering with a capital P

The pros:

• Newest resort, located on a peninsula with amazing views
• Easy, breezy 20 minute transfer from the airport
• Twice as large as nearby Dassia, but with a similar number of rooms
• Brilliant Kids Club
• Splash pad

The cons:

• The rooms in the Garden Village are quite a walk to the beach
• No dedicated adults only areas

‘We have stayed at both Aria and Olivia previously, and can honestly say Odisia has the best Kid’s Club by far! The indoor rooms were beautifully designed (even featuring a secret door through a space rocket), whilst outdoor activities included nature trails, treasure hunts, water play and mini Olympics’ @lauraburkittstylist

‘The resort is divided into 4 villages which gives it a more boutique feel and remarkably it never felt crowded around the pool even in peak season. I haven’t come across any other family-friendly hotels with design as well considered as Odisia. Everything we ate was incredible and EVERYTHING really is included at Ikos’ @jayneytravels

Our Insider Intel

One of the bigger hotels, Ikos Dassia has more a ‘traditional resort’ style. Rooms are towering, rather low level, but there’s an impressive number of pools and restaurants, and the  easy, breezy 20 minute airport transfer will be music to parents’ ears

The pros:

• The creche starts from 4 months +
• Corfu town is a 15 min free shuffle ride away
• Some of the island’s best beaches are a 5 min drive
• Guests can dine at nearby Odisia
• Splash pad
• Great watersports on offer

The cons:

• Beach isn’t as showstopping as others
• Accommodation is more traditional high-rise and Deluxe rooms are scattered across the whole resort rather than being in one area

‘We’ve been to Ikos Dassia (our first as AI) and thought it was fabulous. Our 7yo loved it and we struggled to get him out of the incredible pool(s). Food was actually pretty good (servings tend to be on the small side though) and the ice cream shop was a big hit. The staff were incredibly friendly and great with children. Would highly recommend’ @kerribleeker

‘We didn’t personally feel Dassia felt that ‘luxury’ to us despite the price point. As plant based people I thought most of the restaurants weren’t catered that well to us, and we ended up preferring the buffet food – which we thought was really very good. Loved the service and most of the staff on the beach’ @jocavecreative

‘We stayed at Ikos Dassia in September and loved it. Great food, lovely pools and beach. We weren’t Deluxe and didn’t feel hard done by. Saying that, we did prefer Domes to Ikos. The decor and style is nicer at Domes and the restaurants are probably better too, in our opinion’ @catrussell87

Our Insider Intel

Home to two ancient ruins, there’s plenty of history to soak up, inside and out at Ikos Aria. One for those who want a horizontal holiday, but who also get a little cabin fever, the hotel offers a ‘museum pass’, giving families complimentary access to three museums on the island

The pros:

• Beautiful white sandy shores
• Short transfer from the airport
• Choice of private pool rooms
• Boho boutique vibes
• Splash pad

The cons:

• Beach Deluxe rooms are a bit of a walk away from the Deluxe pool
• Flight times to Kos aren’t always ideal and it’s one of the quieter Greek islands

‘Deluxe at Aria we couldn’t fault (especially the kids evening shows and the 4+ section of the Kids Club which we couldn’t get out daughters out of), the only slight annoyance is booking kid appropriate dinner time slots in summer holidays, but the staff always managed to help sort something out for us’ @gabygrad 

‘We went to Ikos Aria in October. It’s lovely, the layout of the room was great for us with two young children as it had a separate bedroom. The hotel itself is well decorated and feels luxurious and the service was fairly good, but I wouldn’t go back. The food wasn’t good enough for the price, the toddler pool was cold, the cocktails weren’t great and the restaurants were difficult to get reservations in’ @sarah_annetts

We went all out and picked a deluxe one bedroom bungalow with a private pool. The room itself could not have been more perfect. Clearly a lot of thought had gone into the layout and how parents would use the space. The private pool definitely came in handy, but the deluxe area pool was just across the path, so next time we’d probably choose a room without as it was a lot more expensive’ @gallivantingmama

Our Insider Intel

Boasting the shortest flight time from the UK, Ikos Andalusia is definitely the most architecturally stunning resort. Sprawling out across Marbella’s golden mile, the grounds are as glitzy as you would imagine, but the beach isn’t the best

The pros:

• Shortest flight time from the UK
• Only resort with villas
• Complimentary green fee at nearby golf course
• The most restaurants and largest Kids Club
• Splash pad
• Lots to do locally

The cons:

• 60 minute transfer from the airport
• One of the busier feeling resorts
• Not the prettiest beach setting and the Atlantic can have strong tides

‘We went to Ikos Andalusia this September with our 3 year old and it was amazing. We said it was our best holiday bar our honeymoon! The pools were ideal for our little one, fab creche and kids club and just all round amazing. The service was excellent and the grounds were immaculate. Lovely food of course! The beach isn’t great so we stayed by the pools and me and hubby sat on some beach loungers one day when our daughter was at the creche’ @lucy_76

‘There’s a choice of 7 restaurants, several headed up by Michelin-starred chefs. We were able to eat somewhere different each night, but make sure to book before your arrival. We only had one disappointing meal. The beach was really disappointing, rocky and rough, so we didn’t bother. We went in May at a reasonable price, which I know more than doubles in the summer, which being totally honest I don’t think is worth it’ @lindsayphilo

‘We went to Ikos Andalusia with our toddler this summer and it was the perfect holiday. Loads to do, so clean, staff were incredible and the food and drink were exceptional. It really felt like it was geared perfectly for both children and adults, which I think is so difficult to do. Highly recommend and we’ve booked again for next year!’ @katiesarahstevens 

Our Insider Intel

Nestled between two idyllic sandy coves, Ikos Porto Petro is named after its neighboring charming fishing village – and is the only Ikos outpost where guests can easily walk into a local town. The boho Balearic interiors are catnip for design-lovers, but the service isn’t yet as seamless as in the other longer running resorts

The pros:

• Beautiful sandy cove location
• New hotel with fresh interiors
• Short stroll to charming harbour town
• Private pools

The cons:

• Jellyfish can blight the sea in front of the hotel
• There isn’t a splash pad
• The resort is very spread out and it can take a while to walk from one end to the other

‘I was lucky enough to go to the opening of Ikos Porto Petro this year and loved it! There were a few teething problems, as with most resorts when they open but the resort is beautiful, food was so so good and I liked that you can walk straight out into the town from the resort (not the case at any of their other resorts)’ @myhollie_days

‘We went to Ikos Porto Petro and with a heavy heart we don’t recommend. We actually ended up complaining 3 days in. The creche staff were standout fantastic but nothing else met our expectations or the standard you would expect from paying a lot  Martinhal Sagres is by far better. I’m sure in time it will be as amazing as the other Ikos’ seem to be, but not right now’ @maybehood_

Being a brand new hotel, the aesthetics were pristine and shiny; think laidback boho vibes with a luxury twist. As part of our stay we received complimentary access to a Tesla for the day. Being peak summer with a little one we didn’t venture too far, but enjoyed time in picturesque fishing village Cala Figuera, and on beautiful Cala Lombards beach, both close by’ @lorenpenneythomas

Our Insider Intel

Just west of the colourful city of Chania and set within the stunning natural surroundings of Kissamos Bay, we’re definitely in dreamy beach bum territory here, with a spectacular shoreline on the doorstep. As is standard across the legendary group, you’ll find elegantly appointed accommodation, (7) gourmet restaurants with menus crafted by Michelin-starred chefs and the all important childcare from 6 months +

The pros:

• Brand spanking new, everywhere is fresh and fabulous
• Great base for exploring local beautiful beaches and hidden cove boat trips
• Crete’s warm weather makes Kissamos ideal for shoulder season stays
• Splash pad & private pool rooms

The cons:

• As the hotel hasn’t opened yet we don’t currently have any first hand reviews
• Low availability for 2026 already