OKU Kos

I’ve just returned home after spending almost a week at OKU Kos and wanted to write this while everything is still fresh in my mind.

Our trip didn’t start in the best way as our luggage was delayed for almost 48 hours, so naturally we arrived feeling quite stressed and disappointed. However, the energy we were welcomed with genuinely helped turn our mood around. I’ll do my best with everyone’s names, but Suleyman and Charis welcomed us that first evening with such warmth, humour, calmness and kindness. Even arriving after dark, the hotel and its surroundings were absolutely beautiful.

The reception team throughout our stay was fantastic. Konstantina always welcomed us with a smile, patience and laughter, and another gentleman, originally from Albania, whose name I unfortunately never got, was always and kind. Reception helped us arrange taxis into town to buy necessities and were consistently responsive and helpful. Being able to contact the front desk through WhatsApp is also incredibly convenient and worked seamlessly!!!

We stayed in a Junior Suite with Shared Pool and absolutely loved it. The room was clean, beautiful and peaceful, and our terrace and pool had sunshine throughout the day. Housekeeping was lovely too. One small improvement would be the evening water: we were three guests but usually received only one bottle, even after requesting two.

Now to one of my favourite parts: breakfast. Honestly incredible. Fresh, nourishing and something I could happily eat every morning. I loved the bowl station and all the toppings, the fresh strawberries on some days, and Don’s omelettes are 10/10! I also loved being able to order iced lattes, matcha and different egg dishes (wish I knew this earlier throughout my stay).

The breakfast team deserves so much praise. Angelina/Angela (sorry, I’ve forgotten which!) and Alex were absolute stars. Warm, hardworking and welcoming every morning. We usually went early and the atmosphere was incredibly serene, but even when it got busier, everything ran smoothly. I don’t have a single complaint regarding breakfast service / drink orders.

Dinner at To Kima was also fantastic. The food always arrived hot and fresh, and the Bianco sea bass was my favourite. The red peach and passion fruit ice creams were delicious, although I think the dessert menu overall could use a little refresh. Samer, Yulia/Julia and Cheri/Sheri (?) were three shining stars during dinner service – always so warm and positive, even when the restaurant was extremely busy.

I do find it slightly disappointing that some dishes require supplements despite half board, and especially that Wednesday’s barbecue costs an additional €10 per person. In my opinion, half board should mean there is always an option to have dinner without an additional charge. €6 for a bottle of water also feels quite steep. But the food was good :)

The beach is an oasis of its own, peaceful, beautiful, with horses passing by, people going for morning runs and the staff carefully preparing everything for the day. And the morning yoga… wow. I unfortunately forgot the instructor’s name, but she was fantastic. If you get the chance to do yoga down by the beach, please do it. Having yoga mats in the wardrobe in your room is also such a thoughtful detail. The gym is beautiful too, and the women working at the gym/spa reception were very warm and friendly.

We also went horse riding at sunrise, which I highly recommend. Everything from the hotel arranging it to the pick-up by the horse farm was seamless. We also spent some time at the outdoor cinema one evening where they served freshly popped popcorn, another lovely little detail.

OKU Kos truly feels like a wellness retreat and escape. It is calm, quiet and beautifully designed, with wonderful food, a stunning beach and staff who are professional yet genuinely warm. This isn’t a hotel for loud entertainment, animation and a generic commercial resort atmosphere. It is a luxurious oasis for wellbeing, tranquillity and slowing down.

There is one thing I do feel strongly about mentioning. During our final days, we saw one or two younger girls around the property, and one was very clearly a child. OKU Kos is an adults-only hotel, which is something many guests specifically choose and pay a premium for. Seeing a child running around the beach, taking photos and filming videos during sunset was therefore disappointing.

I have absolutely nothing against children being children, but OKU Kos is specifically not a place for children. If exceptions to the adults-only policy are made, it raises questions about what “adults only” actually means. I would absolutely love to return, but the adults-only environment is an important part of why I would choose OKU. I hope the hotel takes this seriously and enforces the policy consistently in the future. And I think that her parents should respect other guests in the future, by not bringing their children into adult-only hotels. Sorry not sorry.

Finally, a special thank you to Eva. From answering our questions before arrival to her calm and professional approach throughout our stay, she was wonderful. She has a professional presence who makes sure guests are comfortable and well looked after.

Despite the few points of criticism, our overall experience was genuinely 10/10.

OKU Kos, I hope to come back again. I already miss the breakfast, morning yoga, beach, our pool, dinners at To Kima, the sunsets and, most of all, the feeling of being there. 🤍

Great location. Pool villa outstanding quality. Very cool vibe. Morning yoga truly excellent. Really outstanding food. Restaurant staff work tirelessly and are good people (Samar and Julia in particular). Crazy sunsets! Very good impression (and we are not easy to please). We will be back.

Now…Beach bar could be world class, if given the love and attention it deserves - for example, the DJ days lift everyone up a notch but are too infrequent. We were there for 7 days and only got asked once if we wanted a drink. Can and must do better.