14 of the best hotels in Kos

Kos, the third largest of the Greek Dodecanese islands, is the birthplace of Hippocrates, the father of medicine, and a stay is certainly healing and healthful. With no fewer than 21 beaches, most of them sandy, and surrounded by the Aegean, it’s a classic package-holiday destination. A lot of the action centres around the cobblestone capital of Kos Town and the nearby sandy Lambi beach, while the flat northern coast is home to the major resort towns of Tigaki, Marmari and Mastichari.

Travellers to Kos looking for wilder, quieter stretches of sand should head south or west. These contrasts are mirrored in the breadth of accomodation, from 1920s guesthouses and luxury glamping tents to bohemian boutique bolt holes and vast, village-like luxury hotels for families and groups. 

Main photo: Michelangelo Resort & Spa, Psalidi (Expedia)

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Best for posersThis cubist marble-and-slate design hotel on the shores of Lambi beach accents its bougie atmosphere with a wine cellar, fashion boutique and Kocoon spa, which has a nod to neighbouring Turkey with azure Seljuk tiles, copper lanterns and a hammam. The main L-shaped pool and two Jacuzzis are a place to see and be seen and you can get frocked up for the fine-dining Koan restaurant. Of the 54 highly contemporary rooms decked out in browns and beiges, our pick has to be the Penthouse Sea View Suite, with its spacious terrace, Jacuzzi and views of Bodrum. 

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Best for honeymoonersOKU’s sister property is in Ibiza, which gives a clue as to its cool factor. Picture a bohemian blend of fringed hammocks, palm-thatched parasols and raw woods. There’s even a concept store so that you can recreate the vibe at home. Mindfulness and minimalism are the core tenets of this adult-only escape and everything is designed to help guests slow down, from the poolside DJ sessions and tastebud-tingling tipples shaken by top mixologists to the farm-to-fork dining (with vegan options).

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Best for adventurers Sails is a wild-card option set amid north-coast farmland and green gardens, not far from the beach, with views of Mount Dikeos. It’s a family-run, four-star property with 20 eco-friendly air-conditioned tents — dotted around a taverna-wrapped pool — that range from the sparsely decorated safari and glamping tents for families to the plusher emperor bell tents for couples. The free activities are superb, from a tour of Asklepion (the world’s oldest hospital) to olive oil soap making and Greek cooking classes, and each night you can listen to Greek myths in the outdoor amphitheatre. There’s no spa, but the in-house beauty therapist and yoga teacher provide facials and massages. 

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Best for beach loversOn the edge of Kos Town, this adult-only 53-room five-star sits on one of the island’s prettiest beaches. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the spacious rooms with light, linens are white and cowskin throws lend a modern accent. The Deluxe Suite and Aqua Blu Loft options include fireplaces and spa baths; superior suites have private pools. Spend a day beside the chic tree-framed pool at the sensory Tamaris spa that combines music, colour and aromatherapy in its treatments — then put on your glad rags to sip signature cocktails at the linen tablecloth-and-chandelier-clad Cuvée, a Mediterranean-inspired fine-dining restaurant billed as one of the best on Kos. 

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Best for familiesA stay here is ideal for families thanks to its epic array of entertainment. Kids have the run of four pools, a rock-climbing wall, a games room, two tennis courts and beach volleyball, while younger tots can paint, dance and even learn how to grow vegetables at the kids’ club. Parents who want to be pampered at the on-site spa can even book their kids in for strawberry, chocolate or banana-scented aromatherapy massage. The sprawling 337-room resort has family rooms with separate units — if you’re a family of five, book the seafront Presidential Maisonette, which has a private pool. 

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Best for foodiesA vast, gleaming five-star spread along the private and sandy Kefalos Beach, Ikos Aria’s Infinite Lifestyle (a fancy term for all-inclusive) package far outshines others in its class. An introductory dive and windsurfing lesson are included as standard among a litany of other activities. They host high-production theatre performances, musicals and live music most nights. Plus, there are a belly-pleasing eight restaurants; our pick is Ouzo, overlooking the Instagrammable islet of Kastri with its blue-roofed chapel of St Nicholas. If guests want even more choice, the hotel’s Dine Out programme arranges reservations at local restaurants, but the bill is covered as part of your all-inclusive rate.  

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Best for independent spiritsThis low-rise batch of ten four-star serviced suites, with kitchenettes and spacious lounges, will appeal to adult groups wanting some independence. The beach theme is quickly established thanks to shipwrecked boats and driftwood benches in the grounds, and continued in the rooms with whitewashed wood back walls, a calming neutral decor and nautical accessories. Each has its own private veranda or balcony with garden views and there’s a central palm tree-lined pool with Jacuzzi, plus a laid-back restaurant and a fitness centre.

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Best for couplesJust 300m from a private beach, this tranquil, sophisticated five-star has 80 rooms arranged around a central pool serviced by waiters who bring drinks to guests on the sleek sun loungers. The adult-only rooms have a black, white and pine wood palette, and feature luxury linen, a mini cocktail cabinet and a marble bathroom with rain shower and deep bathtub. Some have swim-up terraces. The Lagoon restaurant, which specialises in first-rate sushi, has slate-and-wood decor, high ceilings and an open-plan kitchen that wouldn’t look out of place in New York. 

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Best for laid-back luxurySpread along the southeast coast, a two-minute drive from shingle Agios Fokas beach, the five-star Michelangelo is high-end, but not the sort of place where you feel like you have to be dressed to the nines all the time. The vast infinity pool — one of three pools — stretches the full breadth of the hotel and is a real show-stealer. Of the 254 rooms, we suggest opting for the premium versions, which sport a more contemporary design in relaxing shades of beige, white and wood.

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Best for history lovers As a result of the Italo-Turkish War, Kos was under Italian rule from 1912 until 1943 and this five-star boutique hotel was built by an Italian architect in 1927 to accommodate Greek tourists. Later, it was used as the Kos Officers’ Club. Today, the island’s oldest hotel has been fully restored and has modern Italian decor with glossy black and gold accents, and marble in the eight bedrooms. The food and the hotel’s private beach have just as much flair. Children are accepted, but it’s best suited to adults. 

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Best for boho babes Pack your sandals and linen shirts to kick back at this boho-chic hangout, a two-minute walk from Tigaki beach in the north of the island. Its squat motel-style buildings and 64 four-star rooms are elevated by an Ibiza-style blend of raw woods, hemp linens, rattan lamps and Moroccan cushions. The cool factor continues at the wood-surround pool with beanbags, sun loungers and the indoor/outdoor Cook’s Club Tigaki serving up contemporary Greek fare and cocktails.

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Best for sea viewsH2O is the theme of this rather retro 1950s four-star. It’s the name given to the restaurant, but refers mostly to the single-pane glass doors in all of the 42 rooms that offer jaw-dropping views of the Aegean. There are even glass panels connecting the bathroom and bedroom so you can soak up the fusion of blue sea and sky while brushing your teeth. Guests can make use of the spa, fitness centre and swimming pool — and, for kids, a playground — located at the Aktis’ sister hotel, Kos Hotel Junior Suites, 400m up the road. 

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Best for keeping the kids busyThis is a new four-star in the family-friendly town of Tigaki. Of the 260 rooms, decorated in a please-all mix of woods, whites and beiges, family rooms offer a sliding partition door and some junior suites have Jacuzzis. Kids are well catered for with a free children’s club for ages four to 12 and there’s a separate children’s pool with slides. The only slight snag is that their private stretch of sandy beach is reached by shuttle bus, but it’s free, only takes three minutes and has lots of water sports.

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Best for varietyThe immaculate Mitsis Blue is practically a mini village with a staggering ten pools, 11 restaurants and six bars — making it the biggest all-inclusive on the island. The big sell here is the “Mitsis Wonderland” for kids that includes not just a children’s club and pool with waterslides, but also playrooms providing painting, puppet shows, movies, music and a nightly disco. There are eleven categories of accommodation — from standard hotel rooms to bungalows, maisonettes and villas — all decked out with marble floors, woods and wicker furniture. We recommend the Sea View Villa with private pool for its space and bath with a view.

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