Luxury, Laughter & Lots of Food – I hadn’t been to Kos before I booked this holiday so wasn’t sure of the best place to stay, but after researching and reading other reviews, I decided to go with the Mitsis Selection Blue Domes hotel, near Kardamena. I booked flights with Tui and then booked the hotel separately. When you book direct with the hotel, your transfers are included from the airport. If you book via a different provider, transfers can be arranged with the hotel or via the app and costs €50 each way. Some people preferred to use taxis on arrival which were slightly cheaper.
ROOMS
The resort offers a range of different accommodation options and has 499 rooms from bungalows to villas with private pools. I booked two sea view rooms as there were 5 of us travelling, although we could have booked a maisonette, which comfortably sleeps five, but we decided we wanted two rooms, my mother and my daughter in one room, and me, my husband and my son in the other. We were already happy with our decision but then on arrival, we were given a complimentary upgrade…not just any upgrade, a room with its own private pool! I mean, waking up, rolling out of bed, and stepping straight into your own pool? Yes please! It turned out to be so much more convenient than we realised as there was no rushing to find sunbeds, (which we had heard was a bit of an issue for some) no fighting for a good spot, just our little slice of luxury.
The maid service was daily and the minibar was restocked every day too. We were also treated to waiter service, so up to three times a day, we could have drinks delivered straight to our room, which my husband took full advantage of!
FOOD & DRINK
There are seven à la carte restaurants here and you can book each one once per week and we chose to eat at the following:
- Italian
- Mexican
- Ellinadiko which is Greek gastronomy (because you can’t come to Greece and not)
- Pan Asian
- And we booked brunch à la carte as well , although, fair warning, it wasn’t the fastest service, but we didn’t mind as we weren’t in any rush!
You can book the restaurants on the hotel app in advance, but the hotel will still try their best to get you a table once you’re there. The restaurants above, with the exception of the brunch, are located right next to the beach and the food was really good. Our favourites were the Italian, Mexican and Ellinadiko.
The buffet located in the main building was also really good (for a buffet) with loads of choice, plus a pizza station in the evenings. It’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, though we only did breakfast and dinner because, well, gyros and beach snacks were calling us at lunchtime! We also enjoyed crepes from the snack station and plenty of ice cream to keep us cool. There’s even a ‘Healthy Corner’ bar for fruit, vegan salads, and smoothies
ACTIVITIES & FACILTIES
There are numerous bars and the pool bar was our favourite, it was a very chilled area. At times there was a bit of a queue for drinks, but in our experience never a long queue. Evenings were spent mainly at the theatre bar, which had different entertainment every night from soul music to classical singers. And the pina coladas were a favourite here. There is also an amphitheatre which was a popular choice with children for entertainment such as acrobatic shows and magicians.
The hotel is right on the beach and we enjoyed some drinks whilst taking in the view, though I have to admit the beach bar at the Norida Hotel next door had prettier décor and a trendier beachbar vibe. Swimming in the sea was wonderful and there are small fish that swim right up to you, which my son absolutely loved. It is a pebble beach so I’d recommend having some aqua shoes to save your feet!
We booked a trip to Zia via Ticket Travel in Kardamena and they picked us up from the hotel at 5.45pm and brought us back afterwards around 10pm. We didn’t pre-book any restaurants, just found a little taverna called Avli, which had an amazing view and lovely traditional Greek food. It was the highlight of our holiday.
I also went to Paradise Beach and Bubble Beach which is very close to Ikos Aria hotel and resort. Bubble Beach has natural hot springs that create bubbles on the seabed, due to the remains of a volcano.
You can travel by car or bus to Kos Town which is around 40 minutes away and from there you can take a ferry to Bodrum in Turkey. We didn’t do this as we were only there for a week and there was so much in the hotel to do.
Visit the honey workshop called Melissa (in greek this means bee) which is a family-owned producer of aromatic honey.
AGENT TIPS!
- Golf buggies if you don’t fancy walking the hill (or if your flip-flops have betrayed you).
- Car hire available on-site.
- Buses You can travel to Kardamena or even Kos Town by bus from the hotel
- Supermarket and shop opposite the hotel for snacks, sunscreen, or that one thing you forgot to pack.
- Gym: spacious, well-equipped, and never too busy.
- Games room for when you need a break from the sun or to entertain the children (or adults!).
- Water sports on the beach, including an inflatable obstacle course for €20 for the whole day!
- Kids’ bonus: they can use the water slides at the Norida next door.
We really did love our stay here. From private pool mornings to late-night cocktails, it was the perfect mix of relaxation, great food, and enough activities to keep us busy. But what truly sets Blue Domes apart, is that every single staff member we met was warm, friendly, and just genuinely happy to help.
Would I recommend this hotel? Absolutely! We’d go back in a heartbeat.
Helena is an independent travel agent, former primary teacher and mum of two, who loves to travel. Having spent time studying languages in France and Italy, Helena has always loved learning about other cultures, languages and countries and now travels multiple times a year with her family @helenas.holidays
