Greece comes to the Costas
Unlimited bubbles, spa session — indulge your every whim at this new Andalusian all-inclusive
AMargarITa for me, a Negroni for him. We sip our cocktails watching the sun slip into the sea. a waiter glides silently to our side, just before our liquor reaches precariously low levels. ‘another?’ he asks. ‘Why not?’.
Staying in an all-inclusive hotel makes this kind of decision so easy. although in the chic world of Ikos andalusia, a new resort on Spain’s Costa del Sol, the term ‘all in’ has been smartly rebranded into ‘Infinite Lifestyle’ — and it means all food, premium booze from Tanqueray to Taittinger, unlimited hours in the kids’ club, watersports and fitness classes, hotel rooms of calming blues and creams, even a free day out to explore in one of the hotel’s cute Mini Coopers.
Michelin- star chefs have agonised over the resort’s menus, which range from asian to greek — a nod to the brand’s beginnings in greece in 2015. This is Ikos’s first resort in Spain, and its location, between Marbella and Estepona and just a 2.5-hour flight from the UK, is sure to be a hit with regulars from Ikos’s greek counterparts in Kos, Corfu and beyond.
We hop between the seven pools — some filled with inflatables and slides, others serene and childfree — before returning to our favourite, the scented pool.
Here, our plush padded loungers are wafted with the scent of lavender from the shrub-filled gardens and attentive staff breeze past serving up spritzes and snacks. The relaxed vibe continues in the spa, where a free half- hour massage is one of the perks of being a Deluxe Collection guest.
I’m slathered with lavender oil by a therapist called Eva. ‘Oh no, so much stress!’ she says, kneading at my shoulders. I bet she tells most guests the same thing.
Free bike hire means you can burn off your breakfast of eggs benedict and flaky pastries on a speedy cycle along the coastline to Estepona, picking up knickknacks from the Sunday market.
Even better, try a yoga class then head into the hills in a Mini, up to the sleepy hilltop village of Istan.
With its whitewashed houses, water fountains and bougainvilleastrewn balconies it’s as photogenic as the chic coast.
Here, as grandmas pile into the tiny church, we join elderly flatcapped gents sipping beers in the town square, then head down a country lane to Lago de Istan — a vast reservoir — and sink into the zingy blue for a refreshing dip.
One evening we try the Dine Out experience, where you can eat out — as part of the all-inclusive — at one of their recommended restaurants. We’re taken to Estepona town and devour a three-course meal with wine. We follow the locals’ cue and round off the night with a stroll along the palm-dotted promenade, ice-cream in hand.
Back at Ikos, plans are in progress. The beach — with grey pebbles that make you hobble in and out the water — needs an upgrade. Consultants are being drafted in to replicate the white sand for which Ikos’s greek resorts are famous.
Perhaps this will start a trend on this notorious Costa, to which Britons still flock year after year.