The words 'all-in' bring me back to Something Supposedly Fun I'll Never Do Again, that book where Foster Wallace embarks on a Caribbean cruise that should be a delight, but he feels like it. dante's inferno.
Try psychoanalyze me to find out where this visceral rejection comes from, and shortly after, I come across my only memory in a hotel of this type: I was a girl, and my parents, encouraged by a married couple, took us to go to one of these establishments a few summer days. I remember a pool with slides and about 50 children queuing to throw yourself; a buffet with food -rather cold, rather mediocre-, and a gigantic queue to throw it at your plate; I remember the 'entertainment' nights when even I, a child, felt ashamed of the shows.
We never did anything like that again, and from that moment on, everything that sounds like a bracelet gives me quite the creeps. But alas, time puts everything in its place. And this weekend, in Ikos Andalusia, I have realized how wrong i was.
AN EDEN FOR FAMILIES
The newly opened five-star resort in Estepona (Málaga), which will open its doors to the public next April, is paradise on earth. Especially for families with children like mine, because we embrace with unbridled passion everything that makes life easier for us. And what if they make it easy for us.
Hammock area, green areas, sports facilities... 21 hectares of pleasure
Let's do a brief review: Room service is available 24 hours , perfect for when your baby has finally fallen asleep and you prefer to go hungry rather than wake him up to go out to eat; Children's Club from four to 12 years old where they can have fun in a gigantic space with toys and swings while you drink a piña colada in the hammock; teen club with everything they need to gladly take off the face of the mobile screen without you having to keep reminding them. Only for these benefits, included in the price of the stay, it is already worth the trip.
For an additional supplement, Ikos Andalusia, which accommodates the first child for free, offers Babycare service from four months, and as a courtesy, they have bottle sterilizers in the rooms. In addition, when it comes to eating in its seven restaurants -goodbye to my fear of waiting in line-, everything is facilities : they offer high chairs -good high chairs, the ones that don't fly away when the waiter accidentally touches them-; children's crockery and healthy dishes adapted to all kinds of appetites, intolerances, diets and allergies. Oh, and perhaps more importantly: smiles . Lots of smiles and patience for children and babies, who - whoever has them knows - are not always abundant in the world of restoration.
But there is more: the complex designed by Studio Gronda has very comfortable private villas with garden or private pool ; two large children's pools and a family pool: a water play area; a couple of swing parks; several sports courts and a babysitting service. In addition, the spacious and beautiful resort also offers us a childcare service on the beach included in the price, so that the little ones have fun and make friends while you relax on the shore, which is accessed from the hotel. .
Indispensable to have a cocktail at the Pool Bar at sunset
THE MOST ROMANTIC GETAWAY AS A COUPLE
As we have seen, Ikos Andalusia offers the ideal conditions for a family trip in which everyone is happy. But also for a couple getaway in which to immerse ourselves in a world of care in which our only occupation is to enjoy the other.
Let's situate ourselves: the day dawns with spectacular Mediterranean views , which we can contemplate directly from the bed. Then, perhaps we want breakfast in the room, or maybe we want to continue enjoying the sound of the waves by doing the same in one of the several hotel restaurants that offer it, each one with a different, creative and delicious menu.
Afterwards, a cocktail in the adults only pool ? A little time at the beach? A spa session for two? Or maybe we want to use the day to get to know the surroundings? In this case, Ikos Resort puts at our disposal the rental of a Mini -included in the price- and an app with the highlights of the area, which are not few: after all, we are just a short walk from Marbella, capital of luxury, pleasure and shopping -a visit to Puerto Banús is essential-, as well as from Estepona , a municipality that has managed to combine its white and traditional pedestrian center with a great tourist offer and wide, almost virgin beaches.
When the pinks of sunset take to the sky, there's nothing like cozying up in the hotel's dazzlingly designed Main Bar. There, glass in hand, we will enjoy elegant live music with the sea in the background.
Dinner overlooking the sea at the Greek restaurant Ouzo, whose menu is signed by the Michelin star lefteris Lazarou
For dinner, we can choose one of the seven restaurants in the complex, each one with a different and exceptional cuisine from around the world -and a selection of 300 wines -, and several with menus signed by award-winning Michelin chefs like Anthony Jehanno, Ettore Botrini and Lefteris Lazarou. Or maybe we prefer go out and get to know the local cuisine : Ikos Andalusia offers this possibility at no added cost, thanks to its agreements with the best restaurants in the area.
Of course, if we want to go one step further and celebrate a night to remember, we can also opt for a dinner for two directly on the sand of the beach , a hotel service dedicated exclusively to Deluxe Collection guests.
ALONE: FIT AND RELAX RETREAT
As a family, as a couple... and also alone. To connect with oneself, to relax, to release endorphins after a day full of activities in which the body is the protagonist: tennis, badminton, yoga, canoeing, cycling, rowing, pilates, power walking, windsurfing, zumba ... all these sports practices, and many more, are included in the price of the stay.
And also to relax in the spa, with heated indoor pool surrounded by windows and thermal circuit with steam bath and sauna. And even to take care of ourselves with the multiple spa treatments, by the prestigious French brand Anne Semonin.
At Ikos Andalusia, eating well is a pleasure
Its philosophy is summed up in that each skin, at each moment, is unique, and therefore requires an exclusive and personalized treatment . It is achieved by the best specialists, who, using essential oils and minerals, create specific compounds for each patient.
In the restaurants of Ikos Andalusia, in addition, eating healthy becomes a real pleasure : their menus always offer multiple healthy, light and complete dishes, with which you will feel that you are also taking care of yourself from the inside.
You will return home refreshed, whichever company you choose. And knowing that vacations, that a real vacation, should be exactly what a five-star all-inclusive like Ikos Andalusia offers: get up late, take a siesta, eat well, do some sport, explore, relax in front of the sea... . and above all, not have to worry about anything at all.