Michelangelo Resort & Spa

The staff are consistently friendly, welcoming and helpful, the food is of a good quality with plenty of variety, the hotel is spotlessly clean and the view from the infinity pool across the Aegean towards Turkey is simply magical. The setting alone makes this a very memorable place to stay. However, one aspect of the all-inclusive package came as a genuine surprise. At lunchtime in the Mediterranean Restaurant, I ordered a burger only to be told that it would cost an additional €12. The hotel caters for both all-inclusive and non-all-inclusive guests, so I fully understand why menu prices are displayed for those who are paying as they go. What I found unexpected was that, despite having paid for the all-inclusive package, some lunchtime menu items still incurred an extra charge. In all the all-inclusive hotels I have stayed at previously, food served in the main restaurants has always been included, so this was not something I had anticipated. It certainly didn’t spoil an otherwise excellent stay, but it is worth knowing before you book if you expect all meals in the hotel’s restaurants to be covered by the all-inclusive package. One of the pleasures of an all-inclusive holiday is being able to stop thinking about money once you arrive, and this policy rather undermined that feeling. We stayed from 7–14 July, when daytime temperatures were typically in the high twenties Celsius. Despite the warm weather, all of the pools - including the indoor spa pool - were surprisingly cold. The infinity pool is undoubtedly one of the resort’s best features, but for us it was simply too cold to enjoy for more than about ten minutes at a time. On the recommendation of the hotel’s Guest Relations team, we also booked a day trip to the volcanic island of Nisyros, travelling by boat from Kardamena. The island itself is well worth visiting, but the excursion was disappointing. The boat was so overcrowded that some passengers had to sit on the stairs or stand for much of the journey, and the onboard toilet facilities were inadequate and poorly maintained. In addition, although we had paid for the excursion in full before departure, we were only told on arrival that there was a compulsory €5 per person admission charge to enter the volcano itself. As seeing the volcano is the principal reason for taking the trip, this additional charge should have been made clear at the time of booking. Overall, this is a very good hotel with excellent staff, attractive surroundings and high-quality food. The few disappointments we experienced were relatively minor, but they did detract slightly from what could otherwise have been an exceptional all-inclusive holiday. A more generous interpretation of “all-inclusive”, together with greater transparency over recommended excursions, would elevate the guest experience from very good to truly outstanding.

We stayed here as a family with our 14-year-old and overall had a lovely holiday. The hotel is modern, clean and in a beautiful setting. There is nothing wrong with the hotel and nothing that would put someone off visiting, but we feel it is important to set the right expectations. Five-star hotels can vary greatly, and this felt more like a high-quality 4+ star resort rather than a true luxury five-star experience. Pros ✅ Beautiful pool and outdoor areas The pool areas are definitely the highlight of the hotel. They are well maintained, relaxing and offer plenty of Instagram-worthy views. The sunbeds are excellent quality and very comfortable. Sunbeds were still available at the quieter pool area at around 10am, but if you wanted a prime spot at the main infinity pool you needed to be up very early. The front rows were generally taken by around 7am - 7.30am and by around 8:30–9am it was difficult to get a bed near to the infinity pool. Later in the day the pool areas became much busier and it did feel quite crowded with everyone close together. ✅ Great views and modern facilities We booked and paid extra for a premium seafront room. While we’re not sure the upgrade was necessarily worth the additional cost (approx £265) as the room size is the same as the other rooms, the sea view was definitely lovely and added something special to the stay. My daughter liked sitting on the balcony. The rooms are modern and facilities throughout the hotel are also modern. Housekeeping did an excellent job every day. ✅ Good for families with older children We travelled with our 14-year-old. Although there were little children staying at the hotel, it never felt overrun with families and there was a child’s pool. This suited us as we were travelling with an older child rather than younger children and our needs are different now. ✅ Friendly staff Most staff we encountered were friendly and welcoming. The receptionist at check-in was lovely, and although the arrival experience didn’t feel particularly premium, we appreciated being taken to our room by buggy, which was a nice touch given the size and layout of the resort. Cons ❌ Food is average for an all-inclusive The food is typical all-inclusive fare – there is plenty of choice and you will always find something to eat, but nothing really stood out, it is quite repetitive and lukewarm (but that is all inclusive wherever we stayed). The main restaurant had a bit of a canteen feel rather than the atmosphere you would expect from a five-star hotel. Desserts were particularly disappointing and quite bland. Again, that is fairly standard with all inclusive. ❌ Missing some luxury touches For a hotel marketed as five-star, we felt it was missing some of the little touches that make a real difference. There were no complimentary drinks in the minibar, even though we were all-inclusive guests, and we never saw anyone offering drink service around the pool. All very self service orientated. Having stayed in five-star hotels in Asia, which often feel much more luxurious and personalised, this experience felt more comparable to five-star all-inclusive resorts we have experienced in Morocco or Turkey. At times you felt more like one of 400 guests rather than receiving individual attention or special touches. It feels like a large resort rather than a unique or boutique experience. ❌ Entertainment and arrival experience The evening entertainment was generally a singer or live band performing in the main bar area. It was fine, but when we first arrived the music was extremely loud, which made our first impression of the hotel feel a little overwhelming after travelling. As the all inclusive was closing at 9.30 and we arrived at 9pm the receptionist did suggest we go and eat and then come back to finish check in which was nice of her. ❌ Rooms are compact The rooms are modern but not particularly spacious. For three people, the room felt quite small and the second bed was a sofa bed, which is worth knowing if travelling as a family with an older child. The shower and toilet are behind a glass screen which was nice but dominated quite a small room. It would be fine if you know your travel companion well but if it is a new relationship there isn’t much privacy :-) ❌ Gym is basic The gym is quite limited, so don’t expect much if you enjoy working out while away. ❌ Lots of steps to get anywhere. There are a lot of steps throughout the resort, including down to the beach, so it would not be suitable for anyone with mobility issues. The infinity pool area can become crowded during the day. The beach itself is down a long flight of steps and is a small pebble beach, so it is not the hotel’s biggest selling point. Final thoughts We had an enjoyable stay and would recommend the hotel. It has a beautiful setting, excellent outdoor areas, comfortable sunbeds, modern facilities, lovely views and mostly friendly staff. However, for us it is more of a 4+ star hotel than a genuine five-star luxury hotel. This is not because there is anything wrong with it, but because it lacks some of the finer details, atmosphere and personalised service that we associate with a luxury five-star experience. If you arrive with the right expectations, it is a very enjoyable place to stay.

Arrival We arrived at around 1am. Check-in was quick and easy. One thing TUI didn’t inform us about was the tourism tax, which was €15 per night. As we stayed for a week, this came to €105 in total for the 5-star hotel. As we arrived late, we were quite hungry. Unfortunately, no hot food had been left out, but after asking, we were given a vegetarian sandwich, a banana and an apple. Room The room was clean, modern and spacious on arrival, with plenty of wardrobe and cupboard space for clothes and shoes. The bathroom was also modern and very nice. My only complaint was the water pressure and temperature. The shower wasn’t very powerful and never got particularly hot. The sink water was warm, but not ideal when brushing your teeth. Housekeeping came every day to make the bed, replenish towels and leave fresh bottled water, although our bed sheets weren’t changed during our stay. The air conditioning worked brilliantly and kept the room lovely and cool. Food The buffet at breakfast, lunch and dinner was a bit hit and miss depending on the day. Breakfast was definitely the best meal, with plenty of choice including pancakes, omelettes, cereal, yoghurt and granola, hash browns and much more. Lunch and dinner often had similar options, so if you’re a fussy eater you may find the choice a little limited. We also ate at the Soya Asian restaurant, which was absolutely amazing. I’d highly recommend booking this as early as possible. It was a fantastic four-course meal, including dessert. The hotel also offers a late supper from 11pm until 1am, although this consisted mainly of fruit, ham, cheese and bread. The pool snack bar opened from 1pm and served pork shawarma, chips, pasta and salad. Pool & Bars If you want a sun lounger around the infinity pool, I’d recommend going down between 7:00–7:30am as they fill up quickly. The views are absolutely breathtaking and definitely one of the highlights of the hotel. The pool bar opened at around 10am, and the pool area was always spotless. Staff were constantly cleaning, sweeping and mopping, keeping everything looking immaculate. One thing to note is that I wouldn’t say the hotel is particularly accessible for wheelchair users or anyone with significant mobility difficulties, as there are lots of stairs between the rooms and the pool areas. Kos Town There’s a bus stop directly outside the hotel. The bus costs €2 per person each way, although on some occasions we weren’t charged. Getting into Kos Town was easy enough, but getting back proved much more difficult. Reception advised us that the last bus was at 11pm, so we waited at the bus stop from around 10pm. Unfortunately, no bus ever arrived. When we asked a local, they told us the buses stopped at around 9pm. In the end, we had to get a taxi back to the hotel, which cost €15. The public transport seemed quite outdated compared to England, with very little information available about bus times. If you’re planning to use the buses, be prepared that they may not always run exactly as expected. Kos Town itself has plenty of lovely bars, restaurants and cafés, along with lots of souvenir shops selling magnets, accessories, hats and other holiday gifts. Overall Overall, we had a brilliant stay at the Michelangelo Resort & Spa. The hotel was exceptionally clean, the staff worked incredibly hard and were always friendly, the Wi-Fi worked perfectly throughout our stay, and the views were simply stunning. The food was a little inconsistent at times, but there was always something to eat and breakfast was excellent. Check-out is at 11am on departure day. Late check-out is available until 6pm for an additional €100. A big thank you to all of the staff at Michelangelo Resort & Spa for making our holiday so enjoyable!

After having done the tourist part of the palms we decided to come back three weeks later to Michelangelo. An amazing infinity pool the size of a Manhattan block!!!! Loved the goats grazing right next to us…. Spa treatment was awesome Sheryl really has a magic touch l highly recommend!!! A perfect place to relax from the outside world We will certainly be back!!! Thank u guys for a beautiful And relaxing trip.

amazing accommodation food excellent stuff very friendly pool combine with beach spa