OKU Kos, Greece

OKU Kos wants everyone to think of their room or villa as their own private sanctuary and that's exactly how they feel.

The decor is every inch as soothing and rustic as the rest of the resort, with the whitewashed exteriors giving way to beige, walnut and chocolate-brown shades throughout. In keeping with the bohemian-chic feel, the design is very much minimalist and mirroring the nature outside, with natural materials like wood, rattan, wicker, local stone and weathered ceramics featuring prominently. Every accommodation has some form of outside space, starting with a spacious terrace and moving up to secluded gardens with private pools as you escalate through the different room types. The ground floor rooms open out onto lush tropical gardens but if you want to wake up to the sea looking back at you, then pick a suite or villa on the rooftop level so you're always greeted by stunning azure views.

The Swim-Up Junior Suites share a tranquil pool with one or two adjoining suites and come complete with sunbeds, thatched parasols and comfy hammocks for lazing in the Mediterranean sunshine. If you fancy your own personal swimming pool, then the Suites with Private Pool have just that, accompanied by generously sized terraces shaded by pergolas. The Villas with Private Pools are bigger still and with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, are ideal for groups or families to call home.

The dining hub at OKU Kos is To Kima, which is not just a restaurant but also a bar and, with its name meaning 'wave' in Greek, buzzing beach club.

Being the only restaurant at the resort, To Kima is the culinary centre for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In keeping with the rest of the resort's ethos, the focus is on farm-to-fork eating and it's far more than just a box-ticking exercise – head chef Mark Vaessen (formerly of SUSHISAMBA in Amsterdam) has a genuine passion for working with the island's farms to source newly picked vegetables, fruit and other produce, while the fish and meat is just as fresh. Inspiration for the dishes also stays local, with a tasty array of Greek and Mediterranean classics like shrimp saganaki, linguini pomodoro with three different types of tomato and baklava cheesecake. With OKU meaning 'inner space' in Japanese, Asian flavours also creep into the menu in the form of sushi and sashimi.

All-day bites, drinks and expertly shaken cocktails are served from To Kima's poolside bar, where you can come and go as you please to quench your thirst whenever you need to.

Oozing relaxation, OKU Kos' serene main pool is the resort's focal point and a place you could easily while away the hours beside. With its coastal location, it would be rude not to inch closer to the beach and the resort's private sugar-white stretch is one of the best on the island. Comfy sunbeds, thatched parasols and shady cabanas aid your downtime in this dreamy spot and even on the hottest days in Kos, the gentle breeze this area receives year-round will keep temperatures comfortable. If you want your days to be a little more energetic, OKU Kos' beach club has stand-up paddleboards and other water sports equipment you can use to paddle the Mediterranean waves.

But Kos is an enchanting island and both us and OKU Kos known it won't be long before you'll want to explore it further. The resort has plenty of experiences up its sleeve, including visiting the colonnaded temple ruins of Asklepion or the crumbling Byzantine citadel of Paleo Pyli – this is Greece, after all. Agora was once the island's bustling marketplace but now its a fascinating patchwork of ancient mosaics, shrines, basilicas and temples. The island's capital, Kos Town, is also a joy to wander with its pretty architecture and cosy tavernas lining the harbour. Natural wonders abound, too, with the flamingo-dotted salt flats of Alykes and peacock-patrolling Plaka Forest nearby.

There are also plenty of boat trips, whether it's to the volcanic drama of Nisyros or the whitewashed villages of Lipsi.

As you'd expect, the wellness offering at OKU Kos is comprehensive. Daily yoga and pilates classes are offered either in the open-air terrace or the beachside shala, where your meditation will be accompanied by the soft sounds of wavelets lapping the shore.

The OKU Spa is a sanctuary fit for somewhere as serene as Kos. Dressed in local stone and wood, the spa creates an indulgent soothing environment where treatments take inspiration from both modern techniques and ancient Greek practices – much like the rest of the resort – with the likes of body scrubs using locally sourced olive oil and Ayurvedic massages on the menu. The spa also boasts a heated indoor swimming pool, separate relaxation area and a hammam for rejuvenating rituals.