After six trips to Porto Sani, we checked into Ikos Odisia in Corfu and didn’t find a single thing to complain about

In our latest Editor-at-Large Series, Jonathan Kirkby and his family head to Ikos Odisia for the first time to answer the question Porto Sani or Ikos Odisia?

We’ve returned to Porto Sani six times over the years. It’s become a consistently brilliant and wonderfully reliable luxury escape for us. So when we finally swapped Halkidiki for Corfu and checked into Ikos Odisia, we weren’t expecting to be quite so impressed.

As a family with two young boys, we’ve spent years searching for holidays that strike the right balance between luxury for the adults and fun for the children. As a same-sex couple, we also want somewhere that feels genuinely welcoming and inclusive. That’s one of the many reasons we’ve returned to Porto Sani six times over the years. Quite simply, it’s always worked for us.

For us, Porto Sani has always been the perfect base. The suite-style accommodation works brilliantly with younger children and its central location means you’re only ever a short stroll from the marina, restaurants, children’s activities and evening entertainment.

Ikos and Sani are two of the finest luxury family resorts in Greece and sister brands, both owned by the same group and known for delivering exceptional luxury family holidays. While we’d heard plenty of positive things about Ikos Odisia, we’d always been such loyal Porto Sani guests that we’d never felt the need to look elsewhere.

To be completely honest, I spent the first couple of days trying to work out what Ikos wasn’t doing as well as Porto Sani. After six trips, we’d become fiercely loyal. The surprise was that I kept coming up empty-handed.

Every time we found ourselves comparing the two resorts, we came to the same conclusion. I kept waiting for something to fall short of Porto Sani. Whether it was the food, the service, the accommodation or the kids’ clubs, I never really found it.

Had you blindfolded me and dropped me into parts of the resort, I’d have happily believed I was back at Porto Sani. The attention to detail, the warmth of the staff and the way family life seemed to effortlessly slot into the rhythm of the resort all felt remarkably familiar.

The All-Inclusive Difference

One of the biggest attractions of Ikos is, of course, the all-inclusive concept, and I hadn’t appreciated quite how much of a difference it would make.

From premium drinks and beach service to à la carte restaurants and room service, almost everything is included. There are no awkward moments signing bills, no mental calculations over dinner and no surprises when you check out.

There was also just great getting up and leaving the table when dinner was over. No waiting for the bill, no signing receipts and no trying to keep two energetic boys entertained for another ten minutes while the payment goes through.

What I also loved was that it never felt like one of those all-inclusive resorts where people feel the need to order three drinks at a time or pile their plates impossibly high at the buffet. Service was so efficient and readily available that there was simply no need. It created a much more relaxed atmosphere.

Is the Deluxe Collection Worth It?

For this trip, we opted for the Deluxe Collection and, for our family, it was absolutely worth it.

The upgraded drinks offering included Taittinger Champagne, our favourite New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Argentinian Malbec and the excellent white and rosé wines from Alpha Estate. If you’re a fan of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, make sure you try the Alpha Estate white wines. They were one of our favourite discoveries of the week, while the rosé quickly became our go-to choice over long lunches by the pool.

One evening, halfway through a bottle of Alpha Estate overlooking the sea, Ian and I found ourselves having the conversation we’d been resisting all week: “This is actually as good as Porto, isn’t it?” It turns out we both felt exactly the same way.

One of the biggest deluxe benefits was access to Oliva for breakfast. Set in a beautiful location overlooking the sea, it quickly became our favourite way to start the day. By day three, I was ordering the same breakfast every morning: fresh fruit, thick Greek yoghurt, honey and olive oil. It’s the sort of dish I’ll spend the rest of the summer trying (and failing) to recreate at home.

Our Deluxe room was brilliantly positioned within the resort, giving easy access to most of the facilities. The Deluxe pool area was a real highlight for us. It was much quieter than the other pools and we never once struggled to find a sun lounger, no matter what time we arrived. There’s even a small adults-only section, which quickly became our go-to spot for an Aperol while the boys were off having fun at the kids club.

Deluxe guests can also pre-book restaurants before arrival, which removes another layer of holiday admin. There’s also access to the supper club programme, where children get to dine with other children while parents enjoy a more leisurely dinner. We were tempted, but ultimately chose to spend our evenings together as a family, using the kids’ clubs and activities during the day instead.

I’d spent years recommending Porto Sani to friends, so perhaps part of me wanted Ikos Odisia to be disappointing. It would have made life simpler. Instead, it gave me another holiday recommendation.

One of the lovely surprises during our stay was spotting several familiar faces from our many trips to Porto Sani. A special hello to Mr Pavel, Alexis and the wonderful Eleni, who now runs the kids’ club. Seeing familiar faces in Corfu immediately made us feel at home.

During our stay, our concierge, Prodromos, perfectly summed up what makes the Ikos experience so special. Nothing ever felt too much trouble. From arranging restaurant reservations and activities to helping with the countless little requests that come with travelling as a family, he somehow made everything feel effortless.

What stood out most were the thoughtful touches. Surprise gifts appeared for the boys, favourite drinks were remembered, you can pre-order deluxe wines and champagne to all restaurants. He played a huge role in making our stay so enjoyable.

Facilities

Ouzo quickly became one of our favourite breakfast spots. The boys loved the buffet and the freedom to explore the surrounding gardens while we enjoyed a slower start to the day.

The landscaping deserves a mention too. From olive trees and Mediterranean planting to beautifully maintained pathways, the entire resort felt thoughtfully designed.

The kids’ club was every bit as impressive as Porto Sani’s. The team were warm, attentive and fantastic at encouraging children to get involved. A special mention has to go to Vicky, who somehow managed to turn two slightly nervous boys at the kids’ club reception into excited participants within minutes. I genuinely think that without her warmth and enthusiasm, they may never have made it through the door.

Once inside, activities including cookie making, scavenger hunts and water pistol games quickly won them over and they wanted to go back for more.

As any parent knows, that’s perhaps the best review a kids’ club can receive.

While Porto Sani will always hold a special place in our hearts, Ikos Odisia delivered everything we look for in a luxury family holiday.

The food was every bit as good as we’d hoped, the kids were never short of something to do and the overall standard of the resort felt incredibly familiar to us—in the best possible way. Between football academies, kids’ clubs, watersports and evening entertainment, there was always something happening.

One of the highlights of our stay was the weekly White Party, held at Elia, the resort’s beautiful clifftop restaurant overlooking the sea. As long-time Sani guests, it’s impossible not to compare it with Sani’s famous White Party.

The setting at Ikos Odisia feels slightly more intimate, but the atmosphere, energy and unmistakable Greek hospitality remained very much the same. Guests dressed in white, music played long into the evening and there was that familiar feeling of everyone coming together to celebrate being on holiday.

More than anything, what stood out was how easy everything felt.

As parents, that is perhaps the greatest luxury of all.

So Would We Return?

Absolutely.

The fact we’d already booked to return to Porto Sani this July tells you everything you need to know about how highly we rate it. The marina, the beaches, the atmosphere and the ease of travelling there as a family continue to make it one of our favourite places in Europe.

If I were returning to Ikos Odisia, I’d choose the Deluxe Collection again without hesitation. For me, it was the element that brought the experience closest to Porto Sani. The quieter pool, the enhanced dining options, the premium drinks offering and the overall feeling of exclusivity elevated an already excellent holiday.

But what Ikos Odisia gave us was something we weren’t expecting: another resort that delivers the same level of luxury, attention to detail and family-friendly ease that we’ve always associated with Porto Sani, with the added benefit of a truly exceptional all-inclusive offering.

Since getting home, I’ve spent most of the school run telling fellow parents how brilliant the holiday was. The funny thing is, every time I mentioned Ikos, someone else would tell me they’d already been. It turns out there are plenty of loyal Ikos families out there too – we may just have been late to discover it.

For years, whenever friends asked for a luxury family holiday recommendation, our answer was always Porto Sani. After a week at Ikos Odisia, we may have to start giving them two options.

About

Jonathan Kirkby is a father of two and a self-confessed luxury family travel enthusiast. Together with his husband and two young sons, he has spent years exploring family-friendly destinations across Europe in search of the perfect holiday.