I’ve decided to try and write up more reviews about the places I’ve travelled. So I’ll be giving hotel guides destination guides and much more to help you in planning those all important trips away. The first Hotel Guide is for Utopia Blu Hotel in Tigaki, Kos.
Newly opened in 2021 the Utopia Blu Hotel sits at the very top of the main road into the resort of Tigaki in Kos. It’s just celebrated its first birthday so its a pretty new hotel really!
Pools and Facilities
It has 2 main pools, plus lots of swim ups that aren’t all exclusive use. Some are in adult only areas. Each pool group has a pool bar, the kids pool has a snack bar and creperie, and the main pool has a day restaurant which turns into a nigh time entertainment bar.
Facilities wise there’s an on site spa, Gym (very small and books up fast) and tennis courts. Shopping wise there’s a small gift and food shop. We had a very affordable back massage in the spa and it was lush! Would recommend!
Entertainment- Okay so this wasn’t amazing. Prior to playing Uno nightly we frequented the evening bar, but there wasn’t much on. Think quizzes and games and stuff nothing too out there. we were happy with just having a few drink though. If you want nightlife, go in main season, and I’m sure Tigaki will provide it. As we were very much at the end of the season there wasn’t much open outside of the hotel. In the day they had activities that you could find on the app, however we tried to play boules. But just spent ten mins trying to find out where it was and no one knew. I think for those that want that kind of thing, they could just do with a team of one or two people to really drive this and be a little clearer with where things are and how to get involved.
Food and Drink
On top of the bars mentioned above, there’s a piano bar in the lobby area with outside drinking space. There’s two a la carte restaurants, a Mediterranean one (adults only) and an Italian one. You could eat at each one once per week when we visited. Then the main buffet restaurant is there for breakfast and dinner. There’s a payable juice and coffee bar on site too, we visited once as the décor bangs and wanted to get some pics. True facts! It was a nice and quiet place to chill for a bit though.
Rooms
Rooms at Utopia Blu Hotel are varied- from Jacuzzi’s on balconies to swim ups plus standard and family rooms. We upgraded to a swim up which was in the adults only part of the hotel. (Marked only by a sign so not always seen by everyone). I contacted the hotel before I went and asked for a room in the sun and wow we got it! We also overlooked the side of the building so didn’t face any other rooms and got sun all day in October. Some other rooms face onto their pools and into other rooms, which I wasn’t a massive fan of, plus we walked past them lots meaning you were walking past peoples terraces and sunbeds all the time. These also faced the other way so only got sun in the morning or afternoon in October when the sun was lower.
Swim up sun beds were nice with seat pads making them fab for a siesta on! The cushions did get wet and hold water though so not great for those October downpours and storms, but when the sun shone it soon dried them. The swim ups weren’t heated (as most aren’t) so it was a cool dip if you chose to get in!
Inside the rooms they were small but perfectly formed. we’d been told the beds were small but they were for sure king-size and we managed to sleep well in them. The bathroom was well kitted out and there was plenty of wardrobe space too which we love to see. The safe was free, as it should be. We got a large (2l?) bottle of water everyday left for us, and our maid was so so lovely and did a grand job! Very friendly and chirpy I was sad to say bye to her. The aesthetic of the rooms are lush and neutral and very modern.
The People
Some of these people made the holiday. The guest relations manager Katerina, was truly a credit to the hotel. I’d emailed with a couple of requests (as my parent booked last min to come but arrived after us). She worked it so we shared the same pool, but we weren’t next to each other! She helped us book our tables together at the a la cartes, (as we couldn’t use the app as we were separate bookings) and was just generally happy to help and support. There was also a a guided tour that she gave of what was where to everyone and made very guest feel special. So much so that we only spoke to our Tui rep once, as we wanted help hiring a car. That said reception would do this too it was just pricier and didn’t have the small car we wanted.
The bar staff in the piano bar were also so lovely! We spent many nights playing Uno with my parents and they built up a rapport with them. (Dad always asked for 2 beers as they are quite small serves!) And after a few days they knew what he liked and always spoke to us and chatted when they could.
Also our maid like I said, was amazing! so cheery and truly lovely. There were a few less enthused waiters in the buffet restaurant, who made you feel like you were asking for the world when you wanted 4 croissants. (In my defence they were those mini ones so constituted one Lidl sized one!) But there were also ones happy to go out of their way, and served with a smile.
Overall I’ve recommended the Utopia Blu Hotel so many times since our stay. We had the best, chilled, time and it nearly helped Kos steal my heart. (Kefalonia still holds it but only just!)