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Oku, Kos Island in Greece: a beachside room with sunset views overlooking the water

It is not easy to find a place like this in the Mediterranean, even less so in Greece. Oku is a hotel, property, and resort that has direct access to a private beach

Located on the beach, Oku is a ten minute taxi ride from the Kos airport

Oku, on the island of Kos, is a place worth staying at that we believe deserves to be featured on Lampoon’s editorial page that’s dedicated to the best hotellerie and hospitality companies. Oku is only a ten-minute drive from Kos airport. Upon stepping out of the car, you enter a facility in which the white of the Cyclades is combined with the shades of clay, the colors of the sand in the shade, and pearly hues. The buildings have rounded corners, wide open spaces, and thatched canopies play with light that softens its intensity. New trees are planted along with brambles that could be roses. Different levels and steps accompany the view and the walking path.

Oku Kos – the 700 villas with views overlooking the sea

When booking, you should choose one of the villas with a private pool. Preferably, those numbered from 700 onwards – they are two bedroom villas over two floors, with a living room (both internal and external), a patio with a pool, sofas and a hammock. Even though these rooms can accommodate up to four guests, it’s recommended for two. These three villas (701, 702, 703) overlook a strip of land that extends all the way to the sea, then beyond the pool and patio that resembles an Italian garden, and not to forget boxwoods and roses, Mediterranean ferns and sand bushes. They are plants that hold up the parched Earth, sun and wind.

Two dunes of fine sand create a barrier against the wind that comes from the beach. Between the room and the shore, a walk of only one hundred meters is all you need to endure to return to the room at night, sleep with the window open protected by a mosquito net, and be able to smell the salty sea breeze. You won’t even need to use your shoes. 

Oku Kos – the room, Meraki’s soap, the scent of mint

Let’s stay in the room for a moment longer before we leave. The mats instead of rugs are weaved of straw, as are the lampshades on both sides of the bed. The floor is resin-coated concrete, and extends across the two levels, up to the steps and the shower. The sofas are the same color as the walls, which are also made of concrete. A gray tone, the shade of the sand, brings a cool feeling, even after a day at the beach.

The hand soap has a minty scent that might remind one of Frederic Malle’s Geranium, and is made by Scandinavian company Meraki. There is no seamlessness between outside and inside, dry and wet, warm and windy. There’s no need for air conditioning, nor is it desirable. However, a few flaws can be spotted such as poor materials that are sometimes used. Examples include synthetic sleepers, a plastic basket bag, the non-natural fabrics of the sofas and curtains. The sheets should be hemp instead of cotton, after all, this page is intended to provide tips and recommendations.   

Oku Kos – the west-facing beach

A wooden walkway crosses the garden right above the sand. The silver of the wires and leaves anticipates the color of the water. The path curves through the dunes and opens up to the beach, which remains the focal point of this place. The umbrellas are made of wood and thatch, and are spaced apart. The beach turns west, the sunset descends unhindered below the horizon line, a perk that all five-star hotels in the Mediterranean offer. I may be repeating myself, but a room on the sand, only a short walk from the shore with sunset views over the water, is worth our recommendation.

It is windy in Greece, but the island is in the Dodecanese, a bit off the Meltemi route where there can be wind for hours followed by calmness. The sea can look almost like a lake, both in terms of peacefulness and for the islands that can be seen on each side as if they were next to the shores, leaving the Bodrum peninsula on the left. Throughout the day, horses trot and gallop along the shoreline. From there, the seabed remains shallow for at least thirty meters and horses go into the water for a swim. 

Sustainability in hospitality, the focus on materials

Synthetic fabric sunbeds are padded with polyurethane and something even less soft, but more thought in both sustainability and design, would be preferable in 2022. In the coming years, luxury will have to pay attention to every material that is natural and non-plastic. Analyzing every detail in the short supply chain on site, to handcrafted and localize production choices.

Oku Kos – the gastronomy and restaurant

After sunset, a cat shows you the way to the bar and restaurant. The food prepared by the chef includes a mix of local tradition with goat cheese and tomatoes, tuna seared in Japanese fashion accompanied by soy noodles, a mushroom stew with a sixtytwo degree egg, and a selection of Italian pizzas. Another plus, especially for those whose resort life proves difficult because of the lack of choice in the kitchen, is that Oku cuisine is versatile thanks to its menu, which includes a variety of items, with different options between lunch and dinner. 

Oku, Kos

Sikamini, Marmari, Kos, 85, 853 00, Greece
Highly recommended

Carlo Mazzoni

The writer does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article.

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