He promised the water issue would be solved. I asked if he had a plan B, of course not. The problem was fixed later that day, but only temporarily.
Two days later, Peeping Tom was back in the garden.
Our renovation had dragged on for months after a major water leak, and when the contractors announced yet another delay, we ran for the sun. It was September, Europe was crowded, and Ikos Porto Petro looked like the perfect escape—no dust, no builders, just calm.
We always promise to be fair and honest when we write, even if we get something for free like this time. More on that later.
All-inclusive is not really for us, but we had seen Ikos appear on social media more times than we could count. It looked fantastic, and when we found a villa with a private pool available, we decided to give it a try.
Ikos markets itself well: a five-star, all-inclusive resort on Mallorca’s southeast coast. Six restaurants, five of them curated by Michelin-starred chefs, and 300 wine labels, free airport transfers, a Dine Out programme that lets you eat at selected local restaurants, and even a free Tesla to borrow for a day.
A sprawling resort of 315 rooms (and still expanding) with around 750 employees, probably more than live in Porto Petro itself. We booked a Residential Villa with pool, which automatically includes the Deluxe Collection with a dedicated concierge, premium drinks, and complimentary massages.
It promised a week of effortless sunshine and calm. On paper, it looked perfect. Reality had other plans.
The resort sits between two small coves. One end overlooks Porto Petro’s harbour and marina, the other a small public beach. It is a scenic spot, framed by pine, olive, and palm trees, and nearly every room has a sea view.
From the back, though, when you pass by in the buggy, some buildings look oddly like a parking garage, two-faced in a way. Still, the grounds are tidy, and the place feels cared for.
The airport pickup was flawless. A representative met us and guided us to a waiting Mercedes. The driver was polite, the ride smooth. Check-in took place at the bar beside the lobby with the Deluxe Concierge, who handed us Champagne and set up a WhatsApp group for our stay. Lunch followed and soon after, the villa was ready.
First impression: excellent.
Fresco Bar
Before arrival, Ikos floods you with emails. Too much information, really. It felt less like a holiday booking and more like joining a cult.
One thing does matter, though, book everything in advance. Your dinners, spa treatments, Tesla, etc. They love their app (download it before you go) and their WhatsApp system, but do not expect much initiative from their side.
We only booked for the first night, assuming we could sort the rest later. Big mistake. The restaurants were already full, which was surprising when the resort wasn’t even in full swing.
Our concierge filled in the rest of the week without asking us, leaving us with a puzzle of dinner slots: either 18:30 with the family crowds or 21:00. Apparently, spontaneity is not part of the Deluxe Collection. Nothing in between, and often not the restaurants we actually wanted.
The villa delivered spacious rooms, cool air conditioning, a comfy bed, a large pool, and plenty of privacy, apart from the pigeons in the olive tree and Peeping Tom.
When we were at the villa, it was rarely quiet. Either noise from neighbouring families or the endless hum of garden maintenance. They really love their leaf-blowing machines; nothing says “relaxing holiday” quite like a two-hour clean-up next to you. At this point, I’m convinced every luxury resort has one employee whose sole mission is to chase a single leaf for hours.
The buggy service deserves special praise. You can message for one or scan a QR code in the room or at the “bus stop”, but usually you don’t need to—they appear like friendly border collies on battery power.
Always smiling, always helpful, and if their buggy is full, another is on its way. They are the bloodstream of the resort. The buggy service deserves its own Michelin Keys.
Room service was 24/7, included, and never more than a 20-minute wait. If you choose the Deluxe Collection, the room service menu is larger, a small but welcome perk. The team did a solid job.
The bars deserve praise too, good service, lively atmosphere, and entertainment most nights with live music or DJs.
Our first morning brought a surprise: no water in the villa. We messaged our concierge. Nothing. Texted again at breakfast. Still nothing. Later, at the lobby, same story. Back at the villa, we asked for buckets of water so we could flush the toilet. Nothing says five-star luxury like that.
We were offered another room for the day to freshen up and use the toilet, on the other side of the resort. No thanks.
At Ikos, you do not check in — you check on.
That same day, a man appeared straight out of the bushes by our pool to take a water sample. No hola, no explanation. He scared my wife half to death.
For a moment, I thought Ikos had added a new surprise activity. Guess Who’s in the Garden? The Do Not Disturb sign hanging on the door clearly meant “please, disturb.”
I asked for a meeting with the GRM (Guest Relations Manager), which turned out to be the Front of House Manager. I was tired, tired of chasing for answers, tired of privacy not being respected.
So, for the first and only time, I told him about Iternitty. Still not sure if that was a good idea, but I was desperate for some peace.
The water solution.
At dinner in The Market buffet, my wife found a piece of transparent plastic tape in her vegetable soup from the children’s buffet. That could have ended badly if a child had swallowed it. Nothing says family-friendly dining like a game of Find the Plastic.
Back at the villa, the power was out. Reception asked if we had put the key card in. It was a fuse, quickly fixed, but the villa took hours to cool down.
As if that was not enough, the morning after that dinner I woke up with a bad stomach and spent the entire day out of action, drinking nothing but rehydration solution. I cannot say for certain it was the food from The Market, but somehow it made sense.
I asked to see the General Manager when it was clear the FOH Manager didn’t care. To his credit, he listened.
He said they were investigating the plastic incident and promised to honour the Do Not Disturb sign.
A bottle of Barolo appeared in our villa that evening. Because nothing says “We value your privacy” like wine diplomacy. At dinner, they served Whispering Angel rosé, one of our favourites. They even offered a private sunset boat trip to a quiet bay. Nice gestures, and a good way to bounce back, but whether they would have done it without knowing about Iternitty, I doubt it.
Goodwill didn’t last long. On check-out day, Saturday morning at 06:30, construction repairs started outside our villa to fix the temporary solution. Pipes, loud voices, banging. So much for sleeping in.
Cala Mondragó
Ikos describes its dining as “a premium gastronomic experience created by Michelin-star chefs.” The reality—nowhere close.
A major issue was the lack of management presence in the restaurants. No one leading the floor, no one checking service, just staff doing their best without direction.
One waiter took our order, then another came minutes later to do the same, and then a third…
Coffee in the morning only appeared after we had given up asking.
Restaurant Dining by the Sea
The others, including Dining by the Sea (DBS and Season are only for Deluxe guests), were mostly disappointing. Most dishes felt prefabricated and the service was inconsistent. Most dishes felt prefabricated, and service inconsistent.
Anaya, the “Asian” restaurant, had nothing in common with Thai food. Service was sluggish, the food even worse. Probably the worst spring rolls we ever had.
And that Michelin-starred chef they proudly advertise at Anaya? She is not Michelin-starred at all. Just another glossy brochure myth.
The Market buffet was chaos at breakfast. Not from guests or children, but staff. Plates slammed, cutlery thrown into bins, chairs dragged instead of lifted. More lunch canteen than luxury resort.
Michelin-starred marketing, but not on the plate.
Also at the Market, dinner, bone-dry pork and lamb skewers were “refreshed” by pouring water into the pan. A buffet trick that fools no one. Lazy, and it dries the meat even more.
Our final night we had dinner at Season sealed it. My fillet came with a parsnip purée that tasted of regret, a portion fit for a dollhouse.
My wife’s chicken samosa from the kids’ menu contained an actual chicken bone. She spat it out. That was that. A fitting end to the week.
What puzzled us even more were the prices printed in the restaurant and wine menus. Everything is included, so why list them at all? Maybe it is marketing psychology, maybe legal compliance or just a gentle reminder of how much better you could have eaten elsewhere.
Many guests, we later learned, gave up and went to Porto Petro or Cala d’Or instead. Sensible move.
Ikos proudly promotes “more than 300 local & international wine labels selected by the Ikos sommelier.” Sounds impressive, if you never look too closely.
Most bottles retail for under ten euros in the local supermarket, VAT included. I checked several with ChatGPT, embarrassingly cheap.
Then there is Ikos Private Cellar. It sounds grand, the kind that makes you feel special. In reality, it is budget wine with a premium story attached.
Calling it a private cellar is generous, it is more of a buy-six-pay-for-two supermarket deal.
We would happily have paid extra for better wines, but that option doesn’t exist. It is all part of the “all-inclusive luxury,” and quality clearly drew the short straw.
Check-out takes place in the villa, the day before departure, which is convenient. The only thing left to settle was the tourist tax. We were handed gifts, local salt and a bottle of olive oil with a note attached.
A nice gesture, until the bottle vanished later that evening when the maids came for turn-down service. They give, and they take back—quite literally.
The ride to the airport wasn’t the same either. Gone was the sleek Mercedes and friendly driver. Instead, a tired shuttle bus, a silent driver, with 70s music blasting from the stereo. The kind of ride that says, “You have paid, now off you go.”
Ikos Porto Petro has a strong concept. The villa was nice, the buggy service brilliant, and most staff genuinely try. But management is the weak point. Communication fails, privacy is not respected, and the food and wine do not live up to the marketing.
And perhaps the biggest disappointment of all—the complete lack of proactivity. At Ikos, you are the one chasing them. You message, you remind, you follow up. They do not. For a resort claiming five stars, that says everything.
For us, this was not five-star luxury. Not even close.
First Time
Mid September 2025
7
Resident Two-Bedroom Villa
Excellent
95%
Room service or one of the breakfast restaurants.
Do not remember, so probably fine.
No
For what it costs, you would expect five stars. We are still looking for them.
Did our review help—or miss the mark? Share your honest view below.
10 Responses
This article rings mostly true. We were not unlucky enough to have problems with the room but the majority of issues do resonate.
We appreciate your comment. It’s a shame to hear some issues seem to repeat.
Clearly, consistency is not their strong suit.
We have been 4 times to Ikos Andalucia the last being May 25 and I have to say we agree with you entirely.
First time we were impressed, it was their 2nd year of opening and it was good but since then it has all gone downhill more so lately, so much so we won’t go back.
Thanks for your comment. It does sound like a pattern rather than bad luck.
This is worrying we have been twice to IKOS BUT the Greek ones both excellent few faults, we thought about Majorca but warning signs said the Spanish operation was not as good- maybe this is the pinch point-decided for the money not to risk it so third visit will be the new one in Crete-let’s see. The only defence for IKOS I can suggest is most people will have pre booked the restaurants and your trip was last minute, the concierge should have worked harder for you though, how much capacity do you expect for let’s say 8pm, they must also have been full to not move you as moving rooms when not satisfied is very common when we have been so again strange, the private pools we have decided are rarely private unless you know where to go, in fact we do not do deluxe because of it the adult pools are nicer, so repeaters will bag the best, I believe special or specific alcohol are usually met if you had asked (well they are in Greece). The buggies do travel through or near service areas but they are clean because of the huge and obvious maintenance team – with or without a leaf blower-Just a different perspective.
Thanks for sharing your perspective. It does sound like the Greek resorts are better managed, which makes sense given how new Porto Petro is.
We booked last minute, yes, but that does not excuse the lack of follow-up or care once on-site.
We stayed in a Deluxe Two Bedroom Residence Private Pool, and an upgrade was never suggested.
Hopefully, Crete keeps closer to the Ikos standard you experienced before.
We stayed at Ikos Andalucia and to be fair we didn’t have too many issues, certainly not as many as you have listed, the staff must be better trained at that venue as they were just incredible. The big annoyance as you have mentioned is the restaurants, the app only allows you to pre book 3 nights prior to arrival so no problem there, then we tried to book our other nights on arrival (so at least three days notice) and we didn’t get one restaurant we wanted at our preferred dining time of 8pm, I wouldn’t say I’m a sommelier level wine expert but I am a WSET trained wine person so have a bette idea than most about the quality of wine I’m drinking and as you mentioned the wine is far from top drawer. Overall we enjoyed our Ikos holiday with the luxury transfers both ways lovely and we enjoyed the day out in the Tesla but I have noticed they’ve hiked up the price for the same holiday at the same time of the year in 2026 so it will be “no thanks”.
Thanks for all the feedback. Clearly, Ikos touches people in both good and bad ways.
On paper, it is a great concept, but hard to follow through in practice.
From what I have gathered, most guests seem to prefer Ikos Andalucia and the Greek resorts. For us, it was fun to try, but Ikos is not for us, we are simply not their target group.
For those who have booked, fingers crossed.
I stayed in Porto Petro in September. My experience was exceptional. The location, beaches, food, drink, service and accommodation was excellent. I will return there and to other Ikos resorts.
Glad to hear you had a good stay.