Atlantica Magic Life Marmari Palace

The service was attentive and professional, and the specialty restaurants were a little better than the rest. We still enjoyed our trip, mostly because we explored other places in Kos. We chose this hotel after a great stay at TUI Magic Life Masmavi in Turkey and expected a similar level, but this one was far worse. The food was a huge letdown. I came to Greece hoping for good Greek cooking, but even the yogurt at breakfast, with about five varieties, didn’t taste like authentic Greek yogurt to me. In Prague I can buy cheap yogurt at Albert supermarket, or Greek yogurt for three times the price, and even the cheapest Albert yogurt is much better than what the hotel served. Lots of other dishes were dry and bland too, including tzatziki, meat, fish, and eggs. At first I thought maybe I’d misremembered Greek food, but meals in Zia and Kos town tasted just as delicious as I remembered. The problem was this hotel. The drinks were poor as well. Cola, wine, Sprite, and even water had a strange taste. The wine smelled awful, and the cola tasted like it had been left in the sun for a month. It doesn’t matter if there are ten restaurants and hundreds of dishes when the quality is this low. The hotel itself didn’t feel like a true five-star resort, and the rooms need renovating. There wasn’t any shampoo in our room, just cheap shower gel like you’d find in a public WC. The parties were disappointing too. They asked for our music preferences, then played only mainstream songs and ignored our choices. The seaside also needed more frequent cleaning during the day, as it was constantly full of sea grass. For families on a limited budget it might work. For everyone else, especially couples, I’d stay away unless you adore German children and don’t mind bad food.

The staff were fantastic, friendly, and clearly wanted everyone to have a great time. There are brilliant pools, lots of sunbeds by the pools and on what feels like a private beach, plus plenty of sports and kids’ clubs. It’s a great choice for families with younger or older children. The rooms were clean and great, and the scenery is stunning. The food was excellent, with lots of options, better than any 4-star Tui we’ve visited. We didn’t get tired of the usual buffet by day four, and the hot weather brought plenty of flies. They were everywhere, and this is why the hotel loses a star. I expected Tui to put fly screens or insect killers by the restaurants, bars, or food huts, but didn’t see any. Food was uncovered in the food truck, with flies crawling over the salad, and flies were going in and out of open alcohol bottles at the pool bar. It’s no surprise some people came down with stomach bugs. If you keep an eye out and avoid those areas, you should be fine and have a great holiday. It’s definitely not a five-star hotel, and it’s very isolated. I’d recommend renting a car for the week, about €250 for a medium or large car, so you can visit places like Zia, Flamingo Beach, Paradise beach, and other towns. There are buses, but a car gives you more freedom. Driving around Kos is easier than back home, with a 50Kmh speed limit and not many cars on the road. Tui Magic also lacked entertainment, though perhaps we were there out of season. Tui didn’t mention the lack of entertainment in October, and even the reps were only around occasionally, so it wasn’t the all-day entertainment we’re used to. The weather was mixed, pleasant when cloudy, but really hot when the sky was clear, even at 25 degrees. A beautiful hotel and beach, with clean, great rooms, lovely pools, and a perfect Kos getaway.

The sandy beach was gorgeous, with shallow blue water, and there were so many pools and places to spread out across the site. This was our first all-inclusive holiday, and we were impressed with the main buffet. There was plenty to choose from, and my vegetarian husband always found something different. There also seemed to be lots of vegan choices. With a toddler, we relied on the snack bars for lunch, but still found some variety around the resort. Our double room with a single sofabed was spacious, clean, modern, and comfortable. The hotel felt luxurious and up to date. The staff were wonderful, friendly, and worked incredibly hard. A fantastic family holiday. I’d highly recommend it!

Our favorite meal was at the Italian, where the food and staff really stood out. We also loved the daytime snacks, often choosing them over a formal lunch. The main restaurant had an incredible range, and we never went hungry. There were endless drinks at the bars, and the friendly team would make things that weren’t on the menu, including a perfect Espresso Martini. With so many pools and activities, deciding how to spend the day was the hardest part. The beach was beautiful too, and the day and evening entertainment was high quality and kept everyone, across all ages, busy. For a trip into town, we took the convenient local bus to Kos Town. If you’re going, download the TUI Magic Life app to book activities, and don’t miss White Night on a Thursday. This was our first big family holiday, with a 5-year-old and a 1-year-old, and the 11 nights at TUI MAGIC LIFE Marmari Palace felt magical from the start. The staff were incredibly accommodating when we stepped off the coach, welcoming us with arrival drinks. Our five-year-old got a scrapbook and colouring pens, which was a thoughtful touch. Check-in was smooth, staff walked us to our room, and our luggage came by buggy. The personal service made the resort feel like home. Huge thanks to Kostas, who made the holiday magical and will always be remembered by our 5-year-old; Maria, who was so kind to our daughter and gave her the cherished mirror; Eleni, who could always make our 1-year-old smile; Kalopi, for her welcoming smile; Giuly, for working hard and bringing drinks proactively; and the daytime and nighttime pool bar staff, especially Sushmita and Dalijus, for the lovely chats. Thank you all so much! xx We can’t recommend the hotel enough. It really has everything everyone needs, and if you’re considering it, book it now. You won’t regret it.