"We stayed at Atlantica Beach Resort, Kos from 10th July 2026, booking through TUI. We had paid extra to upgrade to a Suite, so we were really looking forward to our stay.
When we arrived at around 8:30pm, the hotel looked beautiful and we were impressed as we were shown to our room. It was on the ground floor with a lovely sea view overlooking the wedding arch. Unfortunately, our first impression quickly changed when we noticed ants everywhere.
I'm not talking about the odd few ants – there were hundreds crawling around the room. We checked outside on the patio and it was also covered in ants. I've never seen anything like it.
I went straight back to reception and explained the problem. They asked us to go for dinner and said housekeeping would sort it while we were away. A few hours later we returned, only to find the ants were still there. By this point it was getting late, so I had to go back to reception again. After a heated discussion, the staff initially tried to convince us to sleep in the room and said they would deal with it the following day. We were also told that ants are "just nature" and that the hotel's terms and conditions mention ants. I understand insects can be around in hot countries, but having hundreds of ants inside a room in what is supposed to be a 5-star hotel simply isn't acceptable.
Eventually, we were moved to another room for the night, which was lovely and, most importantly, completely ant-free. We were told it was only a temporary move and to return to reception the next morning to discuss the rest of our stay.
The following day my husband explained that we were very happy with the new room and asked if we could remain there. We were told it was an upgraded room and that it would cost an additional $200 to stay in it. We explained that we'd already paid to upgrade our original room and only needed to move because the room we had booked was uninhabitable. After some negotiation, the hotel agreed we could stay for an extra $100, which, although frustrating, we accepted because we just wanted to unpack and finally enjoy our holiday.
Once that issue was behind us, we really did have a fantastic time.
The hotel itself is beautiful, modern and spotlessly clean. The bar staff and hospitality team were absolutely amazing throughout our stay and worked incredibly hard.
The entertainment was brilliant, with something happening most days around the main pool, including aqua aerobics, pool games and activities. The evening entertainment was also really good, with karaoke, singers, acrobats and even a pool party.
We never struggled to get sunbeds, although I'd recommend getting to the pool before 10am if you want the best choice, as it does get busy.
The beach was nice, although quite stony, and the sea is also rocky, so I'd definitely recommend taking swim shoes. The pool and sea were a little cold at first but fine once you got in.
The à la carte restaurants were excellent, especially the Greek Restaurant and the Residence Restaurant, but make sure you book them as early as possible because they fill up quickly.
We also spent a day using the pool at the Residence side of the resort. It's only about a five-minute walk from the main reception and has a much quieter, more relaxing atmosphere. You can also have breakfast there, which was a lovely change.
During our stay we booked the City Island Tour, which was excellent. Our guide was fantastic and we visited Kos Town, the Asklepieion, Zia village, plus enjoyed wine and honey tasting. It was a really enjoyable day and well worth doing.
Overall, we genuinely enjoyed our holiday once everything was sorted. However, it's disappointing that it began with such a poor experience and that we ended up paying extra to stay in a room that was simply free of ants. Had the hotel dealt with the issue differently from the start, this could easily have been a five-star review. Instead, I'd give it 4/5 because, despite the rocky start, the hotel itself, the staff and the facilities were excellent."
