This summer holiday had been a long time coming, and we were all really excited to get away and enjoy some time together as a family. We booked our break back in 2020 – and despite COVID, lockdowns, a pregnancy, a birth and another pregnancy, we still managed to enjoy our jolly holiday together, albeit in a slightly different destination than planned!
We were originally booked to go to Cape Verde, but as I am now pregnant, we were unable to travel there. We all sat down as a family and shortlisted several hotels and destinations, and although there were seven of us going, we all unanimously decided that Kos was the perfect destination, and TUI MAGIC LIFE Marmari Palace was the hotel we chose to spend our week’s break in.
Getting There
We decided to fly from Doncaster Sheffield Airport, which is about an hour and a half away from where we live. Being a relatively small airport in comparison to the likes of Manchester and Birmingham, we thought there’d be smaller queues and fewer delays which was ideal when travelling at 5.5 months pregnant and with a nearly one year old!
We pre-booked our parking using Holiday Extras and opted for the airport’s Meet and Greet option, which may have been the cheapest but it was definitely the best airport parking experience we’d ever had! On arriving at the airport, we followed the signs for Meet and Greet, handed in our keys to the reception and headed for the check in desks. All in all, it took around 10 minutes to unpack the car, pass our keys to the parking staff and be in the queue for check in – yup, it really was that easy!!
When we reached the departure lounge, we were informed that there was a delay for our flight, so TUI kindly offered food and drink vouchers to all affected passengers which we eagerly spent buying snacks to ensure we didn’t start feeling too peckish before boarding.
Once we boarded the aircraft, the pilot gave everyone the great news that instead of the four hour flight we were expecting, it was going to be half an hour shorter! To top it all off, once we arrived at Kos Airport and got through passport control, our bags were already coming round on the conveyor belt! Though a pretty small airport, Kos Airport was great at getting us through to our coach transfer as quickly as possible, we were so pleased.
The Hotel
After a quick coach transfer, only around 15 minutes, we arrived at our hotel – the beautiful TUI MAGIC LIFE Marmari Palace by Atlantica. We got there during the early hours, and the hotel had made up some packed lunches for us all which was a lovely surprise.
The next morning we all got up bright and early, after only a couple of hours of sleep, so we could explore the hotel, and we weren’t disappointed… the place was huge. The main building was home to rooms perfect for couples, the Magico buffet restaurant, the Wunderbar (which is open 24 hours!), the coffee house and one of the speciality restaurants, the Flavour. There’s also a whole host of other buildings throughout the 5,000 square metre plot which are home to the family friendly rooms.
Heading outside, you’re greeted by the most amazing view of the main activity pool which is where all the action is! We managed to find sun loungers each morning pretty easily, despite it being the most happening place in the hotel. The hotel also has towels which you’re available to hire, meaning you don’t need to take up much space in your case by bringing one from home. The main pool boasts a swim up bar and a poolside snack bar, so you don’t need to head indoors if you get hungry or thirsty!
The main pool is where all the fun is, and throughout the day the hotel’s activity team hosts fun group games and activities for people who want to get involved. If you’d rather watch from the sidelines like we did, it’s definitely a great laugh.
Birthday Celebrations
The day we travelled was my brother in law’s birthday, so it was really important to us all that we planned a nice surprise for him the next day. Before we travelled, I got in touch with the hotel to ask if we could pre-book a meal for us all at one of the speciality restaurants, the Greek Taverna. The hotel team were super helpful, and confirmed that everything was arranged for the Monday evening.
When we arrived at the restaurant, it was more special than we could ever have imagined. We were seated right on the beach in a beautiful al fresco setting, and the hotel had tied balloons to our table and chairs. We were then given a complimentary bottle of champagne to help celebrate, and it was lovely to clink our glasses as the sun was setting on the beach.
After our amazing meal, our very friendly waiter brought over a handmade cake with ‘Happy Birthday Declan’ written on the board and a bright sparkler bursting from the top. This was a perfect start to our holiday and was an evening we’ll never forget.
Beautiful Boat Trip
We sat down with the TUI rep at our hotel and went through a range of different excursions that we could book and we chose a boat trip which we arranged for our last full day. We were picked up from outside the hotel in the morning by a coach, and taken to the nearby town of Mastichari where our boat was waiting for us in the harbour.
We boarded a quaint fishing style boat and took our seats, ready to set sail to our first stop – the island of Kalimnos. When we reached the port, we were given a lunch ticket to grab some food at a tasty local restaurant and we had time to wander around a little to take in our surroundings. The town was very Grecian and the locals were very friendly! We also had the chance to visit a sponge factory with the group, but we decided to grab some ice cream instead as it was so warm!
Next stop was Paralia Vlichadia, a small town further down the coast of Kalymnos island. When the boat pulled up here, we all got the chance to head down to the pebbly beach and take a dip in the crystal clear water. It was a bit chilly at first but once you got used to it, it was so relaxing and just what we needed to cool down in the heat!
Last stop before heading back to Mastichari was the uninhabited island of Nera. This was the spot where people could jump off the boat into the sea if they wanted to have another swim. There were some ladders on each side of the boat to help people back up, and this is where I climbed down for a dip. It was such a lovely day and it was great to have the chance to see some other beautiful islands during our holiday.
Wet and Wild Waterpark
For waterpark lovers, TUI MAGIC LIFE Marmari Palace by Atlantica is in the perfect spot. You’ll find Lido Waterpark just across the road, and there’s no need to pre-book, you can just grab a ticket when you get there. Doors open at 10am and we were there bright and early to make the most of our day.
Though not a huge waterpark, there were still lots of slides and pools to enjoy. The wave pool was a great spot – the depth of the pool was on a gradient, meaning you could easily step in at the shallow end and walk in as deep as you wanted. The lazy river was also so much fun, with plenty of rubber rings waiting at the side so you could float along on them peacefully.
Though I couldn’t go on any of the slides, it was so much fun to watch my boyfriend and his brothers go whizzing down them. There were plenty to choose from – a space bowl, multilane race slide, the black hole and many more!
Exploring the Island
Due to the size of the island, it doesn’t take too long to get from one side to the other on Kos. It’s really easy to get around too thanks to the great bus route and frequent taxis! During our stay we decided to explore the island as much as possible, and headed to Kos Town, Mastichari and Paradise Beach.
Kos Town was definitely the life and soul of the party – we visited one evening for dinner and as we were wandering the streets, we were passed by a large group of young adults on a bar crawl! After dinner at one of the harbour-front restaurants, we had a look in some of the shops and found some beautiful baby clothes. We picked up a little dress for the baby (we’re expecting a girl!) and the lovely shop keeper also gave us an evil eye charm as a gift of good luck.
Mastichari was a much sleepier spot than Kos Town but we heard the restaurants were a must-visit so we just had to go! We found a place called Vios nestled down one of the town’s four main streets and it was a great find. The food was delicious, and the staff were so friendly – I’d definitely recommend you try there if you’re visiting Mastichari.
On one of the days, the lads decided they wanted to hunt out a spot to do some watersports, and Paradise Beach came highly recommended. Though a pretty quiet spot along the south coast, it was the perfect spot for an adrenaline fix if that’s what you’re looking for. There was so much to try, including jet skiing, paragliding, flyfish, crazy sofa, pedalos, waterskiing, and wakeboarding.
A Holiday To Remember
Kos was such a great destination to visit, and we loved our family holiday there. If you enjoy a resort style hotel with an abundance of activities and facilities, then TUI MAGIC LIFE Marmari Palace by Atlantica is definitely the spot for you.
If you’re interested in booking your next family break to Kos, then check out our fantastic deals!
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