The Vibe: Inspired by the Greek parea – a gathering of friends – OKU Kos is an adult-only, beach hideaway and summer escape for like-minded people to come together.

The Area: OKU Kos is located directly on the beach on the north coast of this Dodecanese island, made famous by Hippocrates, father of Western medicine.

The DNA: The ” barefoot luxury” hotel has been designed to resemble a traditional Greek village, with its medley of one- and two-storey villas grouped around gardens and patios and built in the classic cubist style distinctive to the Aegean islands. Interiors are cool and sparsely furnished, with polished, pale grey concrete surfaces offset by warm woods, feature wickerwork and rattan. The hotel’s indoor-outdoor dining hub by the pool with a bar and lounging areas serves nourishing farm-to-fork meals (including vegan and gluten-free options). Chef Michalis Chondrobilas is passionately involved with local farms, whose produce he turns into delightful dishes in his open kitchen. The open-air, unheated freshwater pool has beckoning turquoise waters, pillowy day-beds lining the deck and frilly thatch parasols and a pavilion to provide shade. At the beach more sun loungers are available. There is a small spa with indoor, heated pool. Treatments use all-natural treatments, including those grown onsite and approved by the resident herbalist.

Suite-Me-Up: The spacious rooms and suites are distributed between groups of minimalist, one- and two-storey small houses. Large terraces extend into private outdoor space or courtyards with shared pools. For the full this-is-my-life-now experience, choose one of OKU’s three villas. They have the same stylish look as all the rooms, but come with a private pool, a terrace a group can spread out on, and a separate lounge.

✅ free Wi-Fi • size matters: 100 rooms, suites & villas (32-100m2) (344-1,076 sq ft) • hotel opened: 2017 (formerly Casa Cook) • architecture Mastrominas ARChitecture • interior design: Annabell Kutucu, Michael Schickinger • bathroom amenities: Meraki ✅ free on-site parking • no pets allowed • 24-hour front desk • adult-only: 16 year and older • seasonal hotel: open April to November