So far we’d required that first full day to recover from drinking that had necessitated not really moving at all (see: First 24 Hours At The Blue Lagoon Resort, Kos) and had followed that up with a walk along the Kos shoreline and a little exploration of Kos Town on our second full day. With options somewhat limited at the time of year we were travelling and the global situation with Covid we took the decision to make our week on this Greek island one of alternating days in the resort with days in the nearby town. That seemed like the best way to ensure the short break didn’t get too boring – though boring is good when you’re just looking to relax, of course – and so full day three was a planned stay around the Blue Lagoon Resort kind of day.
We took a slightly more circuitous route to breakfast which meant we got to see a view of the resort’s swimming pool from a new angle. Well, you’ve got to add to that experiential count any which way you can. It had been fairly windy every day so far and this was already shaping up to be the windiest of all.
After breakfast we took a walk outside the resort and across the wide but generally empty road to the north in order to see the sea from the ostensibly private beach belonging to the Blue Lagoon.
There was nothing preventing anyone not from the hotel complex getting onto this area of land but there was not a lot else in terms of construction nearby either, and there is plenty of public beach either side. The beach here was accessed down a plastic/wooden walkway partly-sheltered by trees to one side. Portable toilets were present should they be needed and the beach itself contained fixed loungers and parasols for close to a hundred guests along with some floating platforms that looked like a lot of fun as they were buffeted by the waves. The wind was coming directly off the sea into our faces and had a chilled edge to it so we didn’t stay too long.
We spent the morning beside the pool. I tried to play around with the gimbal I’d bought along for my phone but had managed to de-calibrate it at some point and couldn’t remember how to re-calibrate it. I eventually gave up.
As for venturing into the pool… no chance. Across the few hours we were there we perhaps saw three adults get in and only then briefly. Kids seemed to tolerate the temperature better but they were on the far side of the pool in the main. The swimming pool at the Blue Lagoon Resort in Kos is very large and very attractive with a depth that varies from around waist-height to shoulder-height, but it’s not heated because of the volume of water involved and the need to have a Tokamak fusion reactor to do that cost-effectively. Take away that wind and raise that ambient temperature several degrees and you’d have a very pleasant place to swim indeed but early November in something occasionally approaching a gale didn’t quite come together to form the right conditions. We made do with reading in the sunshine in the company of each other and some soft drinks and beers.
The Blue Lagoon Resort is all-inclusive and in addition to the buffet dining for breakfast, lunch, and evening meal there are also options for included speciality dining. The number of restaurants available for booking during our quickly-extended off-season stay was down to one; that being one specialising in Asian cuisine. You have to book the restaurant using an app (you can probably do so at reception as well) and we’d tried to book as soon as we’d arrived but could only get a table for the fourth day. With that being the day after this one we thought it would be sensible for us to hunt this down since the complex was fairly large in order to know how far away it was and just when we’d have to set off for it on the following evening, so we headed off in the early afternoon to scope it out.
Reaching the restaurant was very easy. Simply stepping out onto the road beside reception we walked away from the direction of the beach for about five minutes and found it with no problem. On the way we passed well-tended greenery and clean walkways.
This part of the resort was also where some additional activities could be located, including mini-golf and a small aquapark. I imagine the latter would be very popular in the summer with the younger visitors to this part of Kos.
Our curiosity sated as to where we’d need to be the next day we made our way back. On the way to the main part of the hotel we passed a small church or chapel so if you absolutely must get in your fix of Greek orthodoxy (I guess) when you’re abroad then you’ll be fine here.
The view had been pleasant around the pool but the cold wind had been something we’d not enjoyed quite so much, but with our room having been made up by now we spent the afternoon alternating between the balcony – which was sheltered from the breeze and a regular sun-trap – and the air-conditioned room to watch some TV with just the occasional short venture down to a bar to grab something to drink and take back.
As you can see from these photos of the balcony it’s a good size. Comparing it to cruise ships – because that’s the sort of thing I do – then it doesn’t stack up well against Grand-class ships but it excels against the Royal-class design. You’ll notice that there is an ashtray on the table because smoking is permitted. We never used it, of course, because it’s a filthy, stinking habit, and I’m happy to report that we weren’t affected by anyone else doing so either. That strong wind possibly took any diseased smoke shooting across the Greek island before it could get anywhere near our nostrils.
Because of the time of year sunset was pretty early in the evening and we had another lovely view of it from our room. The day’s end also saw a reduction in the wind speed which you can see in the video below showing how strong it was early in the afternoon looking east compared to the slightly reduced strength as dusk approached.
To finish this windy day at the Blue Lagoon Resort on Kos here are a few photos of dessert for the evening and the entertainments tent (that domed structure you can see from our balcony photos). While the food in general in the buffet was okay – not brilliant; not awful – the desserts were an absolute treat every evening. It was far too easy to eat far too many of the many choices available. Entertainment at night was typically song and dance numbers and it was of a good quality if you like that sort of thing, only marginally let down by the sound system and general acoustics in the venue. Again, though, another one of those areas that are possibly far more enjoyable with more people present in warmer and more inebriated conditions. If you’re visiting in the summer with friends or family then you’ll have a good time, I’m sure. For us the entertainment was secondary to simply extending the evening out and trying some of the cocktails before retiring to bed.
In the next part of this travelogue series I’ll cover our second visit to Kos Town and a look around some more ancient ruins that we’d been unable to see on the first trip.