Casa Cook Rhodes is situated in the peaceful and dramatic mountain lined area of Kolymbia and is a short taxi ride away from the busier resort of Falraki. As we approached the retreat along a dirt track I was a little apprehensive about what to expect but as the taxi pulled into the hotel any worries were quickly alleviated. The open plan lounge/chill out area, awash with stylish, modern and perfectly laid out furniture with chilled and mellow vibes playing in the background greeted us, accompanied by our Casa Cook host who took care of our luggage and showed us to  the bar and brought us a welcome drink as we waited for our room. The bar, like the lounge area, is outdoors with the walls having wide open sections that framed the mountainous views to the right and the glistening sun drenched pool to the left. After a heavy night the day before I opted for a liquorice tea to settle my hangover and then delved into my book, soaking up the peaceful surroundings, whilst waiting for our room to be prepared.

Our host soon returned (this time in a golf buggy) and whisked us off no more than 150 yards to our room, pointing out the key information and areas of the hotel en route. We had a Double Standard room with premium terrace and sharing pool which meant a bigger private veranda containing a plethora of seating, sun loungers inset into a decked area that jetted out into the pool, a woven hammock and two white Acapulco chairs. First impressions of the terrace were WOW! I would have been quite happy to spend my entire time just chilling there, soaking up the sun and chilled vibes. Equally as impressive was the room – each room has a nomadic inspiration, with soft earthy grey and warm white walls which compliment the natural and dyed jute accessories creating a bohemian feel. The wood effect plank tiles that flow through the room and out to the veranda is textured with natural jute rugs, and the natural jute theme continues in both the cushions, scattered across the crisp white bed, and the baskets, used to store your pool towels and any other bits you may want to take to the main pool area. The bathroom was open plan with large glass doors partitioning off a shower cubicle and a toilet. Situated in the middle of these large glass panels was a gloss white vanity unit with a bowl sink.

Having familiarised ourselves with the resort we settled into our room for a relaxing afternoon spent reading in the hammock, lounging on the sun beds and regular breaks to cool off in the pool. Feeling suitably relaxed and a little peckish we headed over to the ‘Kitchen Club’, the Casa Cook restaurant. The restaurant runs alongside the pool to the right of the bar, with the three social points merging seamlessly to one sociable hub. The restaurant has a warm feel as the soft lighting bounces off the polished concrete floors and the room has a dominating floor to ceiling wall of black wooden shelves which are accessorised with stone. The room is brightened with a large tiled tropical mural the covers a whole wall to the back of the restaurant, the same tiles are used in the reception behind the desk.

Having browsed the extensive menu, we settled on ordering a couple of dishes to share between us, opting for a stifado stew of slow cooked beef in a red wine sauce with cinnamon and nutmeg, as well as mixed grill comprising of local meat, tzatziki and grilled pitta bread. TIP: if I was to reorder i would not of ordered another dish alongside the grill as its VERY BIG! Feeling full and with no room left for pudding we retreated to the bar for a french earl grey before bed – delicious.

The next morning we woke early, feeling incredibly refreshed from a comfortable night sleep, and drew back the curtains, allowing the sun to flood in through the floor to ceiling glazed wall, before strolling across to breakfast. And WOW, what a breakfast it was! The central concrete banquet table was laden with earthenware bowls overflowing with fresh fruit, pastries, cereals and juices. The dark shelves had also been transformed to house hot beverages and a hatch to reveal a kitchen serving freshly cooked eggs and meats.

To sum up my stay, I’d say Casa Cook is definitely a place that will leave you feeling tranquil, relaxed, but also a little sad when you eventually have to leave. I couldn’t find a fault with the resort and can’t stop telling people about it as everyone has to go! I’m really excited for this Thomas Cook concept and will definitely have to try the Kos resort next year! if you have already been i would love to hear about it.