Mediterranean All-Inclusive Showdown: Club Med Cefalù, Sicily vs. Ikos Porto Petro, Mallorca

Ikos Porto Petro

Ikos Porto Petro sits on Mallorca’s southeast coast, overlooking two tranquil coves. Whitewashed, newly refurbished buildings cascade down the hillside, housing modern contemporary suites and villas with spacious terraces and high-end design. The resort offers both adults‑only and family pools, a small beach, and beautifully landscaped gardens and walking paths.

Ikos Porto Petro beach

• Dining and drinks: Ikos Porto Petro sets the bar high with five restaurants and multiple bars, emphasizing à la carte service and local flavors without skimping on variety, including the Greek and pan-Asian restaurants that are staples in all Ikos resorts. A dine-out program also invites guests to sample one of two nearby restaurants at no extra cost. Menus are extensive and well curated, and service is impeccable and always obliging.

Ikos Porto Petro restaurant

• Service and inclusions: Service is another area where Ikos delivers. Staff in reception, housekeeping, dining, spa, and sports departments are polished and proactive, delivering the level of attention expected at luxury hotels. Also, room service, daily mini‑bar replenishment, and 24‑hour concierge service are standard features, unlike most all-inclusives.

Ikos Porto Petro swimming pool

• Activities: Here, the focus continues to be on choice and quality. With complimentary e-bikes, pristine tennis and padel courts, non-motorized water sports, and a daily wellness program, there is clearly plenty of variety. A kids’ club runs supervised activities for younger guests. It is all part of the package. One of my favorite activities was the complimentary use of the fitness and spa area, comprising a spacious gym, sauna, steam room, and indoor swimming pool. Finally, guests are encouraged to venture outside the resort on easy-to-moderate coastal hikes and bike rides, and can even benefit from the complimentary use of a brand-new Tesla car for a whole day (per room/per stay).

• Atmosphere: Evenings at Ikos are refined rather than rowdy, with live music, stylish lounges, and gentle socializing. The overall vibe is one of understated luxury and tranquillity.

Ikos Porto Petro sea view

Club Med Cefalù

Perched on top of a rocky cape, Club Med Cefalù commands spectacular views of the beautiful bay and medieval village of Cefalù, both of which featured on Season 2 of The White Lotus. Being located right in the middle of an area of outstanding natural beauty meant that Club Med had to be especially respectful of its surroundings, and they delivered with an unusual but elegant layout, with villas and small bungalows surrounded by beautiful Mediterranean flora, creating a low-impact footprint that respects the natural landscape.

Club Med Cefalù beach

• Location and heritage: Few brands know how to pick a site like Club Med. With nearly 70 resorts worldwide and 75 years of history, it has consistently secured spectacular locations. Cefalù’s cliff‑top setting is a prime example. And in fact, Ikos Porto Petro occupies the very site of the original Club Med village that operated there until the early 2000s. Another case in point is Club Med Cancún, one of the first hotels to open in the area, and one of the better-located ones still to this day.

Club Med Cefalù villettas

• Camaraderie and activities: Another distinctive feature of Club Med Cefalù, one that it shares with all other Club Med resorts, is the promotion of social interaction among guests, as well as between guests and staff. And a key component of this ethos is the emphasis they put on leisure activities and sports, with daily complimentary collective lessons in tennis, sailing, kayaking, fitness, and archery. Guests are actively encouraged to get to know each other and make friends. While I did find this to be slightly overwhelming the first time I experienced it 20 years ago, this sense of community is now one of the main reasons why I keep going back to Club Med.

• Service and inclusions: The resort’s all-inclusive package covers, along with all the leisure activities listed above, meals and drinks at the buffet, beach, and speciality restaurants throughout the day, including champagne after 6 pm. However, only the speciality restaurant offers true à la carte dining (subject to reservation), while the beach restaurant has a limited lunch menu. While the food at Club Med is always good and varied, Ikos resorts win, hands down, in terms of choice and quality. Minibar provisions at Club Med are sparse and not standard in all room categories. Finally, service in general can feel less polished and less personal than at Ikos.

• Facilities: This being a relatively new resort, rooms and villettas are elegant, spacious, and tastefully decorated. However, the hillside layout can be challenging for guests with mobility issues (golf carts are available). The rocky beach is small and difficult to access, but strikingly beautiful, with crystal-clear water. There is also a saltwater pool with panoramic sea views, a well-equipped gym, and a Sothys-branded spa. The resort is within walking distance of the main sandy public beach of the village of Cefalù.

Club Med Cefalù swimming pool

It is important to note that in recent years, Club Med has developed a two-tier system with the so-called Exclusive Collection concept, which applies applies to either entire resorts, such as Cefalù, or to designated areas within the resort. This provides exclusive access and catering to those in search of a more elevated experience, at considerable extra cost. In the case of Club Med Cefalù, the Exclusive Collection tag tends to refer more to the location and young age of the resort rather than to any special service features that the resort has to offer.

Club Med Cefalù village views

The Fora difference

Having stayed at most of the roughly 70 Club Med resorts and many Ikos properties, I can help you navigate the nuances between these brands and match the right resort to your holiday style. As a Fora Advisor, I can also secure complimentary airport transfers (to and from the airport), complimentary room upgrades (subject to availability), and early check-in and late check-out (subject to availability) at Ikos resorts.

Ikos Porto Petro offers a refined take on the all‑inclusive model, combining luxury amenities with authentic local character. Its rates are higher than Club Med, but the superior quality of rooms, dining, and service justify the premium. The brand is clearly proving popular, and it continues to expand, with the new resort of Kissamos in Crete set to open in May next year.

Club Med Cefalù offers one of the most rounded, consistent, and accessible premium all-inclusive experiences, backed by a network of over 70 resorts worldwide, along with new openings—such as the upcoming South Africa resort set to open in July 2026. The fact that they are celebrating their 75th anniversary this year is yet a another clear sign of their success.

Ultimately, the choice comes down to whether you prefer Ikos’s understated luxury or Club Med’s sociable energy; both offer memorable ways to experience Mediterranean beauty.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Europe page.