Rhodes - Beaches and Hotels. But not only...
Orientations in Rhodes
Rhodes Town is located at the north tip of the island. The old town and the Rhodes port are popular tourist attractions, and the new city is mostly shopping.
Hotels are spread all around the island, but Faliraki on the east and Ixia on the west are more popular areas. Faliraki has a beautiful sea shore, with restaurants, bars, authentic taverns, clubs, shops and supermarkets. There are several fantastic beaches for spending the days, and the Rhodes aqua park is near by. Faliraki area is recommended for accommodation, and the one drawback is the 20-30 minutes ride to Rhodes Town.
A drive to Lindos would take less than an hour. Most tourists do not visit the far south part of the island, because of the driving distance from Rhodes city.
Attractions in Rhodes Town
The Old Town and Rhodes port
The streets of the old town are beautiful to walk on and enjoy. Specifically don’t miss the fantastic Street Of The Knights. In this street resides the Palace of the Grand Master of Knights of Rhodes. There is also a nice path to walk around the city wall, which is very comfortable walk for all ages. In the Old Town is also the main night life of the island, and it’s fun to walk around at night and visit the pubs and clubs.
The Aquarium
This aquarium is rather small, but still it’s much fun for children. A special attraction is petting star fish.
Shopping in the new district
There is a main street with shops and brands (Zara, Pull&Bear, etc.), with plenty of restaurants and coffee shops. The prices are mid range.
Jumbo shop
Jumbo is a huge shop with really cheap prices for the house and the kids. Also souvineer are cheap here, compared to the city booths. You can find here everything, including toys, house accessories, chocolate, and more.
Casino
Entrance fee is 6 Euro, and drinks are for free if you play. Parking is also free of charge. Entrance is over 21, with passports.
Night Club
Colorado is the primary club for party seekers. The time to arrive is about midnight. At midnight, the club opens the second floor. The first floor for live music, and second floor dancing music. There are also many good pubs and places to sit in the same street.
Bar Cafe
Ono-bar, in Rhodes city, is open 8:30am in the morning for coffee and breakfast, until 12pm for coctails and drinks.
Attractions in the island of Rhodes
Lindos
Lindos is a small village with white houses, narrow streets, restaurants, shops, and souvenirs shops. Near Lindos, the famous acropolis of Lindos archaeological site, with a fantastic view. The entrance is 12 Euros for adults. During the tourists season, the place is overly crowded with tourists buses, and it is very hot. Climbing to the site is not pleasant in the hot summer noon, even though you may catch a ride on a donkey. Bottom line, you would probably avoid the climb, if it wasn’t for the great view… By the way, if you can arrive early in the morning, before 9am, it will be a much better experience, without the crowd and the hot weather. Another way to avoid the heat is to arrive in the afternoon.
The near by beach is sandy and pleasant, with calm sea and water as clear as a swimming pool. Very convenient for families and kids. In July and August, around 9am, the beach is still empty and wild, but at around 10am the beach will be full and crowded. There are may boats and kayaks for rent. The recommended parking lot is parking no. 2, close to the beach.
Ktima Lindos is a restaurant with grill menu during the day, and a gourmet menu at night. The restaurant’s visitors can use the local swimming pool for free, but there is a charge for chairs.
Rhodes Hotels
A node for dressing code for men: in some of the hotels, at dinner, long pants and closed shoes are mandatory. For your information.
Some of the hotels offer food all inclusive. When the food is good, this is a good deal, but when the food is not so good, then it is really not recommended.
Mitsis Grand Hotel
All inclusive hotel. Located in Rhodes city, just across the beach. It is close to the casino, few minutes walk to the aquarium, and 10 minutes walk to Rhodes old city. A high class hotel. Besides the regular dining room, there are four restaurants which serve different kinds of food (Mexican, hamburgers, Greece, deserts), and it is all without extra charge. And there are also exclusive restaurants inside the hotel, Asian and Italian, without extra charge, but reservation in advance in mandatory. The hotel has three swimming pools, including one indoor pool (but not heated). The water in the swimming pools are quite cold. The service is good. Drinks are also free of charge. The room has a mini-bar with drinks and beer. One down side of this hotel, are the old fashion rooms, and it’s a big minus. Pool towels cost money to rent, and you may just buy towels outside the hotel for the same price…
Olympic Palace Hotel
The hotel has two big swimming pools, and the temperature of the water is just fine, unlike other hotels with freezing water. Beach is close by across the road, with sun shades and chairs. The rooms are luxury. There are two kind of rooms: view to the sea or view to the mountains. The rooms with the sea view are larger. It is recommended to pay for a sea view, preferably in a high floor. The food has great variety, but it is too oily (like in may hotels in Rhodes…). If you take the all inclusive deal, it means eating the same food all the time. Taking just two meals a day is sometimes better. It is recommended to arrive to dinner at an early hour, where everything is still hot and nice looking. Drive to the city would take 10 minutes, with a public bus. The bus stop is just near the hotel. There is dressing code for dinner – no flipflops or swimming suits. Just near the hotel there is a nice restaurant called Romeo, with good deals.
La Marquise Luxury Resort Complex
A great hotel, well maintained and clean. Huge rooms, tasty food with a large variety, open spaces, private beach within a few minute walk. There is also a shuttle to the beach. Kids have a clubs, mini-golf, and basketball and tennis courts. Many pools are all around, so even when the hotel is fully booked, the atmosphere is relaxed and calm. There are villa rooms just on the pool. The public bus stop is near the hotel, and a ride to Rhodes city would take 15 minutes. The hotel is super popular, so booking is needed a few months in advance.
Mitsis Alila Resort and Spa
Highly recommended. Good food in several restaurants, all included. There is a main dining room, and also hamburger restaurant, Greek restaurant, Italian restaurant, Asian restaurant, sea food restaurant and Mexican restaurant. There are also several bars and sweet corners. Booking in advance is mandatory for the restaurants, and the best time to book would be as soon as you arrive at the hotel. There is a main swimming pool and also a children pool with water slides. The hotel has a private beach with chairs and shades. The rooms are big and luxury, including free mini-bar and a coffee place. The distance to Rhodes city is 15 minutes ride, even though with such a great hotel there is not really a reason to go anywhere else at all…
Sheraton Rhodes Resort
A luxury high class hotel. Four swimming pools. They thought of everything, and there isn’t really anything missing. Food is good and the service fantastic. There is a children club. Prefer high floor room if you can, because the view is nicer than in the lower floors. View to the sea is extra charge, but it is worth it. Near the hotel there are shops, supermarket, travel agencies etc. Visit to Rhodes city is by car or other transportation. Drinks in the evening cost extra charge, including water. The spa is extra charge. There is a private beach, clean and organized.
Elysium Resort & Spa
A rather expensive hotel, but you get what you pay for. It is even better than Sheraton. The hotel and the swimming pool and beautiful, and the beach is clean and organized. Breakfast and dinner are included, and the food is quite good. The rooms are with a sea view. There is a very good restaurant in the hotel, called Fresh, for lunch, which is not included.
Ibiscus Hotel
Great hotel, great service, food is basic and fine. The hotel location is at the very center, few minutes walk from the casino and the port. The swimming pool is small, but the sea is only one minute walk, and it is as much fun as a swimming pool.
Rodos Palace Hotel
A huge popular hotel. The food and dishes sometimes get complaints, but the variety is huge. The hotel would make a whole fish in aluminium foil and whole vegetables in the oven, for Kosher meals. The pool is compelling. The rooms are fine, but a bit old. There is also a new section, with better rooms. Wifi is available only in the lobby and outside, and not in the rooms. But there is a line Ethernet connection in the wall, so you may bring your own Ethernet cable and connect. Public bus is only 10 minutes to Rhodes city, and the bus stop is close by. In the area outside the hotel there are restaurants and taverns with live music, so riding to the city is not necessary for going out. There is a dressing code in the evening, but practically, it is not enforced. Just across the hotel there is a restaurant called Romeo, with good food – so there are alternatives to the dinning room.
Electra Palace
The hotel has a dinning room plus three more restaurants: Italian, Asian and Greek. It is recommended to book all inclusive, and then also the restaurants are included in the deal. The food in the dining room is not the best, so once a day you are allowed to book a place in a restaurant. The sevice is good. In the pool area there are various types of sweets and cocktails, also in the evening. The hotel is located at Ialyssos beach, 10 minutes ride from Rhodes city and from the airport. Children has a playground to stay in. A free mini-bar in the room.
Atrium Platinum Resort & Spa
Amathus Beach Hotel
High quality hotel, with good service and good food. Same level as Sheraton. The rooms are quite old, and this is the main down side. But they are big. There are four fantastic swimming pools, and a private beach with chairs and towels. There is also a spa. It is recommended to ask for a room with a view to the sea. The fitness room and sauna are without charge, but the spa is extra charge. The hotel is 15 minutes ride from Rhodes city. In the 11th floor there are upgraded bungalow rooms around a pool. These rooms are more expensive but better.
Lindos Imperial Resort
A huge hotel area, with water park and slides inside the hotel. This is the place to arrive and stay. 10 minutes from Lindos town. There is an old section in the hotel, and the new section is much better.
Romantic Hotels for Couples
Sheraton Hotel is great, but please note it is not a boutique hotel.
La Marquize is recommended, and high class.
Elisium is quite, luxury and compelling.
Amateus has the upgraded Bungalows rooms.
Atrium Platinum has the food, the room, the service – all is perfect. But it costs more. There are also suites with a swimming pool.
Mitsis Petit – if you look for a place close to the center, but still quiet.
Sentido Ixian Grand – Adults only hotel. A room with a sea view is obviously better. There is also a section in the hotel with suites and private pools. It is more expensive than the average hotel, but worth it. There is a separate dinning room for the suites, with chef meals in the evening and a romantic breakfast with a view. The spa includes a heated pool, but with extra charge. There is free parking and a supermarket close by. Rooms with a view to the garden are a bit cheaper.
Restaurants and Taverns in Rhodes
Mimakos is located four kilometers south of Faliraki. Good local food and crazy live music on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It is very noisy on these live shows days, but that’s the whole point… It is recommended to arrive before 9pm.
Little Italy in Rhodes city has great Italian food. Another Italian restaurant in the city, with a large variety of excellent dishes is IL Forno.
As for Kosher food in Rhodes, there is Chabad house, located at Stratigou Griva 71 Rhodes. You can find it in Waze navigation app. They offer kosher meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and also an option for take away. Friday night dinner is 30 Euro, and you need to reserve a table. They offer both meat and fish.
In the old city of Rhodes, Mama Mika offers good food, and Mama Sofia is a great fish restaurant.
For meat lovers, Stavlos would be just perfect. A bit expensive though.
Mavrikos used to be a chef restaurant, but not sure if the chef is still there. Still, worth a visit.
Transportation
Most visitors just come to rest and enjoy the beach and the sun. If that’s the purpose, then one trip to Rhodes with a public bus or a taxi, one day at the water park, and a day cruise to Lindos – and you have the perfect vacation.
On the other hand, if you want to tour the island and the various attractions, then a car is a must. Taxi would be very expensive. You may book a car in advance in rentalcars.com, or be spontaneous and rent via a local agency.
Tips
- Rhodus airport duty free shops are quite expensive, so better buy stuff elsewhere.
- Calling a taxi by phone is extra charge of 2-3€. And Taxi is already expensive as is.
- An hotel close to the city has the advantage of walking on foot to the city and avoiding the daily transportation.
- Renting a car is the recommended way of touring the island. Taxi will be more expensive. The navigation is very easy, and parking is free in most places.
- A local SIM for the smartphone is available everywhere, and it is very cheap
- There were cases in the past that Olympic Palace hotel was overbooked, and families were transferred to Rhodes Palace.
- The weather in Rhodes is typical Mediterranean weather. July-August is hot, but the best.