Stay

Below is an ever-expanding list of places to stay for the independent traveller visiting Rhodes ...those who decide not to come on a package holiday. Whilst there are obvious advantages to package holidays and I'm by no means decrying them (each to his own after all), I do as a rule suggest to all and sundry that to find the real Greece it's well worth considering constructing your own holiday consisting of flights, accommodation and transport, since the internet makes this much easier to do than it used to be.

Needless to say there will be a bias on this page towards accommodation in the South of the island, but as time passes I'll add details of other areas if and when I come across places to stay that look as though they're of a good standard. I'm not going to be adding any details on this page regarding accommodation that I really don't like the look of. Every apartment, hotel, village room or studio that appears on this page is somewhere my wife and I would have happily tried out had we been taking a holiday on Rhodes.

By and large I'll add names of accommodation in alphabetical order under areas of the island which are also listed in the same way.

But first, these may be worth checking out too:
http://visitrhodes.com/flights-to-rhodes/
http://rhodesairport.blogspot.gr/ 
Rhodes Airport Aviation News on Facebook
http://www.uk-airport-news.info/ 

• If you're thinking of hiring a vehicle...
Plus, before I start with the list, I must mention our good friend George Stylianos, who runs a modest car hire office in Pefkos. For our friends his prices are unbeatable and his service is impeccable. He'll always leave a car at the airport, often meeting your flight, and he'll usually meet you there at the end of your stay to collect it from you when you leave. George has a very good website here:

Incidentally, it's pronounced "marr-ay" as it's from the Italian for "the sea". If you do contact George, please tell him that John from Kiotari put you on to him won't you. I'm pretty sure you won't beat his price then!!! George speaks passable English too folks. On his site there is a contact page so you can make an enquiry and kick off e-mail communication with him if you make a booking.

• Getting to and from the airport...
If you're not looking to hire a vehicle but would like a cost-effective, quick and comfy way to get to and from the airport, I'd suggest you check out Impress Holidays. They also do some nice, very competitively priced excursions from the South of the island for those who'd rather not hire a vehicle while they're here. Details on that site (link above).

• Now, to the accommodation section...


Arhangelos
See "Stegna" further down the page.

Gennadi
Definitely in the "sleepy backwater" bracket, Gennadi village is a slice of the real Greece. Situated half a kilometre from a clean, sparsely populated shingle beach (where there are several beachside tavernas) Gennadi boasts lots of photogenic corners where you can wander among traditional, whitewashed houses, plus a small square around which are situated several coffee bars. It's a "working village" and tourism is very low key.


The Summer Breeze Hotel is right on the edge of the village. It's run by a young, modern Greek called Dimitris Koronios and I can't recommend it enough for true Grecophiles wanting a quiet holiday somewhere where you can walk everywhere, whether it be down to the beach or into the village. 



Ialyssos

Bedroom in Vivian Studios

Not everyone's cup of tea, but very convenient for the airport and Rhodes town. A good place to start from if you're going to explore the island in your own way. Parts of Ialyssos are very commercial and noisy, but the old village area is much more traditional and peaceful.


The Vivian Studios are located in a quiet part of the old village, not in the much more developed area along the busy main road. They are about 7km from Rhodes town and the same distance from the airport in the other direction. If you book to stay there they will happily collect you from the airport, which is a major plus-point. They appear to be modest, but of a good standard (some recent renovation has been done) and have very good free wi-fi.

Public transport into Rhodes town is only a few minutes walk away.
Vivian Studios on Tripadvisor
Email them at: vivianstudios@yahoo.com
Call Vivian (she's Greek but speaks very good English) on +30 697-408-6972



Kalathos (near Lindos)
On the coast road between Massari and Lindos, with a huge shingle beach. Very handy for visiting Lindos. There are buses along this road all the time too. The old village of Kalathos up the hill above the main road is also well worth a stroll around.

•The Daniel Luxury Apartments
If you ever stayed at the Daniel Hotel at Kalathos and wondered what happened to it, well it's been transformed into a set of really plush holiday apartments. They have a Facebook page, HERE. They also have a new website, HERE. They look very good to me!!!



Kiotari
On the coast between Lardos and Gennadi, Kiotari is often viewed by Rhodeans from the town up north as the "fillet" of Rhodes, owing to its micro-climate and the quality of the accommodation and private homes located there.

• The Ekaterini Hotel
The Ekaterini Hotel, just down the road from our place here in Kiotari is a really lovely small and friendly place and it's family-run. On Friday nights during the season they hold a very acceptable Greek Night, a laid-back affair during which family members dance, along with villagers from Asklipio, while Giannis, the Hotel's Manager, sings. He sings pretty good too. No fancy costumes, just locals having a knees up at which all-comers are welcome to join in. They usually charge a mere €5 for a buffet with souvlaki downstairs near the pool terrace, then one migrates upstairs to the bar terrace for dancing and having a drink or two under the stars.

Just the kind of place to tempt you away from all-inclusive, since a mere ten minutes walk down the lane brings you to Kiotari Beach, where you'll find a clutch of traditional tavernas and the excellent Il Porto bar-cafe, all right across the narrow road from the quiet beach.


•  Kirania Rooms/studios

These are right on the beach across the road from the recently renamed Petalas Taverna/fish restaurant. Within literally two minutes walking distance are the La Strada, Stefano's, The Pelican's Nest and the Il Porto café/restaurant. Right across the road is the very quiet beach of shingle and sand. You're more likely to be surrounded by a clutch of locals on this beach than thousands of tourists, even in the high season. It's about two hundred metres up the lane to the bus stop on the main road, where you can catch a bus to Lindos for a few Euros.



• The Paraktio Beach Apartments  

...here in Kiotari are absolutely superb, very well maintained, right on the beach and in a quiet "tdf" spot where you could be forgiven for thinking that you're miles from anywhere. They are only minutes walk from several traditional beach-side tavernas and the beaches here are never crowded, even in high season. It's hard to believe that you're only a half a mile from some quite large hotels, but you'd never know. My wife and I can see these apartments from our garden and frequently walk past them and say hello to the nice local guy who owns them.

• Pasalis Apartments

The website is HERE.

These very well-maintained family-run apartments are conveniently situated just a couple of hundred metres from the quietest "Greek" part of Kiotari beach, the place where local villagers from Asklipio turn out for a family day on the beach on most Sundays. They are also right next to the bus stop, making a trip to Lindos or up to town very easy without the need for a car during your stay.

A small clutch of traditional tavernas together with the Il Porto café/bar are all within easy walking distance for quiet evenings dining whilst watching the moonlight glistening on the Aegean Sea right in front of you. I can walk to these apartments in ten minutes from my home.



• Tselios apartments/studios

Just around the corner from the Kirania and just down the lane from the Pasalis, these are owned by Kostas, who gets a mention in chapter 4 of Moussaka to My Ears. These are lovely and what applies to the Kirania regarding the distance to the local eateries, the bus stop and the beach applies here too. 

I know I do rant on quite a lot about "the real Kiotari" but that's not only 'cos I live here. It's also because I would have spent a very good holiday here had I come in times past when searching out those perfect locations for a laid-back chill in the "real Greece".

• Villa Chevalier
Our friend and neighbour Giannis has a superb individual villa to let not a stone's throw from our own front door, here in Kiotari, called "Villa Chevalier". It's absolutely superb, with split level kitchen/lounge area inside, which looks out on to a wonderful pool terrace, in a very secluded location just 15 minutes walk from the best part of Kiotari beach, where you'll find a clutch of traditional tavernas and bars. It's the essential location for a truly Greek experience, with the emphasis on "laid back" or "Sleepy"!  Click HERE or on the photo (above right) to go the website of Villa Chevalier.


Lindos
...and surrounding area. See also "Psaltos" a bit further down.

• Nice all-round website about Lindos
http://www.exclusivelylindos.com/ 
Their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ExclusivelyLindos?fref=ts

• Lindos Destiny (a website)
Someone who has some very nice villas to let, is my close neighbour Nicola. Her company is on Facebook and has a website too. It's a nice clean modern website which is easy to navigate. Plus the properties really are all of an excellent standard. In fact, many of Lindos Destiny's properties are as far north as Kolymbia, so there is a very diverse choice of locations available on the site. Here's the link to the site.

• Lindos Seaside Villa
This is something special. If you love Lindos, you gotta take a look at it!!! 
- Website. 
- Facebook page.


Pefkos
This resort has a huge loyal following of repeat visitors and it's easy to see why. Modern it may be, but the atmosphere of an evening in Pefkos is really comfy, friendly and relaxed. The choice of bars and eateries is endless as is the choice of beaches. Plus, what it lacks in character it makes up for in value, both for eating out and drinks. It's only three of four kilometres from the legendary village of Lindos too. 

• Nice all-round website about Pefkos
http://www.pefkosexclusive.co.uk/
Their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ExclusivelyPefkos



• Maria Apartments

If you've read the post about the Barbecue, well this was where we met Janette, a very nice British lady who's married to a Greek, Tassos and they live not far from us in Kiotari. If you're looking for an independent break in Pefkos, you could do a lot worse than try their Maria Apartments, on the main beach road just down a while from Pane di Capo cafe. They're within easy reach (on foot) of loads of tavernas, bars and a supermarket and five minutes from the beach.



• Theonia Villas/Apartments.
Just on the edge of the village, you'll find The Theonia Apartments.


Psaltos [Navarone] Bay
Situated between the popular resort of Pefkos and the village of Lindos, arguably one of the most picturesque places in the entire Aegean sea, Psaltos Bay is a good location for those who may wish to use their legs more often than their wheels! 


• Navarone Villa 
...is owned by some personal friends of ours. It's quite stunning and is within view of the famous cliffs that featured in the old movie that has given the bay its nickname. You can also walk into Lindos or Pefkos from here in around 20 minutes or so. Highly recommended. Check it out with this link.





Rhodes Town
I have a personal friend who lives in the Old Town and has spare capacity to entertain guests in the thick if the Old Town "action" as it were. In other words - everything is within walking distance from the front door. She is always willing to entertain guests overnight if they are willing to perhaps offer a little contribution for the privilege. It's a private home and ideal for anyone holidaying down south who'd like to perhaps "overnight" up in the town for a while. If you'd like to experience a brief stay in the Old Town and would be happy to be hosted by a very genial and personable retired Englishwoman, please contact me in the first instance and I'll put you in touch. It goes without saying that the place is spick and span and well maintained, of course.



• Villa Sanyan

Villa Sanyan, click for larger view

A French couple who fell in love with Rhodes have recently opened Villa Sanyan in a quiet area of Rhodes Town. Check this out, looks really nice... 
http://www.villasanyan.com/indexeng.php







Salakos (village)
A delightful and unspoilt village on the northwest of the island, not very far from the Elafos, a wonderfully eccentric Bavarian-style hotel just below the ruins of the famous "Mussolini House". More info about the village can be found here and here.


• The Nymph Hotel 

I've never stayed here and I must confess to a degree of ignorance about this village, but since my correspondent who gave me the tip about this place (see comments below) is someone I know personally, I have no hesitation in adding the Nymph to the list. Having now checked it out on TripAdvisor (check out the rave reviews) too and found that it has a charming website, I even reckon that my better half and I may well give the place a try for a couple of days R&R some time!!









Stegna (Arhangelos)

A really pretty seaside resort down over a "James Bond" type hill from the village of Arhangelos. It has a lovely sandy beach and many really nice seafront restaurants and bars. Most of the accommodation there is rooms and apartments. There is only one hotel of any size and that's at the far end of the bay. Sitting atop the hill with a breathtaking view over the entire resort of Stegna is the wonderful Tramonto Bar, run by a really, really nice man, Stefanos.

• Konstantinos Hotel
I am friendly with Tzambikos and Marina, who together with their son Konstantinos (who looks after the sun-beds on the beach right across the road) run this really cozy modestly-sized hotel/bar. It's very clean and well maintained and has received a refit over the winter of 2016-17. All three speak very good English and Marina, although Greek, was brought up in the UK. Here's their web site. 

You can e-mail them at konstantinoshotel.gr@hotmail.com, or contact them through the web site. If you e-mail them, tell them that John, who props up the bar every Sunday, put you on to them, won't you.

I would very happily spend a holiday there if I didn't already live here on Rhodes and enjoy a drink with them most Sundays during the season while on one of my excursions!

The Konstantinos Hotel pool terrace is just up a few steps from the bar area, which is right across the road from the amazing beach.