Rhodes Island is certainly a popular tourist island and rightfully so. Endless beaches, great weather, and great sites are just some of the reasons to visit. With that comes endless choices of hotels to choose from.
The Sheraton Rhodes Resort is a beautiful resort located on the beach with countless activities for the entire family. From multiple swimming pools to private access to the beach, the resort has amenities for everyone. Also, depending on the room, you’ll have amazing views of the Aegean.
Location
Located in the area of Ixia, the Sheraton is located about 15 minutes from the airport. As you exit the airport, you can cross the street to the taxi stand. The taxis there offer a flat rate to different parts of the island so you know exactly how much you’ll be paying. The rate from the airport was 20 Euros. From downtown Rhodes, it’s about a 15 minute drive so it’s right in the middle between the airport and downtown.
Note that these aren’t regular taxis but Uber or Lyft style taxis with drivers being ordinary people. You won’t see any yellow/black taxis here so just walk over to the taxi stand. You’ll see a large board with the prices listed so you can see exactly how much it’ll be.
Lobby
As you enter the property, you’ll drive up a steep hill and enter the lobby which is located on the 7th floor. As you enter, you’ll notice the large atrium along with endless views of the sea. There’s also a small jewelry store next to the reception desk and if you’re looking for any travel assistance, the travel desk is near the main door.
You’ll see 2 banks of elevators (one to go from the 7th floor down and the other to go from the 6th floor up). This can sometimes be a bit confusing since if you’re on the top floors, you’ll have to switch elevators every time you want to leave the property.
Room
After checking in, I was escorted to my room by the receptionist. I used my suite upgrades for my stay and I was given the Aegean Suite. This was on the top floor and located in the middle of the property.
This was the most bizarre “suite” I’d ever seen. What they did was remove the door from the adjoining room and use one room as the living area while the other room was used as the bedroom. Basically one of the rooms was a basic hotel room while the adjoining room was a room with the bed and bathroom taken out and replaced with a couch and small dining table. The balcony ran the length of the rooms and had a sitting area on one end and a hanging wicker seat on the other.
The bathroom was also just a regular bathroom and not what you’d expect in a suite. Not that there was anything wrong with it, it just isn’t what you’d expect to see in something advertised as a suite.
Finally, the room had 2 doors (an A and B door) to basically drive home the fact that the suite was 2 adjoining rooms. I can’t say there was really anything special about the room and it looked like management was looking for a quick solution to create a suite. Overall, it didn’t have the feeling of a suite since the rooms were so disjointed.
Amenities
The hotel is not lacking in amenities. Tennis courts, squash courts, basketball courts, private access to the beach, and 3 pools are just the tip of the iceberg. It also has a spa, game room, and a gym. The hotel also provides towels for use at the swimming pools or the beach so you don’t have to take your room towels down.
The ground floor also has a small store where you can guy food and snacks as well as an assortment of alcohol if you want to enjoy some ouzo in your room. There is also a small gift shop, a salon, and even an ice cream store (which can really come in handy on those humid Mediterranean summers).
Suffice to say, there were a number of families staying there during my stay and they all seemed to be having a lot of fun. I will say that the beach, although nice with the private access, is not like the beaches you find here in the US. It was all rocks and didn’t find it comfortable at all. Maybe that’s normal in Greece but I wasn’t used to it at all.
Restaurants
Breakfast is served in Castellania on the 6th floor and is a buffet. There’s actually a sign out front telling people when the best time to arrive is if you want to avoid the crowds. Earlier is obviously better and as the morning goes on, the restaurant will get busier. Outdoor dining is limited and fills up quickly so if you’re late to arrive, you probably won’t get a seat.
All the restaurants weren’t open when I was there. I did try eating at the Knight’s Bar for dinner one night only because I was too tired to walk to a restaurant. That said, it wasn’t the best experience since I was the only one there and the waiter only came by twice. First was to take my order and the 2nd was to give me my drink order and drop off the bill. Unfortunately it took about 20 minutes for the person to come by to take my order and I was just about to leave when he came by. After placing my order, I waited again for over 20 minutes and then left. I would have asked someone about my order but there was no employee there. Seriously, not one single employee was present. I eventually just went to the reception desk and asked to have my meal delivered to my room.
Final Thoughts
The resort is located in a nice spot. It’s right on the beach and has amazing views. Although there are a few restaurants you can walk to around the property, don’t expect anything authentic since they’re all serving tourists. However, with access to a car, this is a great place to have as a home base as you go out and explore the island.
A Single Wanderer 