Most people choose a hotel based on photos and price, which is fine, until they arrive and realize that the west coast is battered by Meltemi winds half the summer while the east coast remains glassy and calm. Or they book a resort and spend the entire trip wondering what it would have been like to sleep inside the medieval walls. The question of east coast versus west coast alone is enough to derail an otherwise simple booking decision.
This guide is my attempt to overcome all that. Whether you want a charming room in a Crusader-era building, an adults-only suite with sea views, or a family-friendly beach hotel with calm, shallow waters, there’s a version of Rhodes for you. You just need to know where to look for the best places to stay in Rhodes.
The west coast: Ixia and Ialyssos
The west coast has a bit of a mixed reputation, and honestly, because the Meltemi winds reliably pick up in July and August, meaning the seas can be rough and the beach less relaxing than you’d hope. That said, if you like windsurfing, Ixia is one of the best places in the Mediterranean for it, and the sunsets here are some of the best I’ve seen in Greece. Long, slow, orange wines best enjoyed with a cocktail in hand.
The other big draw of this stretch is its proximity to Rhodes Old Town, about a ten-minute drive away, meaning you can do the whole medieval evening walk and still be back at the hotel pool by nine.
Amus Hotel & Spa
We stayed at this hotel for a long weekend and chose it because of its beautiful gardens and proximity to the sea. Rhodes Old Town is just 10 minutes away by car and the airport is 20 minutes in the other direction, so no wasting time with long transfers.
When we arrived we were not disappointed, this 5 star hotel has a lovely spacious lobby and we were immediately greeted by the friendly and knowledgeable staff. We had booked a forest view room but were pleasantly surprised to be upgraded to a sea view room with a small sitting area and a lovely balcony overlooking the crazy blue sea.
This hotel has recently undergone a complete renovation and a new image. It used to be called Rhodes Bay and looked a little tired. Today it is elegantly decorated and equipped with superb amenities. The Iliades Restaurant, on the 10th floor, has views that make even a mediocre dinner memorable, and the Bakaliko Taverna, downstairs, offers good Greek cuisine.
There are two sections at the spa, the free section and the section which costs 30 euros to use. We were shown around the paid adults only section and it is beautiful, the other free section is a little tired and really needs a spruce up. If you book a treatment, you can access the spa for free for the rest of your stay, which is definitely worth considering.
One thing to be aware of: there is an underground passage between the hotel and the beach, and the beach itself is pebble rather than sand. If you imagine turquoise water lapping gently over soft sand, that’s not quite it. The water is beautiful, it just takes some getting used to the pebbles. Know before your arrival rather than after.
The Ixian Grand & All Suites
Reserved for adults, elegant and considerably more modern in its aesthetic than Amus, this one is well suited to couples who want something quieter and more stylish. If Amus relies on character and history, the Ixian Grand is all about clean lines and a sleek pool deck. Different priorities, different hotel. Both are solid choices depending on what you’re looking for.
The East Coast: where the water remains calm
The east coast is sheltered from the Meltemi, which means the sea is calmer, the beaches sandier and families tend to naturally gravitate there. Faliraki, Afandou, Kallithea, Pefkos are the places that offer the postcard version of a Greek beach vacation. The water really is that color.
Lindos Blu Luxury Hotel & Suites
This is one that continues to appear at the top of the hotel rankings in Greece, and after spending some time here, I can understand exactly why. The property is built into a hillside in an amphitheater above Vlycha Bay, so almost every angle gives you a view worth looking at. It’s an adults-only venue, which keeps the atmosphere calm, and the “Five Senses” dining experience is something people really talk about afterwards, but not in a pretentious way, just because it’s prepared with care. It’s not cheap, but for a special trip or milestone birthday, it’s the kind of place that justifies the expense.
Mitsis Alila Resort & Spa is located in Kallithea.
All inclusive done correctly. The white marble aesthetic isn’t to everyone’s taste, but the execution here is good, the a la carte food is much better than you’d expect at an all-inclusive, the pools are spotless, and there’s enough going on that you could genuinely spend a week without leaving the grounds if that’s what you wanted. For people who find decision fatigue around meals stressful on vacation, this format takes all that away. It’s definitely a resort, and for the right person, that’s exactly the point.
Pefkos and Afandou for families
If you are traveling with young children, these two villages are worth a detour. The water is shallow and calm, the pace is gentle, and neither place has the chaotic resort energy that some places on the east coast can veer into. Stroller friendly, relaxed and with enough local tavernas that you won’t be stuck eating at the hotel every night.
Rhodes Old Town: sleeping inside the walls
Staying in Rhodes Old Town is not a practical choice. The streets are cobbled and narrow, parking is a nightmare, and you won’t have a beach on your doorstep. But when the cruise ships leave at five and the lanes go silent, it becomes something else entirely. The evening atmosphere is unlike anything you would find in a beach hotel.
Spirit of the Knights Boutique Hotel
This is my favorite option for accommodation in the Old Town. Housed in a building with authentic Crusader-era architecture, with hand-carved details and original stonework, it’s the kind of place that makes you feel like you’re actually living in history rather than just visiting it. The rooms are characterful rather than modern, which suits some people perfectly and others not at all. If you need a gym and swim-up bar, look elsewhere. If you want to wake up in a medieval town and have a coffee before the day trippers arrive, this is perfect.
A split two-night stay, the old town followed by a seaside resort, or vice versa, is definitely one of the best ways to experience Rhodes if your schedule allows. You get the story and the swimming. It involves packing up and moving, which is annoying, but most people who have done it say it’s worth it.
Villas, villages and less traveled roads
Rhodes has a villa scene that doesn’t get enough attention. For groups or families, renting a private villa in one of the inland villages can give you three times the space for half the price of a beachfront hotel, and the experience of actually being somewhere rather than being cooped up in a resort bubble.
Koskinou is the village that keeps coming up when people ask about it. There are those beautifully photographed dark pink and terracotta doors, traditional whitewashed houses and an authentically local pace of life. It’s not a tourist village, which is either a selling point or a red flag depending on your vacation style.
For complete seclusion, southern Rhodes, particularly around Lachania, offers an almost completely different experience. Small, quiet, with an atmosphere of old Greece that has largely disappeared from the more popular resorts. If you’ve done Rhodes before and want something unlike anywhere else you’ve ever been, it’s worth looking into.
Practical tips
May, June, September and October are the best times of shoulder season, with lower prices, fewer crowds and really pleasant weather without being incessantly hot. July and August are peak season for a reason, but if you go, book early and be prepared for the heat (temperatures regularly reach 35°C) and Meltemi on the west coast.
Transportation is worth thinking about before your arrival. If you’re staying in Ixia or Rhodes, the bus network is actually decent and saves you the hassle of a rental car. But if you’re based in Lindos or anywhere on the south coast, you need a car, period. Bus schedules don’t work for day trips and taxis add up quickly.
One more thing about the wind: the Meltemi is generally strongest from mid-July to August, mainly affecting the north and west of the island. If the wind bothers you, on the beach or just in general, the east coast is the safest bet for this period. This is not a minor inconvenience; on a bad day, it really changes the fun of being outside.
So what part of Rhodes are you?
If you like history and the atmosphere above the beaches: Old Town, two nights minimum, Esprit des Chevaliers if the budget allows it. If you want calm water, soft sand and a real luxury hotel: the east coast, Lindos Blu or Mitsis Alila. If you want sunsets and don’t mind the wind: West Coast, Amus for character or The Ixian Grand for something more contemporary. And if you want space, privacy and a local experience: look at the villas in Koskinou or head south to Lachania.
Rhodes rewards people who make a concrete decision about what they want from their vacation rather than simply choosing the cheapest available room. Understand this first, and the rest will become much easier.
