Our trip to Rhodes took place in July 2024. On paper, it was a package vacation. In practice, it was our first trip in years without a checklist — just the two of us, my wife and I. No kids. No dog. No cat. And no questions like “Can we go to the pool now?” or “When do we get ice cream?”
Family vacations usually follow a familiar pattern: excitement in the morning, negotiations by midday, and compromises by evening. This time, all of that stayed at home. We packed light and slept in.
Why Rhodes?
We’ve always had a soft spot for the Greek islands — time slows down there in a way it doesn’t at home. Rhodes felt right: lively but not overwhelming, relaxed without feeling boring.
It’s the kind of place where the days ask you to sit down, take a sip, and look at the sea. That fit us.
A hotel that didn’t mind late lunches
We stayed at Mitsis Grand Hotel, and it matched what we hoped for so closely that we occasionally wondered if we had picked well by accident.
It’s a 5-star beachfront city hotel in Rhodes Town with 24-hour ultra all-inclusive service — meaning food and drinks are always available, and no one raises an eyebrow if you show up for coffee between breakfast and lunch. Mornings with sea views, two pools, the beach right across the street, and the old town within walking distance. Everything was close enough that we sometimes had to remind ourselves to actually leave the room.
Days without schedules
Traveling as a couple changes your sense of time. There was no real daily plan. Some days started by the sea, some by the pool, mostly by the sea.
One afternoon we drove to the western coast of the island, past Monte Smith, to where the Aegean opens up wide and the wind is properly wind. Wild waves on one side, calmer water further along the shore. We stopped, watched, walked in, walked back out.
Most days we ended up floating in the water off Elli Beach — a light breeze, warm sun, no one asking anything of us for hours at a time.
Walking through the old town, we noticed how easy it is on Rhodes to slow down. Cafés with chairs already turned toward the street. Waiters suggesting “just one more”. Souvenir stalls stretching on and on — from fridge magnets to persistent offers of a boat trip to Turkey. Today, tomorrow, or right now.
Beyond the hotel
To see more of the island, we rented a car through the hotel. Two days out — up to Filerimos with its peacocks, down through Lindos, along the western coast — turned the trip from a beach week into something with more shape.
We’ll write about the car rental separately. There’s more to say about it than fits here.
Practical Info
- 📍 Where we stayed: Mitsis Grand Hotel, Rhodes Town — 5-star beachfront, ultra all-inclusive
- ✈️ Getting there: Rhodes International Airport (RHO) sits just outside Rhodes Town, a short drive from the centre — well served across Europe in the summer season, with year-round connections via Athens.
- ☀️ Best time to visit: May–October. July was warm (30°C+) but tolerable with sea breeze
- 🚗 Getting around: Rented a car through the hotel — worth it for two days of driving
Have you been to Rhodes? Which spot on the island surprised you most? Let us know in the comments.
