I've decided to do a little series of blog posts detailing our experience, the hotel and our excursions so do come back to read more over the next few weeks!
When choosing our destination we picked Rhodes because, although Matt had visited before, I really wanted to visit the medieval Rhodes Old Town with it's castle and ancient cobbled streets. However, when it came to choosing a hotel, we picked the Mitsis Rodos Village which is on the South of the island in Kiotari.
Transport
Getting there was straightforward. We booked using Martin, a Travel Consultant at SW13 Travel. He also helped us book our honeymoon eight years ago and since then has helped with our trip to Rome and numerous work trips. Our package included flights by easyJet from Gatwick Airport and the all inclusive accommodation at the resort. Our transfers from the hotel to the airport were separate and we booked using Hotel Extras. It was a long (nearly two hours), hot, drive in a mini bus to the hotel but the staff were friendly and I'm glad we chose the direct option with a maximum of four stops.
Matt and I already had an idea of what to expect from a Mitsis Hotel after spending our holiday at the Blue Domes resort on Kos. Everything is decorated tastefully and the staff are efficient and friendly. It was very busy when we checked in and there weren't many porters available to show us to a room, the signage isn't clear and the resort is spread out, up the hill and over different levels, so it does help to have someone show you the way at first. We asked at Reception and they called a porter for us who took us up the steep hill to our room in one of the club cars.
Lily and Ollie were a big fan of the club cars from the start and I have to admit, it was handy having them there when you got back from the beach. You should expect to do a fair bit of walking at the resort as it is laid out a bit like a village, inspired by Rhodes Old Town.
Accommodation
Our accommodation was simple and lovely. There were two rooms and the bathroom which had both a bath and a shower. The children were in a twin room whilst Matt and I had the adjoining double. We had a terrace area with a table and chairs and a bit of a sea view across the resort and the road. The room was a good size, everything was clean and there was a free mini bar with water, soft drinks and beers. I liked that there were plenty of towels provided in the bathroom and fresh ones were provided daily if you wanted them.
30 minutes after checking in and unpacking we received a knock at the door and were given a bottle of sparkling wine and a (huge) chocolate gateaux as an anniversary gift - Matt had emailed guest services at the hotel before we travelled, something definitely worth doing if you're celebrating anything whilst there.
Family Friendly
The best thing about Mitsis Rodos Village is how friendly all the staff were. They were amazing with the kids, offering high fives and always saying hello. At check in the children were given a gift, a colouring set and a puzzle, which I thought was a really nice touch. For a family holiday you really want your children to feel welcome too and the Mitsis staff were great at this. Lily loved it from the start although Ollie took a little while longer to get used to being cuddled every time we went for a meal.
Food and Drink
And that has got to be the second best thing about the hotel, the food. For an all-inclusive resort we found that there was a great selection of food on offer, not just in the buffet restaurant, but in the restaurants on site. We visited the Souvlaki, Burger Bar, Italian and Greek restaurants and the Creperie and were impressed by the quality of food at each. The Italian, Mexican, Greek and Asian/Sushi restaurants do get booked up really quickly so it's important to make your reservations as soon as you can. You can do this at Guest Relations, the desk is opposite Reception.
Breakfast each morning was lovely and there was a wide selection of both hot and cold options. We found it best to get there a bit early to avoid the crowds as later in the morning you did have to wait a bit for items like pancakes (a big favourite with the kids) and some food did run out. Lunch and dinner were fabulous, I didn't have high hopes for the buffet but was proved wrong. There were themed nights with different cuisines on offer like Spanish, Greek and Asian which kept things interesting, whilst also offering staples like salads and pasta - as well as a huge variety of desserts.
My favourite restaurant was the Italian which had great pizzas as well as pasta, meat and seafood dishes. However, it was a close choice between there and the souvlaki restaurant which doesn't require a booking - so if you're looking for somewhere different to the buffet, they get my vote!
Activities
The resort has a private area on the beach, with plenty of umbrellas and loungers, served by a bar and pizza oven. You could get drinks delivered straight to your lounger and there was plenty going on - Matt and Lily joined in the aquafit class on one day and there was also volleyball and football, regular boat trips and water-sports.
We tended to spend most of our time at the pool. The Village has two main pool areas, both with shallower children's areas and clear depth markings. We preferred the quieter pool which was closer to our room and had a convenient pool bar as well as a slide. You could usually find a lounger but some days were busier with some keen guests putting out their towels early. We didn't find it too much of a problem. The larger pool was nearby the ice cream and crepe bar and also closer to the hotel's main bar areas, as well as the souvlaki and burger restaurants. It always seemed lively and there was a lot going on including water Zumba, games and activities.
There was always something going on around the hotel although we felt it would have been helpful to have a timetable with the guide in our room to refer back to. I also booked into the small onsite spa for a mini manicure which was a lovely treat. They serve an afternoon tea in the day bar and there are plenty of places to stop for a drink - I found the all inclusive drinks selection to be fine and they were certainly generous with the alcohol!
The main aim for our holiday was family time and so the children didn't use the Mini Club kids facility even though it looked lovely and the staff were nice. We did visit the kid's disco in the evenings at 9pm in the amphitheatre. It was a late start but an enjoyable way to spend the night, followed by some entertainment which included a circus show, cabaret, dance and traditional Greek music and folk-dancing.
What else?
When it came to things to do outside of the resort, Rhodes had plenty to offer. We balanced our quiet beach and pool days with a couple of excursions. A very wet and stormy day in the middle of holiday led us to hire a car from the desk at the hotel. It was easy, reasonably priced and a good way to explore. Later in the week we joined a high speed boat from the beach at Kiotari that took us to Rhodes Town. You can read more about our holiday in my next post!
Highly recommended
Having now stayed at a Mitsis Hotel twice, we've found that they've set the standard really high for future holidays (if and when we can afford one). We had so few complaints about the experience and would recommend the Mitsis Rodos Village to anyone as a great, value for money, all-inclusive experience.
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