Ekaterini Hotel

Of the several hotels I stayed at in Rhodes this summer, this one was the worst. It seemed geared towards its many German guests, and the service had been shaped around them. Breakfast meant queueing at the counter and asking the waiters for food. You couldn’t help yourself to a tissue or a larger portion. There were a few pastries, but they ran out quickly, and the rest was bread, ham and cheese that looked like supermarket products suited to a typical German breakfast. You could make a crepe, though the cooking spray used instead of butter or oil was E943/E944-based. The coffee was a strange, watery dark liquid from a boiler. Juice was supermarket-quality carton juice, and the water came from the tap rather than bottles. Coffee, a different juice or other options cost extra. The pool was okay, but there was no lifeguard and the children’s pool wasn’t any warmer. My room was spacious, though it had plenty of faults. The sticky, China-made soap bar barely foamed, the bathroom had no ventilation for steam or smells, and the bedspread was clearly not clean when I arrived or during my stay. Shampoo was supplied only on arrival, the Wi-Fi kept cutting out, and the safe cost extra. The room glasses were never washed. The curtains were the worst problem: they were too narrow and didn’t darken the room. The family next door resorted to taping trash bags over their windows. I was told all the island’s hotels had the same bad curtains, but the other hotels I visited had much better fabric and blinds. Avoid the east-facing side. Parking was very limited. They directed me to a public space across the road, which was rocky and often full. Cleaning happened every few days, not daily, which is unusually infrequent for a three-star hotel in Greece in my experience. One day I asked the cleaner not to come, but she got angry and made me leave the room. The surroundings were poor, with rocky beaches and expensive supermarkets. And although it’s family-owned, it didn’t feel family-run: most of the staff were foreigners. Even at the price, the quality felt cheap.

The peaceful beach is just a three-minute walk away, and the hotel has lovely gardens and a great pool. Breakfast and dinner were very convenient, too. The staff are VERY friendly. VERY recommended!!!

Our teenagers especially liked having the pool and billiards after busy days, and we enjoyed the karaoke evenings. The sea is a five-minute walk away, with pretty pebbles along the shore and very clear water. Guests were friendly, and the staff were helpful and cheerful, so the place had a cosy, welcoming feel. The rooms were clean, with large terraces and a wonderful view. The food was very good, and drink prices were reasonable. From the moment we arrived at Ekaterini Hotel Rhodes, the woman at reception welcomed us warmly and made us feel comfortable. We left with a lovely impression and would recommend it to anyone looking for a friendly place to stay on Rhodes.

A lovely green path and garden lead down to the beach, and there’s an outdoor gym where you can do calisthenics. I stayed at this great three-star hotel on Rhodes with a friend for two weeks. We enjoyed the very nice service and the simple but good food and breakfast.