Aiora Aqua Resort

The room felt strangely bare, with so little furniture or storage that we lived out of our suitcases the whole stay. Outside, the view was of a shipping container and an open cleaning cupboard where staff took breaks and left towel bags. It looked awful and seemed poorly managed, even though the cleaners themselves were polite. We’d paid for late checkout, so it was a shock when our key card stopped working after lunch on our last day. Reception had to reactivate it, and we learned the same thing had happened to several other guests. The front desk had also been dismissive throughout our stay. The worst incident was in the restaurant, where a cat bit me. Staff showed little concern and wouldn’t help arrange medical care. We had to push through TUI and find a doctor ourselves to get the tetanus shot and antibiotics I urgently needed. The food at the main restaurant was lukewarm and uninteresting. Breakfast ended at 9:30am, and dessert ran out so quickly that people hoarded it at their tables. There was just one bar by the main pool, the staff seemed miserable, and bottled water wasn’t available. You could only get it in a small cup at the bar. Since our swim-up room was a ten-minute walk away, we bought our own drinks and water to avoid going back there. The à la carte restaurant was disappointing too, with little choice and food that seemed questionable. The lobby looked beautiful, and the pool area and swim-up rooms looked luxurious, but the polished appearance didn’t match our experience. The organization was poor, the service unhelpful, and it wasn’t the relaxing luxury stay we’d expected.

The pools were slippery, foul-smelling and seemed unsafe. Algae was growing around the edges of the kids’ pool, the slide area smelled of sewage, and the toilets reeked of urine every day. There was no monitoring of who entered or left the resort. It advertised itself as family friendly, but staff were unfriendly toward children and unhelpful in general. Food was poor, with little variety and no allergy or dietary information. My son is allergic to pork, lactose and gluten. When we asked what kind of gelatine was in the desserts, staff brushed us off with “it’s gelatine” as if we were being difficult. The cocktails and other drinks were extremely strong, with no variety or quality, and didn’t seem carefully made. The room was unacceptable: dirty sheets, stained sofas and an unclean environment. After my toddler wet the bed by accident, housekeeping changed the covers but left the mattress, so we had to sleep on one that smelled of urine. Reception staff were rude and dismissive. At night, an older male staff member with white hair nearly ran over my three-year-old while driving a buggy, then looked annoyed instead of apologizing. I reported it to reception, but they ignored the issue and just said okay. Nobody apologized, and I was literally shaking. We booked an all-inclusive holiday in Greece expecting a relaxing family break, but even that didn’t feel all-inclusive: we got one bottle of water on arrival and were expected to refill it for the rest of our stay. On arrival we were also told to pay €60 in tourist tax, with no explanation, and it hadn’t been disclosed when we booked. The hotel looks decent from the outside, but that’s the only positive I can offer. For what we paid, it was a complete waste, and I’m devastated I chose it over other options. Honestly, an Airbnb would have been cleaner, safer and much more enjoyable. Save your money and avoid this hotel.

We loved every minute of our family holiday here. Our swim-up room was superb, and the whole resort was clean and well presented. I understand it had a bad reputation before, but it has since been taken over and repackaged, and we found it amazing. The food was delicious, especially the snack bar, where you could have as much pizza as you wanted. Buses make it easy to get to both Rhodes and Lindos, so it’s a great base for seeing the island. Can’t wait to come back.

We had such a great holiday at Aiora Aqua Resort. The hotel and food were beyond what we expected, and the animation team brought fun and energy every day. Thanks to the entertainers for making the stay so enjoyable. There’s also a car rental service right beside the hotel, which was quick, easy and convenient. We’d love to return and would definitely recommend it.