Castello Di Rodi

The design is nice, but the hotel feels old and kind of dirty. Air conditioning isn't included in the price, and the bathroom is quite small. When you shower, water gets all over the bathroom because of the poor setup. The location is okay, with the beach and a few restaurants nearby. A well-stocked supermarket is about 2 km away, but there's no chance for clubbing or seeing sights. That's about all it has going for it.

The staff were excellent, which was the hotel's saving grace. I won't return because of all the stairs, though I'd consider it if I could cope with them. Even with a lift to the second floor, there are far too many steps if you have mobility problems such as weak knees or hips. The restaurant and pool are around the third or fourth floor, with stairs between them. The hotel is tired, and everything is only adequate. Some cleaning is done, but no more than that. The public areas look good, though the glasses and crockery were smudged. Towels were changed only three times a week. Shower trays were too small and the curtains didn't work well. Meals were okay. The scrambled eggs at breakfast seemed to be made from powder, and the evening set menu wasn't bad.

The location worked well for getting to Rhodes town and Faliraki, and taxis were reasonably priced. There are shops, bars and restaurants nearby, though walking there in the heat is best left for early morning or late evening. We enjoyed the clean pool and its mix of music. The staff have been very helpful so far. Our room was tidy and basic, with a balcony, drying rack, chairs, fridge, kettle and cups. The air conditioning needs a remote, and paying the 40€ for one is well worth it. We haven't used a safe and have had no problems, but the safes are in a locker area by reception, not in the rooms. Remember, toilet paper can't be flushed. There's a bin, changed daily, including Sundays when regular cleaning doesn't happen. The shower stall is tiny and its low tray means water can spread across the floor, so take care not to slip. The door card has to be inserted into the holder inside the room for the lights and air conditioning to work. Breakfast is an adequate buffet of yoghurt, fruit, hot and cold meats, eggs, cheese and bread rolls. Dinner is served from a set menu: three starters, and you can try all three, followed by a choice of one of three mains, including a vegetarian option. There seems to be just one dessert, and as it's not listed on the board, it's pot luck. The pool and restaurant are up the main courtyard stairs, and there are quite a lot of stairs around here. I'd recommend it for a few quiet days by the pool mixed with time out exploring.

The pool was nice, and the staff were friendly. For the price, though, expect a very basic stay. Bring your own soap and shampoo, and the breakfast repeats the same things each day. The bathroom floor was always wet, apparently because of poor construction. The TV looked like a 14-inch set from around 1995 and had only two channels. The refrigerator in the room was very good for keeping beers cold. There aren't places nearby to walk around at night, and the closest beach is rocky and not the best in the area.