Lindos Royal Resort

Located on Vlycha Beach, Lindos, Rhodes Island, the Lindos Royal Resort positions itself as a hotel, lodging, and establishment, often advertised as a 5-star property. However, recent guest experiences paint a mixed picture, suggesting that while some aspects shine, others fall short of a luxury standard.

The Highlights: What Guests Appreciate

• Exceptional Staff Service: Many guests praise the hotel's staff for their politeness, helpfulness, and attentive service. Venicia, one of the managers, received particular commendation for addressing guest issues. Pool bar and main restaurant staff were noted for creating a pleasant atmosphere, consistently offering drinks. Reception staff were also found to be very helpful with information and taxi arrangements.
• Stunning Location & Beach Access: The resort's location on Vlycha Beach is a significant draw for those seeking a tranquil, relaxed holiday away from busy areas. Guests consistently highlight the amazing views, the convenience of the hotel's private beach with sunbeds, and the enjoyable private cove for snorkeling.
• Pools & Relaxation: The hotel boasts great pools with ample space, contributing to a relaxing environment. Specific mention was made of the cleanliness of swim-up room pools.
• Select Dining Options: While the main buffet receives criticism (detailed below), the themed restaurants are generally considered better. Some guests found the all-inclusive food satisfactory, and the pizza and pasta stations were often a redeeming feature in the main dining areas.

Areas for Improvement: Addressing Guest Concerns

Hotel Rating & Perceived Value 📉

A recurring theme among reviews is the perception that the Lindos Royal Resort, despite advertising as a 5-star establishment, feels more like a 2-star or 3-star property. Guests frequently state that the photos are misleading and that the hotel appears run down in places, failing to live up to expectations for the price paid.

Room Quality & Cleanliness Issues 🧹

Several guests reported significant issues with their accommodations:

1. Size: Some family rooms were described as uncomfortably small for the number of occupants.
2. Cleanliness: Concerns include mouse droppings on balconies, piles of sand in rooms (not brought in by guests), and dirty towels/sheets left in hallways. Despite claims of exceptional cleaning service for some swim-up rooms, general cleanliness, especially of non-swim-up rooms, was questioned.
3. Pests: Reports of moths and ants in rooms.
4. Amenities:
   • Lack of Irons: A consistent complaint is the hotel's policy of not providing irons in rooms due to "health and safety" reasons, forcing guests to pay for an expensive dry cleaning service.
   • Limited Hangers: Insufficient hangers for families.
   • Safety Deposit Box: A €25 fee for a small, shoebox-sized safe.
   • Open Toiletries: Instances of receiving open body lotion.
5. Swim-up Room Drawbacks: Inland view swim-up rooms may not receive much sun, and the attached pools were noted as being very cold, lacking heating.

Dining Experience: A Major Setback 🍽️

For many, the food was the most disappointing aspect of their stay:

1. Temperature: A widespread complaint is that all buffet food is lukewarm or cold, never hot.
2. Quality & Freshness: Described as stale, tasting prepped days before, bland, or excessively salty. Even simple items like chips and gyros at the snack bar were reported as disappointing. Buffet salads and vegetables were said to taste like they had been left open and exposed.
3. Breakfast: Often deemed "not worth waking up for."
4. Themed Restaurants: While better than the buffet, getting reservations for these "nice" restaurants can be extremely difficult, limiting guests' ability to enjoy higher-quality meals.

All-Inclusive Program Limitations 🍹

Guests noted several restrictions on the all-inclusive package that detracted from the experience:

• Drinks Cutoff: All-inclusive drinks cease at 11 PM, after which guests must pay for beverages.
• Pool Towel Policy: A €10 fee is charged for "paper-thin" pool towels, which can only be exchanged every 2-3 days.

Pool Maintenance & Sunbed Availability 🏊

Beyond swim-up rooms, general pool cleanliness was questioned, with specific concerns raised about the kids' pool being "filthy" for the duration of some stays. Additionally, some guests found there were not enough sunbeds available at the main pools.

Entertainment & Kids' Club 🎈

• Short Kids' Entertainment: Nightly kids' entertainment reportedly lasted only 15 minutes.
• Exclusive Kids' Club: A highly controversial point was the apparent restriction of the kids' club to only Italian children, with no explanation offered by staff.

Other Noteworthy Issues 😟

• Unsecured Luggage Storage: Upon check-out, luggage is stored in an open alleyway, posing a security risk.
• Rooftop Bar: Described as too dark with poor service, especially for paid drinks.
• Wedding-Related Incidents: One review detailed multiple issues that "almost ruined" a wedding week, including room allocation errors, a manager providing false information about room costs, refusal to allow use of an empty salon for wedding prep, and extremely late champagne delivery with exorbitant pricing.

Conclusion

The Lindos Royal Resort appears to be a property with significant potential, boasting a beautiful remote location and generally helpful staff. However, a consistent pattern of issues, particularly concerning food quality, room cleanliness, the true value of its all-inclusive package, and a discrepancy between its advertised 5-star status and actual amenities/service, frequently leads to guest disappointment. For travelers prioritizing a stunning beach location and a relaxed atmosphere above a truly luxurious 5-star experience, and who are prepared for potential compromises on dining and in-room amenities, the resort might offer a pleasant stay. However, those expecting genuine 5-star standards in all aspects may find it falls short.

Definitely not a 5* experience so this is why it’s a let down.There was a construction site and there was no “relax” part of the hotel. By the thematic restaurants it looked like it had been abandoned.The room was fine but the shower was hanging on the wall by a thread basically and it felt like the bed was maybe slightly broken? Air conditioning also didn’t work. Good views from the room and balcony. Also TV didn’t allow us to use Netflix or other apps, despite having the capability which was annoying.That being said the food was nice, drinks were nice (though my partner found milky taste in drinks). The people who workedthere were very friendly. They get a five stars but are let down by the quality/circumstance of the hotel. That being said they were coming to our tables and making our drinks when we were eating for the first couple of days and then just stopped which was a bit annoying.I think if you’re looking for a 5* experience and are going away for something special then to avoid, but if just want a cheap hotel with decent food then this is fine for that.

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5)I recently stayed at Lindos Royal Resort in Greece and had a mixed experience. While some aspects of the hotel were enjoyable, others left much to be desired.Accommodation & Cleanliness: (3/5)The room was decent, offering a comfortable stay but lacking standout features. Cleanliness was average—while it wasn’t unkempt, it could have been more thorough. The presentation of the resort itself was pleasant, with well-maintained aesthetics that added to the overall ambiance.Service & Hospitality: (4/5)The staff and hospitality were commendable, with friendly and welcoming service. General service was efficient, and interactions with the staff were generally positive. However, the room service was nonexistent, which was disappointing for those expecting in-room convenience.Dining Experience: (Taste: 1/5 | Quality: 2/5 | Variety: 3/5)This was perhaps the weakest part of the experience. The food taste did not meet expectations, and the quality was underwhelming. While there was a reasonable variety of options, the overall dining experience lacked flavor and finesse, making meals less enjoyable.Entertainment & Facilities: (Entertainment: 3.5/5 | Facilities: 3.5/5)The resort offered a decent range of entertainment and facilities, though nothing extraordinary. While it wasn’t a standout feature, it provided enough options for relaxation and enjoyment. Nights with the bands on was a good change of pace.Final Thoughts:Lindos Royal Resort has strong service and hospitality, but the food experience significantly dampened the stay. For travelers prioritizing a welcoming atmosphere and satisfactory facilities, it may be a reasonable option. However, those looking for high-quality dining may need to explore other options.

Definitely not a 5 star experience, couldn't sleep all week as they wouldn't turn on the air-conditioning,even though it was stated on there website. Food was bad, some staff were great, some staff lied, and some was just flat out rude. Cleaners didn't clean, construction on sight. And all inclusive doesn't mean all inclusive (had to pay for several drinks)The 2 stars were simply for the 50% of staff that were great.

We visited here for one week never been to Greece. Some staff were fine, definitely not ready for the start of the season. Food was varied and for me as a veggie was reduced choices unless eating salad but the thematic restaurants you could book in advance were worth it. Some work being done which is noisy and they should advertise this and it is not a five star hotel in my opinion. Not much going on day to day and main restaurant was repetitive but we had a good time but it's the company you keep which was perfect for us. I wouldn't visit again to be honest here but would go to Greece again.

Been here at the beginning of the season.The staff were nice, and the food also.After about the bedroom it was a disaster, not a 5 stars hotel!Really Old, shabby and falling apart, air-conditioning not working, fuse box not covered and cables coming out of it....Half of the facilities were not opened, we had workers drilling, cutting stuff, making a lot of noise but they charged us full price without any problem !!The hotel was clearly not ready to be opened, it's falling apart, dirty and even dangerous when it comes to electricity in the bedroom.If you're looking for a real 5 stars hotel you should pass your way !