Rodos Palace Hotel

The Rodos Palace Hotel, located on the picturesque Rhodes Island in Greece, presents a distinctly mixed experience for its guests. While some visitors laud its capacity for large events and exceptional hospitality, others recount significant disappointments, particularly concerning room standards, food quality, and staff service.

The Highs: What Guests Appreciated ✨

For those who had a positive stay, several aspects stood out:

• Exceptional Hospitality & Staff: 🌟 The hospitality manager, Nicholas, received immense praise, described as "fantastic" and capable of making the experience "5 stars with just him alone." His dedication was particularly noted during large-scale events like the Martial Arts World Tournament. The entertainment team also garnered accolades for being "amazing," "friendly," "fun," and lifting the hotel's energy. Reception staff were generally found to be friendly and helpful.
• Event & Convention Facilities: The hotel is highly recommended for large groups and conventions, offering "tons of space" for competitions, multiple pools, restaurants, bars, lounging areas, and dedicated convention rooms.
• Cleanliness & Spaciousness: The hotel was largely described as "kept clean" by some. Even unrenovated rooms were noted by one guest for their "beautiful dark hardwood furniture, large space, and balcony with gorgeous views."
• Buffet Food (Selective Praise): One review highlighted the buffet food as "fresh and full of recipes to try that are local specialities," alongside classic kid-friendly options like pizza, fries, and nuggets.

The Lows: Areas for Improvement 📉

Conversely, numerous guests reported significant drawbacks:

• Outdated Rooms & Misrepresentation: 🏚️ A recurring complaint was the discrepancy between advertised rooms and those assigned. Guests booking "superior renovated" rooms were sometimes given bungalows "not updated in 30 years," lacking cleanliness and featuring outdated decor. "Ocean views" sometimes turned out to be alleyways and dumpsters. Unrenovated rooms were described as having "lumpy" beds, old carpets, and loud air conditioning units.
• Disappointing Food & Beverage: 🤢 The food quality was frequently criticized as "not the best," with descriptions ranging from "leftovers from a failed cooking show" to "average, same as any all-inclusive." Specific complaints included chicken with a "texture of a flip-flop," vegetables steamed in "someone’s regret," and unappetizing breakfast. Concerns were also raised about "watered down" drinks and even bar staff allegedly pouring red wine from used glasses back into bottles.
• Inconsistent & Poor Staff Service (Excluding Praised Teams): Many found the general bar staff, waitresses, and waiters to be "ignorant and rude," "uninterested and bored," with "sad faces." All-inclusive guests reported long waits for drinks, while those paying upfront were served immediately. Issues with staff struggling to use tills and being "abrupt" were also noted.
• Operational Glitches: 🎢 The elevators were a source of anxiety, described as "very slow blender[s]," "rattling and groaning," making rides "anxiety-inducing."
• Misleading Expectations & Star Rating: The hotel was advertised as an "adult only resort" to some, but is "extremely family friendly." Many guests felt it "definitely isn't a 5 star hotel" anymore, with some suggesting it "barely deserves a 2-star rating" despite potentially having 5 stars "decades ago."
• Surrounding Area: The immediate area was found "not appealing" by some, with local shops and bars being "extremely expensive."

Verdict: Who is Rodos Palace For? 🤔

Rodos Palace Hotel appears to be a complex establishment with a significant disparity in guest experiences. It seems particularly well-suited for large conventions, groups, and families who can leverage its extensive facilities and appreciate its friendly entertainment and reception staff. However, prospective guests should manage their expectations regarding room modernity, food quality (especially if not a buffet enthusiast), and the consistency of service from all staff members. If a newly renovated, intimate, or consistently high-end experience is paramount, guests might need to clarify room types thoroughly or consider alternatives.

Let's start with the rooms: please note that there will be a tax charge upon arrival per night. Sensor tabs in the bathrooms are only cool when you know they are. (Wish there were sign letting you know)The cleaning service team are fantastic and very welcoming!Facilities: though there are many and convenient things, the place is far from a 5 star hotel.. only 2/3 lift working so you find yourself using the stairs more often than you wish ( there are 17+ floors). There are cables hanging out of walls and ceilings and the furniture is quite dated!COVID restrictions signs are still up all over there hotel.Buffet service/ snack bar: this is the main reason I would not go back... The shifts are heavily understaffed and completely unaware of the amount of people they are serving.. the team is stressed and it shows on their customer service skills. The food isn't bad but it is clear that quantity is more important than quality. I would also recommend instructing the customers where to put their plates so you waste less time cleaning and use that staff to bring the drinks to the table...Major improvements are needed but the buffet staff manager should learn from the cleaning ladies and desk ladies customer skills.

I stayed here for 9 nights during the 2024 World Amateur Chess Championship. While the hotel claims a 5-star status, the experience unfortunately didn’t live up to expectations.✅ What worked:The sea view from the room was genuinely lovely, especially at sunset.Room cleanliness was fine. And the shower was new and great.❌ What disappointed:Overcrowded and under-resourced: The hotel was overwhelmed with guests, and it showed — particularly at breakfast. Food trays were often empty, the buffet poorly replenished, and long queues formed daily.Front desk understaffed: Each check-in, inquiry, or request required a long wait. Staff were polite but clearly struggling to cope with demand.Gym and spa disappointment: The fitness area was not only dated, but also required extra payment for access — including to the sauna and wellness facilities, which is surprising for a so-called five-star hotel. Equipment was minimal and not well maintained.Dining quality mixed: While some lunch and dinner offerings were decent, the overall standard felt closer to a 3-star package resort than a premium experience.🎯 This hotel might have potential in low season or smaller events, but it’s not prepared to handle full-capacity conferences.

Awful hotel. Staff were all miserable. Rooms were riddled with ants we asked for it to be fumigated they were back within 1 day. Plug sockets pushed into walls, pool was absolutely freezing! There was a big convention on and they were jumped to the front of the queue in the food hall and treated far better than the tourists. Would never return. No where near 5 stars as described on love holidays. More a 2/3 at a push. Dimitris was the only shining light on the hotel. He was amazing, friendly and lovely.

Really enjoyed our stay here . Staff were great and worked very hard- especially the staff that worked breakfast , lunch and dinner . Some guests were so rude to them but they kept their cool and smiled . Good variety of food and snack options .On arrival we had a mini fridge stocked full of drinks and snacks plus a coffee machine with teas , coffees ect .Entertainment at night was good and even had a mini kids disco that my son loved.Only faults I would give the hotel are the lifts . Their are three lifts and only two work . The extra working lift is definitely needed with waiting times sometimes exceeding 10mins !The swimming pools are ice cold ! Impossible to enjoy.

Great location with local and nearby amenities.Cheap to get to places from here in a taxi eg old town/ new town, ports and falirakiService is okay but we went during off peak season so felt like the staff were stretched.Rooms are very nice. A bit of a walk to the rooms are further away but nice and quietPlenty of pools but all inclusive is not everything and still have to pay for certain things like the bar, outdoor cafe where there are pizzas burgers etc.Generally good food, however can do with labelling the food a little better as the labels were mixed up a little.Overall a nice hotel.