Golden Odyssey Hotel — Hotel in Municipality of Rhodes

Really Hope our review helps you decide on the hotel or Rhodes overall ( Never have I spent time doing such a detailed review!) but I wish we could see more details when choosing, it would have really helped me.|We have just returned from 11 days at The Golden Odessey. It was a last minute booking & after seeing the reviews we were really apprehensive! Firstly we saw that it was very family orientated with the slides etc & that it was all inclusive both things we don't look for, as we were travelling without kids & like to support the local restaurants. We were pleasantly surprised with the hotel, we arrived very late aprx 2am & met the night Receptionist ( male ) he has received bad reviews from some but we had friendly chats with him. You do find your room yourself but you are given directions (its not hard) the room we were given was a ground floor with 3 single beds & a smallish bathroom , We didnt like it but went to reception the next morn & asked to be moved up higher & were straight away given a much nicer room with a double & single bed & bigger bathroom (with no extra cost) the day receptionists are lovely & always answered any questions we had with a smile. |The food was lovely as All inclusive go , if you didnt like one thing there was something else to choose , Im a really picky eater , so if I could eat there anyone can ! |Breakfast - pancakes, chocolate sauce , eggs, meats , fruits , yogurt, beans, breads, cereals, drinks - juice, water, tea & coffee |Lunch - lovely salads , fruits , cheeses, meat dishes , Lasagne, burgers, pasta, rice etc |Dinner - Pizza, spaghetti bolognaise, pies, fish , sauces, meatballs, some traditional dishes, breads , salad, rice etc , varying daily |Desserts- Ice-cream, traditional desserts , mousse , cakes, biscuits |Drinks - from 11am - on tap - local beer , white wine , Rose & Red wine ! |all day , juices, fizzy drinks & water |After 11pm - you pay |Which I think was really reasonable , we saved alot on drinks!! |And the Snack Bar !! Absolutely Amazing for kids throughout the day - all drinks , burgers, kebabs, squid, salad, chips, melons & Ice cream |What more could you want food wise ???|We just can't understand people complaining about the food , We ate out a few times too & obviously the quality is better for the local dishes but for the money we paid it was really good value for the drinks alone! |We would recommend visiting some of the local tavernas, restaurants too , Mama Despinas (down beside Oasis pub/taverna) beautiful food & so quiet because of the effect all Inclusives are having, Oasis bar for drinks, also ♥️ Bellantinas for a big screen with great music & lovely barman & his dad, not far from hotel down Eucalypus Rd. |To find main strip area turn right at front steps of hotel , go straight up till you see the Rd with eucalyptus trees lining both sides of Rd, turn right again that brings you down to the main shopping area & beach further on. The Bus stop to Rhodes etc is just on the road to the left outside hotel.|The Staff - Big shout to the bar staff , especially Dimitris, good fun & late night drinks. The restaurant managers greet you every day with smiles & a Kalispera or kalimera , but watch your plates , they can be whipped away before you've even finished they clean up so fast 😃 |Our room was turned down & new towels every day ! the only thing I would say they don't sweep the floor so after a few days of sand etc it does need it , I just saw the cleaners outside one day & took the sweeping brush & just sweeped it out myself , took mins. |The Entertainment - they have kiddies disco & karaoke nearly every night & then adults entertainment after, We heard sone amazing signing acts , reggae , soul etc , we didnt stick around for kids stuff but walked into town & then back out later but we would love to bring our grandkids , its amazing for kids , although I would say some people keep their kids up way to late , I know their on hols but u can see the poor kids @12/1 am completely delirious ! |The Greek night was ok , we have been to a few really authentic ones over the years , so you may have to travel to Rhodes town for a really good one.|The massage chairs are really good in the lobby, I also went for a massage with the girl there & she is very good , but pricey for Greece, but overall we have found prices have raised considerably in the last few years, Rhodes been the most expensive Island we have been too so far (compared to Crete, Kos, Corfu) but beautiful... |Sunbeds - if your not up before 11.30 you would struggle to get one & they are packed close together around pool , but there are a few pools , we just prefer the beach anyway & the med is so beautiful to swim in , why not go to the beach. |Location - It is not in the middle of nowhere ! but then we like to get put & walk a bit when on hols to walk off the food & drinks & explore areas. Last year we stayed on the west side in Ixia which was much closer to Rhodes town to walk & bus, but the beach was really shingly & wilder to swim in , so after seeing the east side on a boat trip (3 bay swim) we saw that the east is calmer, The west is the Aegan sea & the east is the Mediteranean! We wanted somewhere between Lindos & Faliraki so choose Kolymbia, the hotel is aprx 20mins walk to the town & in same direction just further down is the Kolymbia beach , so very walkable , we walked up & down many nights & a few times during the day, The hotel offers a courtesy bus up & down to the beach about 4 times a day , its a brilliant service & really handy, now the beach it brings you to was not my favourite, we found 2 more smaller beaches both to the right of the I ♥️ Kolymbia sign , one really sandy little bay & the other to the right of that again underneath Laminiki restaurant which has stunning views (we went there for our 10th Anniversary night) see pics |We hired a speed boat on 2 diff days , we loved it so much , €130 gor 2 hours , if there's a group it would be so affordable, we went to my fav beach Tzambika & anchored down for a swim on the first day & went to Antjony Quinn bay & Taganou beach for swim the 2nd day , its amazing & well worth it. We didnt do the all day cruise this year but they are also an amazing day out would highly recommend (last year we took Romantika from Mandraki harbour it was 5 star) but they also do them from the above little bay to the right of Kolymbia sign. There's a little blue & white chapel in that bay where we watched a couple of greek weddings happen from our sunbeds! |We also hired a car & drove to Prasonnisi down south where the Aegan & Med meet , well worth it, & back up to Lindos which is on a par with Rhodes old town in my opinion , beautiful. |Last year we took the ferry to Symi which is well worth it, its beautiful , very hot even in sept so hard to explore too much but worth the approaching views alone. Oct seems to be the best time to visit Symi.|* One warning We have, we booked a taxi from reception to bring us to Tzambika beach (on map aprx 10mins away) we missed the bus which only costs a few euros (but takes longer) & it cost us €17 each way ! so €34 to get to beach that day which was very expensive & €35 for 2 beds ! 😃 so check out the bus times in reception, they are all on the wall , take pics of the local bus times & the free shuttle to have from beginning of your holiday, we met others who only paid €25 for 2 beds (thats still pricey though) on local beaches its €15 for 2, Elli beach Rhodes town is €20 for 2 (really stoney) I wouldnt bother.|The bus into Rhodes town right outside the hotel takes about 30/40 mins depending on time of day I suppose & last one out Im told is 11pm |After reading other reviews I really wanted to put our experience out there as a very young at heart couple in our 50's (with kids & grandkids but travelling on our own) Your holiday is really what you make of it yourself, we met others at the hotel who were having a great time too but they were also exploring the Island & town them, I met one lady who said she couldn't eat anything as the food was awful I just cant comprehend how you couldn't eat anything as there was so much there ! We've been to all incl a couple of times before & they weren't great in that I found it hard to find something to eat (as I said Im extremely fussy where my husband will eat anyting) but this was really really good. Rhodes is amazing & my favourite Greek Island so far (loads more to see) would I come back to the Golden Odessey - yes I would love to bring the grandkids, we arrived 30th Aug & there was lots of kids which we weren't expecting , thought they'd all be in school! but each day there was less kids , I'd say high summer wouldnt be the best if you wanted to avoid kids but definitely after first week in sept it gets quieter. We are Irish & didnt meet any other Irish during our stay , most residents were English, we met people from all over the UK & Scotland, Danish & French. |Enjoy your Holiday & don't make it all about the hotel , get out & explore & make the most of every min of your hard...

First of all, I agree that this hotel isn't on par with the majority of 4 star hotels particularly if you compare them to Portugal or the UK. However, as a family of 2 adults and 1 small child we absolutely made the most of the location and the absolutely stunning weather. ||Positives:|1) The restaurant staff are amazing, attentive, kind and the service is impeccable. Our two year old was excited everyday to visit to shake hands and see the staff there. We enjoyed the food! If you are expecting 70 dishes every service then this isn't the hotel for you. However, we thought the food was tasty and there was a mixture each day. Meat was always tender and they had fresh salad each day. Breakfast was a mixture of what you would expect. Salad, meats, cheese, feta cheese, sausage, ham, beans, scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, a variety of bread products, fruit, yogurts, cereal and fresh cake/ pancakes daily. We always found something we liked to eat and commented on how nice the food was for us. |2) Snack bar- open 11-5pm with a good range of food. Fresh burgers, chips, chicken nuggets, spring rolls, calamari rings, melon and cake in the afternoon. You can also help yourself to 3 different flavours of ice cream in the afternoon from 2-5pm. |3) Most of the staff in the hotel are pleasant and say hello as you walk past. The groundsmen work hard to keep the areas outside well kept and clean as so the staff at the pool bar which was frequently cleaned and wiped down. |4) The area- the reviews saying it's isolated and no where to go I wouldn't say is true. There is a bus stop right outside the hotel which the local bus takes you to Rhodes Old Town, Lindos, different beaches, Falarki and many other local springs/attractions. This is between 2.30-4 euros per adult and young children are free or 2 euros which is a bargain for a 40 minute journey. The buses are also air conditioned and are more like coaches in their design with comfy seats. We went to Lindos and the Old Town, we would recommend both. Also, walking to the beach takes about 15-20 minutes in a straight, flat path. We walked it 2 or 3 times with our 2 year old who could also walk it. There are a selection of shops, bars, ice cream places on the way to the beach if you wanted to stop. Some reviews say it's not appeasing to eye to walk, however please research Greece and Rhodes and you can see that due to lots of reasons including the increase of all inclusive hotels many businesses closed, houses stopped being build or are particially finished/abandoned and it does look a little scruffy. This is the whole of Rhodes not just this area. It is a bit of a shock to the system coming to the UK but if you look past that the mountainous views are beautiful. The beach is 15 euros for 2 beds, umbrella and table for the day which I thought was an okay price. |5) The pools- there are 5 pools. We always stayed at a quieter pool with our 2 year old and as long as you got up before 9am we got a sunbed. The other guests were respectful to us and kind and we never had an issue at all. The splash pool is tired but was always quiet and enjoyed by out little one. There are 3 water slides and they do what they say, my husband enjoyed this but you do need to be 1.2m to use them. We enjoyed the three days we spent around the hotel having pool days. |6) Our two year old enjoys the mini disco of an evening and the 3 members of the entertainment team worked hard. The Greek theme night was good and other evening entertainment. We didn't enjoy the quizzes or paying 10 euros for 3 bingo tickets so didn't take part. ||Negatives|1) We had booked this holiday the day before we flew as a last minute deal. The price was good, we paid 1400 for 3 people including flights and transfers with TUI which I feel is an okay price for what was provided. However, if I had paid more than that I would have been disappointed in which I think some families have and I can understand as this isn't a 4 star hotel that you expect from the photos/description. When we arrived at 9.15pm we were told no food was left (even though buffet only shuts at 9pm) and if we wanted to food we would have to pay for pizza at the bar. 7 Euros each for a small but tasty pizza. We were disappointed after a long day travelling nothing was saves or left over as would be the norm at a 4 star resort. The man on reception of an evening is rude, he spends most of his time either outside smoking or chatting to his friends and when you ask a question it's like an inconvenience for him. The ladies during the day however are very helpful. |2) The room was rough around the edges. It's spacious with a king size bed and then two smaller beds in a closed off area next door with a decent size balcony. However, when we arrived late after being told there was no food then turned up to a room that wasn't the cleanest and things not finished. It's like they've modernised bits of it but to a low standard. The toilet seat was loose, the handle on the sliding door separating the rooms was falling off and the door was really stiff and the floor has seen better days. There are also stains on the curtains to the balcony and marks on numerous places on the walls. However, a plus is the Aircon is really good and after a hot day in the sun was great during the night. Although the beds are changed/made, bins emptied daily and fresh towels provided the room was never brushed/mopped and the shower/toilet wasn't cleaned which was disappointing and this is something the desperately needs improving. |3) The shop is extortionate- use shops 5 min walk away from the hotel or if you hire a car there is a Lidl not far or local supermarket in which you can get food/drinks/snacks so much cheaper. This is how they make more money by stopping all food at 9pm and then people go into the shop for snacks. |4) Drinks- soft drinks, wine and beer during the day from 11-5pm then spirits at the bar from 5pm-11pm. The soft drinks were not for me, very cheap and far too sweet so I stuck to water and beer. The measures were generous in the but very limited all inclusive drinks and again they made thier money of people buying 'premium drinks'. We are not drinkers so this didn't impact us too much but it definitely is a negative. |5) The park and tennis courts tucked away are dire. We tried in once and never returned. ||Overall:|Would I recommend- for a cheap deal and a base possibly. For a 4 star experience with a large variety of food/alcohol choices absolutely not. The Golden Oddessy I would describe as a decent hotel which needs modernisation, a higher cleaning standard and better offers on the drinks ect. However, because of the staff, the restaurant and pool areas we had a great time and if a cheap deal came up again I would possibly book here again. This is a basic resort, I would say 3* max. Thank you for a great time and hopefully with some improvements we may visit again...

I recently stayed at the Golden Odyssey Hotel in Rhodes and, unfortunately, the experience did not live up to the expectations set by its advertised 4-star rating. There were several issues that made our stay less than enjoyable.

The kids' club was a major disappointment. It was merely a room with a few broken toys, offering no real activities or engagement for children or toddlers throughout the day. For a family-friendly hotel, this was extremely underwhelming. The adult activities were also repetitive, with the same limited options of Zumba, darts, and ping pong offered one activity each day, making the experience monotonous. On Friday we had no animation staff or activities at all!

The room itself was tired and in need of refurbishment, reflecting the overall state of the hotel facilities. We encountered a flashing light in our room, which, to the staff's credit, was fixed within the hour. However, the lack of a proper chest of drawers and insufficient hangers in the cupboards for a family of five forced us to live out of our suitcases for the entire stay. Additionally, the chairs in the room were broken and the air conditioning barely worked, further highlighting the lack of maintenance.

One of the most distressing incidents was the presence of a mouse in our room. Not only did it crawl over me during the night, but it also left droppings on our clothing. When I reported this to reception, they sent someone to lay sticky pad traps. The mouse was caught on one of these traps in the middle of the night, causing a commotion. We had to move the trap to the balcony at 1 am ourselves, which was a highly unpleasant experience.

The restaurant staff were fantastic and very helpful but the menu was repetitive, with the same dishes served daily, and the dessert options were often not replenished. The lack of variety became tiresome after just a few days.

The entertainment options were limited and repetitive. The evening shows were largely the same, with the lead entertainer performing a Michael Jackson tribute act three nights out of our 10-night stay. There was one outside group that performed twice during our stay, but overall, it felt like there was a lack of investment in guest entertainment. Additionally, the entertainment area was small with insufficient seating, making it difficult to find a place to sit and enjoy the shows.

The water slides were one of the few highlights of our stay, although even here, there was a safety concern. The exit ladder to the orange slide was missing its bottom step, making it difficult for smaller children to safely exit the pool. The hotel’s Wi-Fi was nearly non-existent, with very slow speeds that made it almost unusable.

The hotel shop was also problematic, as it appeared that the staff would make up prices on the spot, leading to inconsistent charges. Furthermore, the pictures on the hotel's website were outdated and did not accurately represent the current state of the hotel, especially the outdoor areas, including footpaths and seating areas, which were in poor condition.

Overall, I was disappointed with my stay at the Golden Odyssey Hotel. The experience did not match the advertised quality, and I would not recommend this hotel to others. There are significant areas that need improvement, and in my opinion, it does not meet the standard of a 4-star hotel. I will not be...