Where to stay in Rhodes
Rhodes Town sits on the northern tip of a large island, with the sea on both sides: the harbors and calmer water on the east, and the windier west coast on the other. The medieval Old Town fills the middle of the tip, and the newer town, the harbors and the town beaches wrap around it, so most of what you will visit is within a half-hour walk. The choice is between sleeping inside the walls, with stone lanes and stairs, or outside them, on the flat ground by the harbor or the beach. Faliraki, the resort strip down the coast, is a different trip and, for a city break, usually the wrong base. Almost everything here runs from April to October, and some hotels and restaurants shut for the winter.
The short answer
- First trip
- The Old Town for the atmosphere, or the new town by the harbor for flat streets and easy buses.
- Couples
- The Old Town or the Jewish Quarter, for a restored house on a quiet lane.
- Families
- Elli beach or Ixia: flat, with a beach and a pool close by.
- Tight budget
- Ialysos or Rodini, then the new town.
- Nightlife
- The Old Town and the new town have bars and tavernas. Faliraki has the clubs, and it is a bus ride away.
How we judge an area of Rhodes: the walk to the Old Town, the noise at night, how you get in and out, and the price. Nothing on this page is paid for, and the hotels we choose will say who chose them and when they last stayed.
Rhodes Town's areas, side by side
| Area | Best for | At night | Palace of the Grand Master | Mandraki harbor | Airport | Getting around | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Old Town, inside the walls | Atmosphere, sights, couples | Mixed: loud on the main lanes | 10 min | 20 min | over an hour | Gate bus stops, taxis | €€€ |
| The Jewish Quarter | Quiet inside the walls | Quiet | 5 min | 10 min | over an hour | Harbour gate, taxis | €€€ |
| The new town, around Mandraki | First visits, transport | Busy on the harbor streets | 10 min | 5 min | over an hour | Central bus station, taxis | €€ |
| Elli beach and the north end | Beach days, families | Lively in summer | 15 min | 5 min | over an hour | Town bus, 15-minute walk | €€€ |
| Ixia | Resort stays, families | Quiet | 60 min | over an hour | over an hour | City bus, 20 minutes | €€ |
| Ialysos (Trianda) | Budgets, airport | Quiet | over an hour | over an hour | over an hour | City bus, 30 to 40 minutes | € |
| Rodini | Quiet, budgets | Very quiet | 35 min | 45 min | over an hour | Bus to center, 10 to 15 minutes | € |
The three columns are the straight line from the middle of each area plus a third for real streets, at an easy pace, rounded to five minutes, so they show how far apart things are, not what to do. Ixia and Ialysos are along the west coast road, where a city bus or a taxi is the sensible way in. The airport column shows the distance to the terminal, not a way to go: take the bus or a taxi. Price is our read of a standard double in the same week, from € (cheapest) to €€€€ (dearest), until booking-site prices replace it.
Where the areas are
The Old Town, for stone lanes and history
A medieval walled city, still lived in: restored houses, the Knights' street and the palace, and cruise crowds at midday.
The Old Town is the reason most people come. Inside the walls are the Street of the Knights, the Palace of the Grand Master, mosques, small churches and a maze of lanes that turn into restaurants after dark. Hotels are restored houses, often with a courtyard and eight to twenty rooms, and you walk out of the door into the sights. Late in the evening, once the day visitors have gone, it is one of the nicest places to be in Greece.
Cars cannot reach most hotels, so you carry luggage over cobbles, up steps, and sometimes along a long lane from the nearest gate where a taxi can stop. Rooms can be damp, small and dark. The main streets are full from mid-morning when cruise ships dock, and the restaurant lanes near Sokratous can be loud until late. The beach is a fifteen to twenty-minute walk outside the walls. Choose a hotel on a side lane, and ask where a taxi will drop you.
Good for
- Sleeping in a medieval town, with the sights at the door
- Quiet side lanes in the evening and early morning
- Restaurants and bars a few steps away
Think twice if
- You have heavy luggage or limited mobility
- You want a beach in front of the hotel
- You dislike crowds on cruise ship days
Staying in The Old Town, inside the walls: nearby sights, food and getting around
The Jewish Quarter, for a calmer corner of the Old Town
The lanes round the Kahal Shalom synagogue and Hippocrates Square, quieter than the main restaurant streets and next to the palace.
The Jewish Quarter is the north-east corner of the Old Town, behind Hippocrates Square and close to the Palace of the Grand Master and the harbor gate. The lanes are narrower and the restaurants fewer than around Sokratous, so evenings are calmer, and the synagogue and a small museum tell the history of a community that was almost wiped out in 1944. It is a good base for light sleepers who still want to sleep inside the walls.
It shares the Old Town's trade-offs: cobbles, steps, no car access and a walk with luggage. A few lanes still have bars on them, and the square is busy in the evening. It is also the closest part of the walls to Mandraki and the east harbor, so the sea is a five-minute walk.
Good for
- Quieter nights than the main Old Town lanes
- The palace and the harbor close by
- Couples and light sleepers
Think twice if
- You want many restaurants on your doorstep
- Cobbles and steps are a problem for you
Staying in The Jewish Quarter: nearby sights, food and getting around
The new town, for flat streets and buses
The flat part of the town by Mandraki harbor: the New Market, the buses, shops and tavernas, a five-minute walk from the Old Town gate.
The new town sits between the Old Town walls and Elli beach, around Mandraki harbor, where the excursion boats leave. The central bus station and the New Market are here, and the buses to the airport and the beaches start close by. Streets are flat, shops and cafés are open all day, and hotels range from budget rooms to larger four-star blocks, usually with a lift and a car park.
It lacks the stone-lane charm of the Old Town, and the streets behind the harbor can feel like any Greek town, with traffic and some unremarkable concrete. Bars on the streets near the harbor run late in summer, so ask for a room away from them. The Old Town is a five to ten-minute walk away, so you can see it every morning and sleep outside it.
Good for
- Buses and the harbor on your doorstep
- Flat streets, lifts and parking
- A wider price range than inside the walls
Think twice if
- You want an old-town atmosphere around your hotel
- Late bars on the harbor streets will bother you
Staying in The new town, around Mandraki: nearby sights, food and getting around
Elli beach, for swimming at the door
Hotels along the northern tip, with a town beach, the aquarium and the casino, and the Old Town fifteen minutes away on foot.
Elli is the town beach, on the northern tip beside the aquarium: pebbles and sand, shallow water, sun beds and bars along the front. The big resort hotels stand behind it, with pools, restaurants and sea views, and the walk along the harbor to the Old Town takes about fifteen minutes. It is flat, easy with children, and has the most hotels with a pool and a view in the town.
In July and August the beach is packed and the front is noisy into the evening. The north end can be windy, and the sea on that side is rougher than at the east harbor. Rhodes Town is not a beach resort, and Elli is a town beach, so expect crowds. Out of season, many beach bars close.
Good for
- Swimming in the morning and sightseeing later
- Hotels with pools and sea views
- Flat walking and families with children
Think twice if
- You want to sleep inside the walls
- You dislike crowded beaches in July and August
Staying in Elli beach and the north end: nearby sights, food and getting around
Ixia, for a resort hotel by the west coast
A strip of larger hotels along the windy west coast, about five kilometers from the Old Town, with a long pebble beach.
Ixia is the hotel zone just outside the town on the west coast, a row of large resorts and apartments behind a pebble beach on the Ialysos road. Hotels have pools, gardens and half-board, and the city bus takes about twenty minutes to the center. It suits families and anyone who wants a resort holiday with a day or two in the Old Town.
It is not a place to walk from. The west coast is exposed, so the sea is often rough, and the beach is shingle. Outside the hotels there is little: a few tavernas and shops on the main road. You will take the bus or a taxi for dinner in town, and the last buses back are not late.
Good for
- Resort hotels with pools and half-board
- Families who want a day or two in the Old Town
- Quiet streets after dark
Think twice if
- You want to walk to restaurants and sights
- You dislike windy beaches and shingle
Ialysos, for lower prices and the airport
A resort suburb on the west coast, near the airport, with cheaper rooms and a long beach, and a half-hour bus ride into town.
Ialysos, also called Trianda, runs along the west coast between the town and the airport, with rows of small hotels and apartments, supermarkets and tavernas. Prices are lower than in the Old Town or at Elli, the beach is long, and the airport is about fifteen minutes by taxi. The wind that makes it popular with windsurfers also makes the sea rough.
It is a residential and holiday suburb with little character, and you are about eight kilometers from the Old Town. You will travel in by bus, which takes about thirty to forty minutes, and the last buses are not late. It suits a short stay around a flight, or a budget trip where the Old Town is a day out.
Good for
- Lower prices and apartments with kitchens
- A short transfer from the airport
- Windsurfing and a long beach
Think twice if
- You want to be near the Old Town in the evening
- You want character or a walkable center
Staying in Ialysos (Trianda): nearby sights, food and getting around
Rodini, for a green edge and a quiet night
A residential district south of the walls, around a shaded park, with a few small hotels and a bus line into the center.
Rodini is the green area south of the Old Town, built around a park with tall trees and a stream. It is mostly houses, with a few small hotels and apartments, and the walls are about two kilometers away: a twenty-five-minute walk or a short bus ride. Nights are very quiet and prices are among the lowest in the town.
There is nothing to do after dark. A handful of tavernas and a supermarket serve the area, and the beach is far. You need the bus or a taxi for dinner in town. It works for a budget stay with a car, or for a traveler who wants a calm base.
Good for
- Quiet nights and lower prices
- A shaded park nearby
- A car, or a bus into the center
Think twice if
- You want to walk to the Old Town for dinner
- You want a beach or a lively street
Where not to stay in Rhodes Town, and what to do instead
Every booking site lists these places to stay in Rhodes. We would skip them, or at least choose with care. Nobody pays a commission on a warning.
- Faliraki, for a city break
Faliraki is a resort strip about fifteen kilometers down the east coast, known for its clubs, bars and water park. It is a good base for a beach holiday, but it is not the Old Town: you take a bus of about half an hour to see it. Stay in the town and take the bus to Faliraki for a day if you want it.
- An Old Town room that is described as 'central' without detail
Some rooms are above restaurant lanes and some are in dark ground-floor spaces. Ask where the room is, which floor and what is below the window.
- Lindos as a base for the town
Lindos is a beautiful village about fifty kilometers south, an hour or more by bus. It is a day trip, not a base for Rhodes Town. Stay in town and go for the day.
- A hotel with a long carry from the taxi
Many Old Town hotels are a long walk from the nearest gate. Ask for the drop-off point and the walk before you book.
- Traveling in winter and expecting everything to be open
Many hotels, boat trips and restaurants close from November to March. Check opening dates before booking out of season.
Which area suits you
First time in Rhodes
Stay in the Old Town for the atmosphere, or the new town if you prefer flat streets and the bus.
Couples
The Old Town or the Jewish Quarter, in a restored house.
Families with children
Elli beach or Ixia, with a pool and a beach close.
A tight budget
Ialysos or Rodini, then the new town.
Heavy luggage or limited mobility
The new town, with lifts and flat streets, or Elli.
Nightlife
The Old Town and the new town for tavernas and bars. Clubs are in Faliraki.
Quiet
The Jewish Quarter, Rodini or Ixia.
Before you book a room in Rhodes Town
The practical things that decide whether a good hotel in Rhodes makes a good stay. Bus fares and timetables change by season, so check them locally.
- The climate resilience feeGreece charges a fee per room per night, not per guest, paid at the hotel and usually not in the online price. From April to October it is €2 at a one or two-star hotel, €5 at three stars, €10 at four and €15 at five; from November to March it is €0.50, €1.50, €3 and €4. Holiday rentals pay by size, and the rate is the same on every island.
- From the airportDiagoras airport is about fourteen kilometers south west of the town. RODA city buses run from outside arrivals to the central bus station in roughly 30 to 40 minutes for a few euros, paid on the bus. A taxi takes 20 to 25 minutes and costs around €30, a little more at night. Ask the driver to use the meter.
- From the ferry portFerries and hydrofoils use the commercial harbor on the east side of the Old Town. It is a ten-minute walk to most Old Town hotels and a short taxi ride to the others.
- Walking and stairsThe Old Town is cobbled, with steps and no cars. Wheeled cases are hard work, so ask your hotel about the walk from the gate and whether it will meet you.
- CarsYou do not need a car for the town. You need one, or a bus day, for Lindos, the beaches on the east coast and the valleys inland. Parking inside the walls is not possible for visitors.
- WindThe west coast is windy, and the east coast is calmer. If sea conditions matter, ask which side of the island the beach you want is on.
- SeasonApril to October is the season. In July and August it is hot and full, and cruise ships fill the Old Town at midday. From November many hotels and restaurants close and ferries run less often.
Where to stay in Rhodes Town: questions people ask
What is the best area to stay in Rhodes for a first visit?
The Old Town if you want the atmosphere and can manage cobbles and steps, or the new town by Mandraki harbor if you want flat streets, lifts and the bus. Both are a short walk from the main sights.
Is it better to stay in the Old Town or the new town?
The Old Town for character, and you pay with luggage trouble, smaller rooms and some noise. The new town for convenience and a wider choice of hotels, with the Old Town a five to ten-minute walk away.
Is Elli beach worth staying near?
Yes if you want a swim before breakfast and a hotel with a pool. It is a town beach, so it is busy in summer. The Old Town is about fifteen minutes away on foot.
Should I stay in Faliraki?
Only if a beach and nightlife resort is what you want. It is about fifteen kilometers from the Old Town, with a bus of around half an hour, so it is a poor base for a city break.
Can I stay in Lindos and see Rhodes Town?
You can, by bus, but it takes an hour or more each way. Most visitors stay in town and make Lindos a day trip.
Where should I stay in Rhodes if I have no car?
The Old Town or the new town. Both are walkable, with buses and taxis close. Ixia and Ialysos rely on the city bus.
How much is the climate fee in Rhodes?
It is charged per room per night, not per person: from April to October €2 at one and two-star hotels, €5 at three stars, €10 at four and €15 at five. It is paid at the hotel, usually on top of the price shown online.
How do I get from Rhodes airport to the town?
By RODA city bus from outside arrivals to the central bus station, or by taxi for around €30. The bus takes 30 to 40 minutes and the taxi 20 to 25.
