Blue Horizon

"Honest Review: Blue Horizon Hotel, Ialysos, Rhodes (October 2025) My husband and I have just returned from a two-week stay at the Blue Horizon Hotel in Ialysos (mid-October 2025). It’s officially rated four stars, and we chose the all-inclusive option this time for a completely hassle-free break — we usually go half-board or self-catering. First Impressions & Location The hotel is in a good spot — right by the coast and just off the main high street, so shops, restaurants, and bus stops are all within easy walking distance. It’s a big place with a mix of rooms in the main building and bungalow-style accommodation in the gardens. Families with children are definitely made welcome here. Staff & Service Reception staff could be a little frosty at times, but to be fair, they were helpful whenever we needed something. Everyone else around the hotel was lovely — cheerful, chatty, and always ready to help. Pool & Beach The pool area was nice, but it could get quite busy, especially with children around. By lunchtime, one side was in shade, but we never had trouble finding a sunbed (though I can imagine it’s tighter in high season). You can pick up pool and beach towels free of charge and swap them every three days. A short path leads to the pool bar for snacks and drinks, and then down to a grassy area and the beach. Plenty of loungers and parasols there, charged at €4 per person per day. The beach is a mix of pebbles and shingle and shelves steeply into the sea, so beach shoes are a good idea. Surfboards and bodyboards are available to hire from local vendors. Food & Drink The dining room is large, bright, and well-furnished, but breakfast and dinner can get a bit manic, so timing is everything! Lunch was much calmer. The food choice was excellent, with something for everyone, though a few dishes could have been a bit hotter. There were also some nice themed nights featuring Greek and international dishes. Drinks: the “all-inclusive” spirits, wine and beer are locally produced, and the cocktails were pre-mixed rather than freshly made, which was a bit of a let-down. Fresh cocktails were only for paying guests, and the choice was quite limited. Rooms Our room was clean, comfortable, and had plenty of storage. It was serviced daily, and towels were replaced every day, which was great. A complimentary bottle of wine and a plate of assorted fruit greeted us as we entered the room, and the fridge was stacked with complimentary soft and alcoholic drinks (chargeable to replace). The only gripe was that the shower gel, soap, and tea/coffee supplies weren’t topped up — not a big deal, as we brought our own soap and gel, and you can easily pick up extra beverage sachets from the dining room or pool bar. There’s a safe in the wardrobe, free to use (you just ask reception for the key, but there’s a fee if you lose it). Biggest issue? The pillows! They were really past their best and pretty uncomfortable. The staff were brilliant about swapping them several times, but unfortunately, none were much better, so a good night’s sleep was hard to come by. Entertainment & Atmosphere The lounge bar is spacious and opens out onto the terrace, which is also used for evening entertainment. The entertainment was okay, but nothing to write home about — typical hotel fare like bingo, “guess the song,” and the occasional fire-eating act. Highlighting the evening entertainment were Greek dancers and a local pop band, who performed on a couple of occasions Wi-Fi is free but patchy in the rooms, better in public areas. Out & About Step outside the hotel and you’ll find plenty of restaurants, souvenir shops, excursion sellers (many cheaper than booking through the hotel), and car hire options. On-site parking is limited and costs €10 per day. The local bus stop is about a 15–20-minute walk away and connects you to the rest of the island easily. Overall We enjoyed our stay at the Blue Horizon. It’s clean, well-run, and in a good location, with friendly staff and good facilities. That said, I’d question the four-star rating — in our experience, it’s more on par with a good three-star hotel. Still, we had a lovely, relaxing break and would recommend it to anyone looking for a straightforward, sun-soaked holiday in Rhodes."

"I booked this hotel with Easyjet holidays. We were met at the airport then shortly after arrived at the hotel and were greeted by a lovely receptionist with brown hair I did not get her name but she was super helpful throughout our stay. We stayed in a garden bungalow which suited our family of 4. There are lots of supermarkets nearby to get supplies like milk or bottled water. The pool was wonderful. The lifeguard was very friendly and there were inflatables and balls for the children to play with. Breakfast was very nice. The evening meals were good but unfortunately one aspect let it down. On the first night having dinner we asked for tap water. The weather was in the late twenty degrees celsius. First a woman with a shirt dark bob told me to return to my table. I did this. My husband had bought two coca colas for our children. I settled this bill and asked a short man with dark hair if we could please get some water. He took my money them ignored me. Half board at this hotel means you cannot even get tap water with dinner. For this reason I recommend only booking bed and breakfast..there are lots of restaurants and supermarkets nearby so you can save a lot of money this way and avoid being treated badly by the two wait staff mentioned who seemed to treat guests differently depending on what board they booked. These staff unfortunately affected our holiday in a really negative way. We spent hundreds of pounds outside the hotel because restaurant staff gave us decent service. Before I finish I must sing the praises of the brown haired lady on reception. She arranged a late check out which made the end of our holiday a relaxing experience and gave great advice on taxis. Nothing was too much for her despite working long shifts she was happy, polite and spoke in numerous languages fluenty."

"The hotel is overall good but the food in the evenings is amazingly good, we are half board and don't feel the need to go out to eat, brilliant offering every night!"