Unusually for us, in August 2026 we both felt like we need a week of doing not very much at all so we decided to treat ourselves to a break at the sister hotel to the one Wendy and I stayed in Ixia in 2024. The Atrium Palace is a beautiful 5* All Inclusive hotel in the far south west of Rhodes Island, an area we didn't visit previously.
I especially chose a mid-day flight from Gatwick as we have an 1 1/2 hour drive from the airport and I wanted to do that before it got dark, also I get fed up with BA breakfasts, and so we decided we should be OK for getting to the airport in the morning rather than booking a hotel overnight. Around 07:30 we were ready to leave, the suitcases having been loaded last night, except that when Ian tried to start the car nothing happened apart from an ominous click. He tried several times but the car wasn't even going to turn over let alone spring into life. So I dashed back upstairs, unlocked the house, recovered my car keys from the security holiday hiding place and we wedged the cases into my little car and headed off only about 20 mins late. Some way along the M25 I suddenly noticed a warning light on my dashboard which I'd never seen in the 8 years I've owned the car; it was a tyre pressure warning light! Luckily we were near Clackett Lane Services so we pulled in with the intention of putting some air in the tyres only they all looked absolutely fine - maybe it was the same, random, problem Wendy gets with her car on M25. We also had to notify Valet Parking of the vehicle change but this couldn't be done online as it was too close to our ticketed time and the phone lines didn't open until 09:00. Never mind Ian eventually got through and I was able to join the conversation (the booking being in mine name, the usual data protection b*ll*cks applied) and she assured us we could just explain when we arrived. Which we did and the guy was lovely, telling us to just go and enjoy the holiday; the car would be fine.
We were then through check-in, security and into the lounge all in about 5 mins. Only problem was the flight was almost 2 hours late leaving and so it was already practically dark before we arrived. Fortunately we were near the front of the plane but even so the queue for Immigration as quite long, although I must say it moved relatively quickly and we then didn't have too long to wait for our cases. Outside the Arrivals Hall it was chaos with hundreds of people just milling around near the car rental counters but fortunately there as no one actually waiting at the Budget desk. I'd done a pre-arrival check-in online and so we were swiftly given the keys and on our way. The drive was OK, in the dark for all of it, but the last hour or so was pretty tedious as the speed limit is 50 kms (because of suicidal deer we later discovered). It was 23:30 before we finally arrived, but I'd emailed ahead to the hotel to release our dinner reservation and they'd thoughtfully left some sandwiches and a bottle of wine in our room.
A few snaps of the hotel which is fabulous. I'd read reviews which praised the staff and there were 100% accurate, everyone is lovely and can't do enough for you.
The beach (obvs!) which although not white sand was very nice and they'd marked off a channel into the water which was less stony than the rest of the beach. The water was lovely and warm, in fact warmer than the pool.
I don't think there were any performances in the amphitheatre whilst we were there, probably just as well as it was west facing and the audience would have roasted.
This photo is taken from our bedroom window; each night the swallows come and site on these beams before heading off to sleep and boy, what a racket they make!
The hotel has its own little chapel too.
One evening we took a walk along the beach path around the headland. Not a great deal to see but a pleasant walk.
Heading back with our hotel in the distance, it's actually quite low rise and sympathetic to the landscape.
For our first trip out we consulted with the guy on the front desk who agreed that nearby Lachania, a lovely, old fashioned little village, was a good one to visit.
The church had been firmly shut when we arrived but a little later we noticed a Greek Orthodox priest drive by and sure enough when we got back to where we'd parked the church was open. Not a lot to see though and I was a bit unsure of taking photos.
We drove a little further on to Mesanagros but once again the place was deserted.
I don't think I'd like to attempt these steps in the dark or after a glass or two!
Always nice to see Ecballium elaterium (squirting cucumber) growing - I can instantly hear David Attenborough chuckling away.
We then visited the Thari Monastery in Laerma which was supposedly very welcoming to visitors. It may well have provided free teas and coffees but the monks we tried to chat to were totally unfriendly.
I even got told off for taking this photo.
There was a little shop selling religious artefacts but I can't imagine why anyone would want to burn a candle in the form of a human baby (you can actually see the wick sticking out of the head)!
To finish our drive around we went Prasonisi Beach at the very tip of the island where the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas meet - the western side (RHS in the photo) belongs to the Aegean Sea, which is typically windy and rough with high waves and the calmer, flatter water on the LHS is the Mediterranean Sea.
Between the two is a shifting sandy strip (tombolo) which connects the mainland to a small islet at low water, but it can become submerged during high tides or winter months.
The contrasting conditions and steady seasonal winds make it a world-renowned destination for windsurfing and kitesurfing. No kidding - it was so windy we could barely stand upright and the whipped up sand stung at our bare flesh!
Another morning trip out took us across the mountains to Monolithos, somewhere we'd driven to last time but had declined to make the steep climb up to the ruined castle and little monastery as Ian's knee had been troubling him on that holiday.
This time we did and it was a surprisingly easy walk.
Inside the tiny chapel.
Another little chapel just a short way down the valley but we couldn't drive to it as the road had subsided.
The scenery was beautiful all around.
Another of the several hundred chapels on the island.
We headed back across the island and stopped at the sister hotel near Lindos for lunch and the afternoon. The pool area was very crowded and quite noisy/messy but the beach area was nice enough and we had a quick dip in the surprisingly warm sea.
This week has been a perfect mix of lazing around by the pool eating and drinking and then a few short trips out in the car. As well as the main buffet restaurant the hotel had several à la carte ones and we tried several with our favourite being Thalassa Mediterrean which was located right by the sea and had a particularly delightful female bar tender. As well as our copious cocktails around the pool each day costing €12 a pop, the staff positively encouraged us to try more expensive wines than we would have ordinarily chosed and so the All Inclusive aspect worked very well for us.
Obviously it wasn't practical for me to have the camera around all the time, so I took a few photos on my phone, mostly at cocktail hour it seems:-
Our flight home wasn't until early evening but we decided to leave straight after breakfast on the last day and take a leisurely drive right through the middle of the island, which is beautiful and the roads are practically deserted. We then arrived at the Ixia sister hotel near Rhodes Town in time for lunch and a couple of hours around the pool before a short half-hour drive back to the airport. I saw at one point that the incoming flight was late taking off again and discovered that the day we'd arrived the return flight had actually been cancelled as we arrived too late for them to get back to Gatwick within hours. Worried this may happen again and knowing how difficult it can be for BA to organise accommodation for a whole flight, I checked with reception that they could accommodate us should the need arise and luckily there was no problem. We still left for the airport on time and simply waited in the lounge before eventually taking off about 1 1/2 hours late. We made up time on the flight but then had to wait an absolutely age for our bags and only got back to Valet Parking to collect the car about 5 mins to midnight (instead of 21:30) but fortunately there was no additional charge. I'm really pleased Ian has pushed me to pay the extra ££ for Valet Parking as it certainly helps alleviate stress when things don't quite go to plan!