Al Mare Villas

Al Mare Villas faces a quiet beach in an otherwise touristy Rhodes. Its spare decor and furniture might strike some as downmarket, but guests routinely praise the authentic and relaxing atmosphere. Upon arrival, guests enter a two-story, beige masonry building with meager gardens and a big asphalt parking lot. Inside, there's a small lobby with glossy dark-wood paneling and small, abstract black-and-white photographs. Two yellow, molded plastic chairs sit adjacent to a tiny reception desk. The grounds include lawns, which are sometimes scruffy, and small gardens and a naturalistic beach with palm-leaf umbrellas and weathered teak loungers and cushions. Guests can glimpse the hotel's private pools from the beach. The restaurant has a sunny terrace with a pergola to filter sun, and offers more views of the beach. Most guests are out exploring the island during the day, and the hotel only seems busy in the morning, when everyone is setting out. This property tends to attract repeat guests, mainly Europeans, from couples of all ages on romantic getaways to families with children. 

Al Mare Villas is in a section of Rhodes thick with traffic, restaurants, and shops, an hour's drive from the center of the old town, with its medieval tower. There is a market -- handy for stocking the mini-fridges -- within a five-minute walk of the hotel. It is a 15-minute walk to the lovely Kiotari Beach. It is a four-minute drive to Rodos Princess Beach. The Folklore Museum of Lardos is an 11-minute drive. St. Paul's Bay is 23 minutes away by car, and Panagia Tsambika Monastery is just a bit farther at 36 minutes by car. The rocky outcropping of the Lindos Acropolis is an hour's drive. Tsambika Beach is a 35-minute drive. The Valley of the Butterflies is 56 minutes away by car, and the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes is a 63-minute drive. The Palace of the Grand Master Knights and the equally ancient Hospital of the Knights are 63 minutes away by car. Rhodes International Airport is an hour's drive. 

The 17 apartments at Al Mare Villas are roomy and bright, but furniture is sparse and inexpensive-looking -- boxy sofas are upholstered in inexpensive cotton or stiff-looking leather, and tables look to be particle board. They range from Studios for two people to Villas that sleep four, although the hotel will provide extra cots or cribs. Studios have kitchenettes with stovetop burners but no microwaves. One-Bedroom Apartments and Villas have full kitchens, including refrigerators, microwaves, and stoves. All units have full views of the sea. One-Bedroom units and Villas, which have sofa beds, have cascading views from the first floor, which take in private pools, the beach, and the sea. There are dining tables and chairs and cupboards in brown-wood finishes, and dressers. Cookware, dishes, coffeemakers, and utensils are provided. The units also have irons and ironing boards, safes, and air-conditioning, along with LCD flat-screen TVs. Some villas have iPod docks, and robes and slippers. Bathrooms are either beige or brown tile. Some have pan-basin showers with glass doors, and others have tub/shower combos with glass shields, and include magnifying mirrors. Toiletries and hairdryers are provided. Sliding doors are framed with linen drapes but lack black-out curtains; these lead to terraces with woven furniture and large canvas umbrellas or pergolas. Some of the terraces have clay amphorae in the landscaped edges or rustic lanterns. The pools, deep enough for a dip, are small with bright-blue tiles. 

Each of the Al Mare Villas' units are self-contained, with their own kitchens/kitchenettes, and most have a small pool. Communal amenities are few, and there's no larger pool for the property as a whole. But the beach is shared and outfitted with a few loungers and palapa umbrellas. Note that the sand here is a bit corse and rocky.The restaurant offers all-day dining, including a breakfast with pancakes and meals with Greek specialties. Upon arrival, guests are greeted with a platter of fresh fruit, and snacks are available all day. There's poolside and beachside drink service, and the beach has palm-leaf umbrellas, teak loungers, and cushions. There's laundry and dry-cleaning service for a fee. The hotel can arrange for taxis and airport transfers. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property, along with luggage storage.