Ixian Grand Hotel, Ixia, Rhodes
Hotel Information
Recent Price: £127
Hotel Class:
Hotel Description:
Situated on the magnificent beach of Ixia, just 6km from the city of Rhodes. The Ixian Grand Hotel is an excellent base from which to explore the countless beauties and spectacular sights around Rhodes. The hotel is especially renowned for the quality of its food and beverages and when the night falls the main bar is the place to enjoy a drink listening to relaxing music. The magnificent views across the Aegean Sea or the hotel's lush green gardens will make this the ideal place to relax. loading...
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Ixian Grand Hotel Reviews
" Booked independently and got a... "
Submitted By: Ms M Kragh
Booked independently and got a brilliant rate for the hotel room (£380 total - not pp for 1 week).
What a fantastic hotel. The location is great as it is away from the busy streets of Ialysos and neighbouring areas, and right by the beach.
The hotel had it's grand opening in May 2008 after being refurbished, and it looks and is truely grand.
The front desk staff are really friendly and helpful. The pools are awesome, and the breakfast buffet...wow! Impressive!!
Really recommend this hotel...especially after their grand opening.
Rooms are decorated modern contemporary style with LG flat screens...nice touch!
What a fantastic hotel. The location is great as it is away from the busy streets of Ialysos and neighbouring areas, and right by the beach.
The hotel had it's grand opening in May 2008 after being refurbished, and it looks and is truely grand.
The front desk staff are really friendly and helpful. The pools are awesome, and the breakfast buffet...wow! Impressive!!
Really recommend this hotel...especially after their grand opening.
Rooms are decorated modern contemporary style with LG flat screens...nice touch!
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- Date of Holiday:Sep 2008
- Board Basis:Bed & Breakfast
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" On arrival this hotel certainly... "
Submitted By: Miss R Howard
On arrival this hotel certainly appears to be 5* but as soon as you get past the impressive reception and pool areas you quickly realise that this is 3 star at a massive push.
The food was in one word - revolting, everything about it shrieked "economy" - chicken and fish were very scarce and if you are a vegetarian who doesn't like everything smothered in cheese then you've had it!
The restaurant has "themed" evenings, we went to a Spanish evening and the paella was dry and tasted liked curry, we also went to an "Asian" evening with soggy vegetables, no chicken dishes, and deep fried spring rolls. Lovely.
The wine was disgusting - it came from a large box and was usually warm. I found it very difficult to find anything that was actually edible and we ended up having to eat in Rhodes & Ixia on an evening.
We went to the a la carte restaurant and it was the worst meal I have ever had in my life, we didn't eat a thing - chicken curry was actually an undercooked chicken schnitzel swimming in grease, spaghetti salad (?!) looked like child’s baby food. Salmon was actually haddock. And to top it all off the wine was warm and when we asked if we could have a cold bottle, the waitress didn't understand and presumed that we liked hot wine. That summed that evening up.
The drinks consisted of cheap alcohol and the majority of the bar staff were surly. The "entertainment" was borderline suicidal, enough to force you out of the hotel!
To end on a positive, the rooms are serviced daily by very friendly staff, the pool although absolutely freezing is designed very well and the chill out sofas beside this are really relaxing. The fact that the hotel is right beside the beach is also a massive plus.
If this hotel wants a real 5 star rating they should focus on the quality of the food/drink and entertainment and pay less attention to the decor.
The food was in one word - revolting, everything about it shrieked "economy" - chicken and fish were very scarce and if you are a vegetarian who doesn't like everything smothered in cheese then you've had it!
The restaurant has "themed" evenings, we went to a Spanish evening and the paella was dry and tasted liked curry, we also went to an "Asian" evening with soggy vegetables, no chicken dishes, and deep fried spring rolls. Lovely.
The wine was disgusting - it came from a large box and was usually warm. I found it very difficult to find anything that was actually edible and we ended up having to eat in Rhodes & Ixia on an evening.
We went to the a la carte restaurant and it was the worst meal I have ever had in my life, we didn't eat a thing - chicken curry was actually an undercooked chicken schnitzel swimming in grease, spaghetti salad (?!) looked like child’s baby food. Salmon was actually haddock. And to top it all off the wine was warm and when we asked if we could have a cold bottle, the waitress didn't understand and presumed that we liked hot wine. That summed that evening up.
The drinks consisted of cheap alcohol and the majority of the bar staff were surly. The "entertainment" was borderline suicidal, enough to force you out of the hotel!
To end on a positive, the rooms are serviced daily by very friendly staff, the pool although absolutely freezing is designed very well and the chill out sofas beside this are really relaxing. The fact that the hotel is right beside the beach is also a massive plus.
If this hotel wants a real 5 star rating they should focus on the quality of the food/drink and entertainment and pay less attention to the decor.
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- Date of Holiday:Sep 2007
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Olympic Holidays
" We arrived at the hotel in the early... "
Submitted By: Miss A.R.M.S Slade
We arrived at the hotel in the early morning after a bad flight and we thought that we had been dropped off at the wrong hotel. It looked out of this world. The check-in was completed in record time and we were shown to our rooms. We loved the rooms. The beds were comfortable and there was a big dressing table and mirror.
The next day we went swimming and were delighted at the friendliness of the animation team as they asked people to join in with the activities. My brother and sister joined the kids club and loved it. It gave them something to do instead of swimming all day.
Our friends were due to arrive a week after we had been staying. The morning after their arrival we awoke to discover that they were down the corridor from us we were very pleased as we thought they might be in a different part of the hotel than us. The cocktail bar and snack bar were frequently used by our party.
The evening entertainment was amazing and my dad especially liked when they put on a show that you could get involved in he was in two of the sketches. My dad got very friendly with the entertainers and joined in as much as he could. I even taught one of the entertainers a dance to a song they wanted to use in the kiddies disco.
I loved the fact that it was a mixed nationality hotel because have only ever been to places with English guests. I met a lot of wonderful people that I will never forget and I still talk to some now. We would definitely return to this hotel as it is the best we have ever stayed in and I can't believe people have put bad comments on it. We understand about the kittens but the whole of our party loved the kittens.
The next day we went swimming and were delighted at the friendliness of the animation team as they asked people to join in with the activities. My brother and sister joined the kids club and loved it. It gave them something to do instead of swimming all day.
Our friends were due to arrive a week after we had been staying. The morning after their arrival we awoke to discover that they were down the corridor from us we were very pleased as we thought they might be in a different part of the hotel than us. The cocktail bar and snack bar were frequently used by our party.
The evening entertainment was amazing and my dad especially liked when they put on a show that you could get involved in he was in two of the sketches. My dad got very friendly with the entertainers and joined in as much as he could. I even taught one of the entertainers a dance to a song they wanted to use in the kiddies disco.
I loved the fact that it was a mixed nationality hotel because have only ever been to places with English guests. I met a lot of wonderful people that I will never forget and I still talk to some now. We would definitely return to this hotel as it is the best we have ever stayed in and I can't believe people have put bad comments on it. We understand about the kittens but the whole of our party loved the kittens.
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2005
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" Before you start reading, I’d just... "
Submitted By: Mr C Barbato
Before you start reading, I’d just like to say, don’t get me wrong, the hotel is nice, it’s just that it depends on how you view the hotel before you go there. If you look in an ordinary brochure, and don’t look at the website, you won’t expect anything too high, and it will seem like a good hotel. However, I did look at the ridiculously misleading website, so I was expecting it to be like the website which describes it as nothing short of spectacular.
It is described as a five star hotel, which is very definitely so not. The photos, I must say, were very well taken, and when you enter the hotel, there is a lovely chandelier above, and the design, it has to be said, is excellent. However, it is quite simply not as good as it makes out on the hotel website.
The food, for most of the time, was awful. There was the same thing almost every night, and a little section called “special Greek food”. I like trying specialities from the country I am staying, but wherever “special Greek food” was written, it actually meant that they had accidentally put too much vinegar in it. The food in the a la carte section was only a little better; the experience is better in having a private and quieter area, if not so much for the food. The design was excellent in the a la carte section, but the food didn’t live up to the expectations.
I didn’t expect to say it, but the only decent food was at the snack bar, or the “ethnic restaurant”, where the food is cooked in front of you, and was excellent- provided you are prepared to wait for it almost until your holiday is finished unless you choose the right time.
The service was slow at the bars, so most of the time I just went and got a drink myself at the self-service bit in the snack bar that you don’t have to wait so long for. Maybe, that was unfair, it was still slow, but good for an all inclusive hotel.
The pool was a definite up side, the best I have ever encountered actually, but what lets it down is that it isn’t really properly heated. The Jacuzzi would have been wonderful, if it did not share the same cold water with the rest of the pool, but with bubbles. The decking on the pool is nice, but I wonder why they don’t put it elsewhere, such as instead of the horrible slippery tiles.
The architecture and design gets a full ten out of ten. Excellent. But in some places, it has overtaken common sense. Like putting a pond around the outdoor eating area, and around a corner, so that if you’re not looking where you’re going, you’ll fall in. Or drop your phone in there, like my brother did (the phone was fine though.) And a bridge that goes over the main pool, separating what is actually two small pools. Problem is, it goes four fifths along the way, and so if you start walking across it to get to the other side, all that happens is that you have to clamber along the edge of the wall of the disappearing edge pool. They could have just had made it a path all of the way across.
The rooms were nicely furnished, and were well designed (except that our door didn’t work) and were comfortable. It sounds as if I am negative about what is genuinely a good hotel, but the problem is how it is portrayed as being better than it actually is. Oh, and we had the same problem as someone else, our air conditioning started crying water all over the wall, probably because of the smell of the sewage works nearby. It was fixed fairly quickly though.
If you have been to Greece, or any other Greek islands before, you will already know about the problem of stray cats they have. Some would say don’t go there if you hate cats, but I think the opposite. If you hate cats, it is less of a problem; you just make them go away from you. The problem is for people who love cats, because they go to them and cuddle them, and stroke them. One girl spent her entire holiday in the company of one kitten, and constantly cuddled it and kissed it and stroked it, and never let it out of her sight. Unfortunately, the cats are not like the ones she probably has at home, so they had fleas, some had mange. She thought she had mosquito bites. Fleas had bitten her. If you go with children, I urge you not to let them near the cats. They may be cute, but they are not pet cats, and are not clean.
The staff were also all friendly- genuinely friendly. Even the cleaners, who, despite their difficult/ near impossible job, always replied cheerfully in unison when you say good morning. Surely all hotels have friendly staff, but I think that this hotel had genuinely friendly staff.
The best aspect I have saved for last. The animation team were by far the best holiday entertainers I have ever encountered. Mido, Mehdi, Eva, Eliza, Gaby, Gino and Willy were excellent entertainers, and managed the seemingly impossible task of entertaining most of the people most of the time, Old and young alike. The action game was fabulous, and managed to encourage everyone to join in, even with the silly fun dances, which they got nearly everyone doing. The entertainment in the night was also great, except on Tuesdays where the music entertainment was dismal because the animation team took a day off. Every other day of the week they worked from morning to night, never tired despite the fact that they wake early, and entertain all day, take a short break, from 9:00pm till 11:30pm, at which point they go out for the night clubbing, come back in the morning, and start again.
Where they got their energy, I’ll never know, but they did a fantastic job, and I can’t sing their praises enough. They made the days much more interesting, great fun, and encouraged socialising, and because of all the friends I made on the holiday, and all of the fun games all day, it was the best all round holiday I have had. It may sound as if it was a negative overall comment, but really, they are all relatively small points (except the terrible food) I have made, and in any case, it is easier to remember things that were not so good, as they stick out in your mind more clearly than things which were great. It’s the same sort of thing as how you only notice some things when they are not working.
Overall, the hotel was good. My main advice to you, is to read lots of comments to get a general view of the hotel before you go there, as not everyone has a good experience, but not everyone had a terrible one. But on top of all things, do not, under any circumstances, look at the hotel website and expect it to be the same as it is in the website because you will definitely disappointed. Instead, ignore every other website or advertising, and go there expecting it to be the same as every other hotel you’ve been to, and you’ll have a great holiday, at a good hotel.
If you’ve read this far, sorry the review was so long, I just had more to say than
“it was nice”
It is described as a five star hotel, which is very definitely so not. The photos, I must say, were very well taken, and when you enter the hotel, there is a lovely chandelier above, and the design, it has to be said, is excellent. However, it is quite simply not as good as it makes out on the hotel website.
The food, for most of the time, was awful. There was the same thing almost every night, and a little section called “special Greek food”. I like trying specialities from the country I am staying, but wherever “special Greek food” was written, it actually meant that they had accidentally put too much vinegar in it. The food in the a la carte section was only a little better; the experience is better in having a private and quieter area, if not so much for the food. The design was excellent in the a la carte section, but the food didn’t live up to the expectations.
I didn’t expect to say it, but the only decent food was at the snack bar, or the “ethnic restaurant”, where the food is cooked in front of you, and was excellent- provided you are prepared to wait for it almost until your holiday is finished unless you choose the right time.
The service was slow at the bars, so most of the time I just went and got a drink myself at the self-service bit in the snack bar that you don’t have to wait so long for. Maybe, that was unfair, it was still slow, but good for an all inclusive hotel.
The pool was a definite up side, the best I have ever encountered actually, but what lets it down is that it isn’t really properly heated. The Jacuzzi would have been wonderful, if it did not share the same cold water with the rest of the pool, but with bubbles. The decking on the pool is nice, but I wonder why they don’t put it elsewhere, such as instead of the horrible slippery tiles.
The architecture and design gets a full ten out of ten. Excellent. But in some places, it has overtaken common sense. Like putting a pond around the outdoor eating area, and around a corner, so that if you’re not looking where you’re going, you’ll fall in. Or drop your phone in there, like my brother did (the phone was fine though.) And a bridge that goes over the main pool, separating what is actually two small pools. Problem is, it goes four fifths along the way, and so if you start walking across it to get to the other side, all that happens is that you have to clamber along the edge of the wall of the disappearing edge pool. They could have just had made it a path all of the way across.
The rooms were nicely furnished, and were well designed (except that our door didn’t work) and were comfortable. It sounds as if I am negative about what is genuinely a good hotel, but the problem is how it is portrayed as being better than it actually is. Oh, and we had the same problem as someone else, our air conditioning started crying water all over the wall, probably because of the smell of the sewage works nearby. It was fixed fairly quickly though.
If you have been to Greece, or any other Greek islands before, you will already know about the problem of stray cats they have. Some would say don’t go there if you hate cats, but I think the opposite. If you hate cats, it is less of a problem; you just make them go away from you. The problem is for people who love cats, because they go to them and cuddle them, and stroke them. One girl spent her entire holiday in the company of one kitten, and constantly cuddled it and kissed it and stroked it, and never let it out of her sight. Unfortunately, the cats are not like the ones she probably has at home, so they had fleas, some had mange. She thought she had mosquito bites. Fleas had bitten her. If you go with children, I urge you not to let them near the cats. They may be cute, but they are not pet cats, and are not clean.
The staff were also all friendly- genuinely friendly. Even the cleaners, who, despite their difficult/ near impossible job, always replied cheerfully in unison when you say good morning. Surely all hotels have friendly staff, but I think that this hotel had genuinely friendly staff.
The best aspect I have saved for last. The animation team were by far the best holiday entertainers I have ever encountered. Mido, Mehdi, Eva, Eliza, Gaby, Gino and Willy were excellent entertainers, and managed the seemingly impossible task of entertaining most of the people most of the time, Old and young alike. The action game was fabulous, and managed to encourage everyone to join in, even with the silly fun dances, which they got nearly everyone doing. The entertainment in the night was also great, except on Tuesdays where the music entertainment was dismal because the animation team took a day off. Every other day of the week they worked from morning to night, never tired despite the fact that they wake early, and entertain all day, take a short break, from 9:00pm till 11:30pm, at which point they go out for the night clubbing, come back in the morning, and start again.
Where they got their energy, I’ll never know, but they did a fantastic job, and I can’t sing their praises enough. They made the days much more interesting, great fun, and encouraged socialising, and because of all the friends I made on the holiday, and all of the fun games all day, it was the best all round holiday I have had. It may sound as if it was a negative overall comment, but really, they are all relatively small points (except the terrible food) I have made, and in any case, it is easier to remember things that were not so good, as they stick out in your mind more clearly than things which were great. It’s the same sort of thing as how you only notice some things when they are not working.
Overall, the hotel was good. My main advice to you, is to read lots of comments to get a general view of the hotel before you go there, as not everyone has a good experience, but not everyone had a terrible one. But on top of all things, do not, under any circumstances, look at the hotel website and expect it to be the same as it is in the website because you will definitely disappointed. Instead, ignore every other website or advertising, and go there expecting it to be the same as every other hotel you’ve been to, and you’ll have a great holiday, at a good hotel.
If you’ve read this far, sorry the review was so long, I just had more to say than
“it was nice”
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2006
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" Our holiday was a disaster, we will... "
Submitted By: Mr L Vynckier
Our holiday was a disaster, we will never go back to that hotel they say it is a 5* star hotel well it isn't, it's only a 3* if you only looked at the food you saw it was horrible, my son has better food at school, there also was not enough employment, you always had to queue if you want to have a drink, there was only a few things good about this hotel and that is: the animation that was more than OK, and the climate, the weather was wonderful.
My last complaint is that the all inclusive formula is not that good when you asked for an orange juice, it was only water with powder not even juiced :s, and the gin, bacardi, are all local drinks >>>is that then a 5* star hotel :s
I’ll give you one advice DO NEVER GO to this hotel because whole our family has pain in the stomach because of the food.
My last complaint is that the all inclusive formula is not that good when you asked for an orange juice, it was only water with powder not even juiced :s, and the gin, bacardi, are all local drinks >>>is that then a 5* star hotel :s
I’ll give you one advice DO NEVER GO to this hotel because whole our family has pain in the stomach because of the food.
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2006
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" Stayed at the Ixian grand and had a... "
Submitted By: Mrs L Sturgeon
Stayed at the Ixian grand and had a great time. Can't comment on Olympic Rep as we didn't attend our welcome meeting but we did get provided with a taxi to and from the airport which was brilliant.
Were very pleased with the hotel and the room allocated to us. We had emailed the hotel before we left and requested a quiet room due to having a small baby and they obliged. Check -in was quick, which, at 2am was very welcome. The staff were very helpful and friendly and the Customer Services reps were particularly helpful with regards to getting baby food etc heated. The room was cleaned daily and was in good decorative order.
The food was good, lots of variety and well cooked but like all all-inclusive deals gets a bit repetitive after 2 weeks. The waiters, waitresses and manager in the restaurant were really great although the manager stuck to the 'long trousers in the evening' rule rigidly. My husband was sent to change on the first night and I saw him send others too. Drinks were self-service at the snack bar and in the restaurant and the bar staff at the other bars were fine too. The pool areas were lovely, really clean and well maintained and pleasant.
There is a good mixture of nationalities staying there, Finnish, Swedish, Dutch, Norwegian, German, Italian and French so if you like to stay in a predominantly British hotel this may not be the place for you, although everyone speaks good English (guests and staff) and the entertainment is in English). All in all, we had an excellent holiday and I would recommend the Ixian Grand to anyone. We are planning on going back next year. Cannot speak highly enough of this hotel.
Were very pleased with the hotel and the room allocated to us. We had emailed the hotel before we left and requested a quiet room due to having a small baby and they obliged. Check -in was quick, which, at 2am was very welcome. The staff were very helpful and friendly and the Customer Services reps were particularly helpful with regards to getting baby food etc heated. The room was cleaned daily and was in good decorative order.
The food was good, lots of variety and well cooked but like all all-inclusive deals gets a bit repetitive after 2 weeks. The waiters, waitresses and manager in the restaurant were really great although the manager stuck to the 'long trousers in the evening' rule rigidly. My husband was sent to change on the first night and I saw him send others too. Drinks were self-service at the snack bar and in the restaurant and the bar staff at the other bars were fine too. The pool areas were lovely, really clean and well maintained and pleasant.
There is a good mixture of nationalities staying there, Finnish, Swedish, Dutch, Norwegian, German, Italian and French so if you like to stay in a predominantly British hotel this may not be the place for you, although everyone speaks good English (guests and staff) and the entertainment is in English). All in all, we had an excellent holiday and I would recommend the Ixian Grand to anyone. We are planning on going back next year. Cannot speak highly enough of this hotel.
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2006
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Olympic Holidays
" All I can say is...what a poor hotel.... "
Submitted By: Miss R Burt
All I can say is...what a poor hotel. The Ixian Grand looks impressive, the website makes you think you have picked up a real holiday bargain, and at promotes itself as a 5* hotel. It isn't.
The Ixian Grand does a good job of looking like a 5* hotel, with its soft furnishings, wide open spaces and beautiful pools, but on arrival, you begin to see through the cosmetics and realise it is in fact a 3* hotel at a push.
The holiday was booked as a party of 5 (2 double rooms, 1 single. We were greeted by reception to be told that the hotel had double booked one of the rooms, and that the single room would not be available until the next day at the earliest, and to recompense one of the double rooms would be upgraded to a suite with 2 bedrooms. This was not the case. It was a 1 bedroom suite with a half wall and a sofa bed. The next day, we were advised that the single room would not be available until half way through our week long stay, and that the only solution that could be offered was a room in a different hotel. This meant that for the first few days, the party was split.
The remaining double room was located in the Garden Wing, and upon arrival, we could here that there was some kind of animal trapped in the bathroom ceiling. Going to reception to complain, we were told that it was a bird and someone would be along to see in the morning. The next morning, we went down to speak to the manager to be told that he would not be there until evening. Turns out it was a bit bigger than a bird, and was in fact 3 kittens!
Upon returning to the room, there appeared to still be some animals trapped in the ceiling, and we visited reception again. Again, the kittens were removed. The animals kept returning to the ceiling, and we actually ended up going onto the roof (Very easily, as the stairs continue upwards beyond the top level) and taking a kitten down to reception. The manager was still not available (as seemed to be the situation every time you needed to complain) and so we ended up keeping hold of a kitten for about an hour in reception until he arrived. To block the hole the animals were getting in with, the manager authorized the use of a tablecloth. Very Poor, and totally unprofessional. To add to this, the air conditioning started to leak, and flooded the room.
The hotel generally is poor, with a small selection of food with little variety. The bar is very busy, with 1 member of staff serving. The service overall is below standard, and glasses are removed from the pool area rarely. The pool bar was hardly ever open, and the Beach Bar does not yet exist.
The location of the hotel is also poor, set right on the outskirts of the resort, next to a sewage outlet - I wouldn't swim in the sea, put it that way. The smell of sewage is really noticeable on the night. As a regular visitor to Greece, and Rhodes in particular, this was the worst holiday I have ever been on.
A la carte meal was fine...The soup was cold (but wasn't meant to be!) and the desserts were very poor - the same as the room next door.
This hotel does a good job of looking good, but if you are looking for a 4 or 5* holiday, do not visit the Ixian Grand.
The Ixian Grand does a good job of looking like a 5* hotel, with its soft furnishings, wide open spaces and beautiful pools, but on arrival, you begin to see through the cosmetics and realise it is in fact a 3* hotel at a push.
The holiday was booked as a party of 5 (2 double rooms, 1 single. We were greeted by reception to be told that the hotel had double booked one of the rooms, and that the single room would not be available until the next day at the earliest, and to recompense one of the double rooms would be upgraded to a suite with 2 bedrooms. This was not the case. It was a 1 bedroom suite with a half wall and a sofa bed. The next day, we were advised that the single room would not be available until half way through our week long stay, and that the only solution that could be offered was a room in a different hotel. This meant that for the first few days, the party was split.
The remaining double room was located in the Garden Wing, and upon arrival, we could here that there was some kind of animal trapped in the bathroom ceiling. Going to reception to complain, we were told that it was a bird and someone would be along to see in the morning. The next morning, we went down to speak to the manager to be told that he would not be there until evening. Turns out it was a bit bigger than a bird, and was in fact 3 kittens!
Upon returning to the room, there appeared to still be some animals trapped in the ceiling, and we visited reception again. Again, the kittens were removed. The animals kept returning to the ceiling, and we actually ended up going onto the roof (Very easily, as the stairs continue upwards beyond the top level) and taking a kitten down to reception. The manager was still not available (as seemed to be the situation every time you needed to complain) and so we ended up keeping hold of a kitten for about an hour in reception until he arrived. To block the hole the animals were getting in with, the manager authorized the use of a tablecloth. Very Poor, and totally unprofessional. To add to this, the air conditioning started to leak, and flooded the room.
The hotel generally is poor, with a small selection of food with little variety. The bar is very busy, with 1 member of staff serving. The service overall is below standard, and glasses are removed from the pool area rarely. The pool bar was hardly ever open, and the Beach Bar does not yet exist.
The location of the hotel is also poor, set right on the outskirts of the resort, next to a sewage outlet - I wouldn't swim in the sea, put it that way. The smell of sewage is really noticeable on the night. As a regular visitor to Greece, and Rhodes in particular, this was the worst holiday I have ever been on.
A la carte meal was fine...The soup was cold (but wasn't meant to be!) and the desserts were very poor - the same as the room next door.
This hotel does a good job of looking good, but if you are looking for a 4 or 5* holiday, do not visit the Ixian Grand.
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- Date of Holiday:May 2006
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Olympic Holidays
" We have just come back from a... "
Submitted By: Mrs J Collins
We have just come back from a fantastic holiday at the Ixian Grand. This hotel is 4 star rated with 5 star amenities. The food was great and we recommend the ethnic restaurant at lunchtimes where the chef prepares the food in front of you - a bit of a change than the main restaurant. The main pool was really lovely especially the walk-in Jacuzzi!
It has very comfortable surroundings and very relaxing. It was very hard to drag ourselves away from the hotel but we highly recommend hiring a car from the local hire co and taking a drive around the island from the Ixian side down the coast where you will see some breathtaking views with mountains in the back drop and a very long beach along the rugged coastline, then up through the pine clad hills and down into Paradissi where the Aegean meets the med, then on to Lindos and up the med side to our fave beach called Tsampika with lovely golden sands.
While you are there go up to the panoramic restaurant for a coffee break and take in the view of Kolompia and Traganou beach. We met some lovely people at the Ixian Grand and spent a few nights on comfy sofas talking the night away with a few rum and cokes! we will certainly be going back for some more. The reception staff were very helpful at all times and the restaurant and bar staff were also very welcoming.
It has very comfortable surroundings and very relaxing. It was very hard to drag ourselves away from the hotel but we highly recommend hiring a car from the local hire co and taking a drive around the island from the Ixian side down the coast where you will see some breathtaking views with mountains in the back drop and a very long beach along the rugged coastline, then up through the pine clad hills and down into Paradissi where the Aegean meets the med, then on to Lindos and up the med side to our fave beach called Tsampika with lovely golden sands.
While you are there go up to the panoramic restaurant for a coffee break and take in the view of Kolompia and Traganou beach. We met some lovely people at the Ixian Grand and spent a few nights on comfy sofas talking the night away with a few rum and cokes! we will certainly be going back for some more. The reception staff were very helpful at all times and the restaurant and bar staff were also very welcoming.
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- Date of Holiday:May 2006
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
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Arrival was close to midnight local time, but the night receptionist was present and efficient. Others have spoken of queing at this stage not befitting of a 5 star, though I cannot comment here as there was only two couples/rooms to be seen to in my case.
They had overbooked rooms of our grade, and consequently we were instantly given an upgrade to one of their grand suites. We had paid for a sea view, and this suite had a garden view, but I found all in all it would be hard to be too churlish given the suite itself.
The rooms were mezanine style, with two shower/bathrooms (upstairs one curiously having no privacy door) plus a jaccuzi bath. Decor and fittings were all 'designer' quality. The balcony had it's own pool measuring about 12ft by 8ft. The bed was extremely comfortable. There was a bewildering selection of different lightings and corresponding switches. Useful inclusions were the digital safe in the upstairs wardrobe, hairdryer, aircon on both floors (separatly controlled), fridge and large flatscreen TV. Shortages included plug sockets. Reception claimed it was illegal to plug in appliances and this was why (?) The one upstairs socket was on the dresser, which was nowhere near the mirror. They did, after two days of requests (one of which was mislaid by a staff member so not actioned), eventually provide an extention lead- which was too short to help matters.
Pool, reception, bar and common areas were very smart and stylish. Brocheures refer to having your own designated sunbeds, but I could see no method of reservation in practice, nor was any instruction given on allocation, so one can only assume this had been discontinued at some point. There didn't seem to ever be a shortage to worry about this.
Food was buffet style and mealtimes were quite broad timings so no panic there. The food itself was in some ways quite mixed in quality and on some occasions had possibly laid out too long. Meals were a matter of careful consideration and sampling before concluding what item was good on that particular visit. Items reccuring daily were still subject to this. Variety was reasonable and in this area in particular the hotel does appear to fall below what you might expect for a luxury venue. Of course a star rating doesn't apply to it's included meals, but the whole thing felt a bit too 'school dinners' for my liking. I chose to eat out about half of my stay.
Price of drinks is another area of dssapointment. All inclusives on Rhodes have caused the hotel to stock the cheapest beer spirits and soft drinks possible. Fortunatly charging separate at this hotel at least made them palatable. Unfortunatly, the prices were very exclusive. Paying 6.5 Euro for a .4litre of beer when larger servings retailed at any other bar for about 2 or 3 at the most does put you off. Paying 7.5 Euro for a gin and tonic is quite a nasty shock. No wonder the bar area was often quiet, either near the pool in the day or the patio on the night. Folks either go out or get supplies into their room and sit on their balcony.
Ixia itself is a bit of a let down. It's a short 10 minute walk from the hotel out of the back streets on to the main drag. But do note this really is a main drag- a main highway from Rhodes town to the Airport and beyond, and so traffic is less than convivial for sitting al fresco. Side streets show a lot of decay I can only put down to the recession. Many shops and venues appear shut with to-let signs, telling of failed businesses. Other developments appear halted mid build. I know that construction work usually goes on hold during the hotter months, but this hinted of more.
Note also that Ixia Grand's beach area is quite pebbly and blustery. This part of the island is promoted as 'good for windsurfers' and I thought it can't be too bad to base beach hotels there, but be advised it is quite bracing at times.
On the plus side, it is handy for Rhodes Old Town. a 10 Euro, 15 minute taxi trip of about 4 kilometeres, this is the main benefit. If you like a beautiful and bustling medieval city of excellent hisory, architecture, shopping and dining then here's the big upside. Of course there are many, many hotels with better access.
I choose the Ixian Grand out of wanting to move up out of the usual basic accomodation, a search which results in exploring the pricier hotels. I can say I did get all the accommodation plus points I could have wanted and certainly didn't have to push the single beds together! On the down side and beyond accommodation, for the price I really can't say the Ixian Grand, or Ixia itself, were what I would have hoped for.
All in all, I can't say I gained proportionatly more benefits for a price 3 times that of a simple last minute deal. Back to basic and friendly little 2 star self catering places for me!
Good for: Beach