Most holidaymakers don’t go to sun-kissed Rhodes for empty coves and drowsy whitewashed villages (you pop next door to Simi for that). They head to this heavy hitter of the Dodecanese Islands to enjoy some of Greece’s buzziest beaches and nightlife and best archaeological sites.
The Knights Island has stirred romantics and budding historians for centuries. Its monumental old town is one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval settlements, while picture-perfect Lindos, with its ancient Acropolis and spill of sugar-cube houses, is a honeymooner’s heaven.
Outside exclusive Lindos, holiday rentals in Rhodes largely serve the package-holiday crowd, especially on the jumping upper-east coast; meaning you can book a luxury villa holiday for a fraction of what you’d pay in Mykonos. Choose from converted seaside windmills and lavish estates with helipads to hip hideaways above Rhodes Town and architectural wonders on the quiet south coast.
Everything about this sumptuous 10,000-square-metre pad, on a palm-dotted hilltop high above Rhodes Town, is “extra”; but in the best possible way: the 500-metre private driveway; the spectacular unobstructed sea views; the two-storey staff quarters; the grand-scale pool terrace with barbecue gazebo, pool bar, helipad and nine lounging nooks.
The showstopper is the couple’s deck, with a hot tub and “pinch me I’m dreaming” views. It’s no surprise that this mottled brick mansion was inspired by The Godfather. Inside, it’s all gleaming white marble, recessed lighting and sunken tubs with marble columns — totally worthy of a Corleone.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 12
Price £££
If you’d like to claim boasting rights over the island’s hippest lodgings, check in to this cool hillside lair, on the western fringes of Rhodes Town. A refreshing reprieve from the whitewashed template, exotic Equinox has a contemporary Balinese aesthetic, with angled slatted ceilings, a stained-wood pool deck and scarlet-draped pergola.
Inside, it’s like having an art hotel all to yourself, thanks to the impressive double-height, lobby-like lounge and the eclectic trove of artworks and sculptures; a floor-to-ceiling tribal warrior adorns the dining alcove, and marble Egyptian pharaoh hounds flank a slate fireplace. Sunsets from the infinity pool are glorious.
Sea and simplicity are the winning ingredients at this classy hideout that nails most people’s idea of the Greek island idyll. Outside, white sunloungers and parasols harmonise with the aquamarine infinity pool and the sapphire Aegean, while a stone exterior blends seamlessly with the villa’s craggy hillside backdrop.
The tranquillity continues inside: there’s more dreamy white, punctuated with pebbled bathrooms and rustic touches like bamboo railings and rattan rugs. Everything is designed to trap and amplify that incandescent Greek light. Elements is handily located on the central east coast, walkable to Pefkos.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 8
Price ££
Magical outdoor moments come easily at this bewitching boutique villa. It enjoys a privileged perch inside a cactus-swathed stone enclosure, on a sloping hillside by the Acropolis of Lindos.
Relax in your private hot tub facing the brilliant blue of Lindos Bay; unwind in your sprawling garden under a cloaked canopy (or outsized hammock); rustle up a barbecue on the tiered terrace and chase it with a sundowner at the scenic bar. It’s easy to forget you’re mere minutes from ancient Lindos with its sandy beach, cobbled lanes and enchanting cafés.
Pool N (hot tub)
Family-friendly N
Sleeps 4
Price £££
Hit the ouzo too hard and you may need your sunglasses indoors at this snowy white concoction. The villa is in a peaceful-yet-prime spot, high above Rhodes Town. Boosting the swag factor are glass bricks, a black marble spiral staircase, geometric pool, and maximum exposure everywhere to great views over Rhodes and Ixia Bay.
Kitted out in calming blues, some bedrooms feature portholes with magnetic sea glimpses, so you’ll feel like you’re snoozing on a luxury liner. Salute the sunset from your cliffside pagoda with its contemporary spin on Doric columns.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 12
Price ££
This style-conscious white retreat delivers elegance and aspect in equal measure for those who prefer to cocoon from the crowds. With a tranquil hilltop perch above Ixia, Trianta is all about its luxurious natural setting. You’ll still see plenty of the Aegean here, too. The artful swimming pool extends directly out from the villa and provides both sun and shade, while enticing spots beneath willow trees beckon for afternoon naps or evening cocktails. Interiors are tasteful with a palette blown in from nature. Try to nab the upper bedroom with the porthole that peeks out over Rhodes Town and Ixia Bay.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 8
Price ££
Flutter away to a less hectic Rhodes at this restful residence, built on an 8,000 square-metre cliffside estate (complete with tiny chapel), on the cusp of the Valley of Butterflies. Enveloped by stone walls and lovely gardens, Butterfly will sate more traditional tastes with its rustic wood and stone exteriors and its refined neutral decor.
Spend your days exploring quaint Paradissi and Theologos (or join the windsurfers on breezy Theologos beach); embark on nature walks to the Kalopetra Monastery; and cap it all off with violet sunsets from your panoramic pool deck.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 13
Price ££
