RSD Travel
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Rhodes and the Turkish Aegean
Rhodes and the Aegean including the All senses Nautica Blue hotel This was my fifth trip with RSD as it was for most of the guests who had travelled with RSD previously and were well aware of the sales pitches at the outlets in Turkey. One guest had purchased 10 carpets on previous visits and I bought a second leather coat. I know of one couple who spent £10,000 previously on wedding rings so for some people it’s a good shopping experience . We spent our ‘free’ second week at this isolated west coast resort location near the power station and only 20 minutes away from the airport on an extensive rocky beachfront location looking directly out to sea. Dated design and very basic amenities the outdoor pool is tepid and surrounded by sunbeds and beach towels FOC for guests. FRAM the French travel company promotes an animation company to play pop music in front of the pool area which is really annoying if your room is too close. Extending for over 400m the grounds contain many coloured maisonettes many with stairs and no lifts to the upper floor and is 1 km (only 7 minutes) from the sandy Fanes beach renowned for wind surfing and aero sports but now deserted. Access is just past the Fanes mini port which has been battered by winter storms just beyond the hotel beach with shingle covered in debris. A useful taverna Akrogiale serves drinks and lunches. This is where the RSD clients not on the fully inclusive hotel package hang out when not on a tour. There are other eateries on Fanes beach but not yet open at this time. Lots of flies and ants in abundance due to being surrounded by farmland including an aloe Vera farm close by on the access road to the main bus route into Rhodes. The owner is young and charming giving me a one to one tour of all the herb plants and products to buy. I spent 24€ on a variety of items because I enjoyed the experience so much. The hotel can provide a packed lunch for guests who book all day tours or car hire. Book a day in advance from reception. Sadly this hotel is rather dated with little kerb appeal as the frontage windows are of the tiny toilet windows. The patio doors however are facing the pool or the sea. Furnishings are the most basic of reception and bar furniture but the outdoor dining terrace has wonderful views and sunsets. 4 or 5 star it is NOT but is charging €15 per night hotel tax when clearly it should be in the 3 star tax rate. The tourist board needs to inspect and downgrade the 5 star rating. This amounts to FRAUD otherwise. The unattended scruffy hotel beach with sun beds and umbrellas desperately needs cleaning up from the spring storms of flotsam and jetsam. The food varies from tinned fruit and commercial deli concoctions and no fresh green vegetables to nice traditional Greek specialties alternating with an oriental night and a seafood night. It was noticeable that croissants only appeared when the French group arrived and they were the only group provided with entertainment in the evening only in French of course. The special Italian night cuisine was not as advertised on the menu and was decidedly less than acceptable. It was held in the snack bar not in the rustic Italian taverna near the sea which was looking almost derelict. Soft drinks include fruit squash but not fresh fruit juice. The locally produced alcoholic drinks are noticeably weak and strange tasting. Most guests have found the tonic water leaves an unpleasant taste and smell so bring your own Schweppes and ask the helpful bar staff to put it in the bar fridge. Altogether an acceptable weeks stay but I wouldn’t pay for full board again at €270 as the food and drinks package is not good value if you spend days away on excursions or book in with friends overnight on other islands accessible by Ferry from Rhodes port such as Symi. RSD who booked this hotel should have their tour managers stay at the hotels to gain an insight into their guests experience out of season but I was soooo grateful not to be staying at the brutalist tower block that is the Rhodes palace hotel having read their reviews. Michael our guide for the week was excellent in every way. The previous week was a succession of excursions to archaeological sites both in Rhodes and Turkey such as Ephesus Afrodisias and Pamukkale all of which were stage managed perfectly and with great humour by Sami with hotels that ticked most people’s boxes. The only downside was that my suitcase needed repair to the rivets of a broken handle after dragging it along so many rough paths in the large resort accommodation. The rivets holding the now wobbly wheels may not survive another trip. Frankly I may not be fit enough to lift it without adequate help on such a strenuous programme as this or any other touring company in future but I’ve certainly enjoyed most of RSD holidays.