Rhodes is one of the most beautiful islands of Greece. It is famous for its magnificent beaches, a wide variety of entertainment facilities (restaurants, cafes, taverns, nightclubs and discos), a huge number of historical and natural attractions and a wide selection of hotels of various categories: chic five-star and budget 2-3 *, for example Golf View 3 *, located near the village of Afandou.
Rhodes - a miracle island washed by two seas
This piece of land, which has the shape of an ellipse, is cradled by waves of the Aegean Sea on the eastern side and the Mediterranean on the western side. The beaches of the Aegean coast are pebble, and the sea is restless, but its Mediterranean coast is covered with a carpet of snow-white golden sand. Here are the most prestigious hotel complexes in Rhodes. But in the east there are more attractions. And if you stay at the Golf View 3 * hotel, then you will have the opportunity to explore the many historical monuments that are available in these parts. Although the island itself is small (77 km long and 37 km wide), and if you have a car, you can explore it within one day, on which side of the island you would settle. The administrative center of the island of Rhodes is the eponymous town. By the way, its historical part a year ago was included by UNESCO international organization in the list of the cultural heritage of mankind. Like all islands of the Greek archipelago, Rhodes has a wonderful Mediterranean climate, which makes it a popular seaside resort. The beach season here lasts from April to the end of October. In summer it is sometimes very hot, up to +39 degrees, and in winter, the thermometer’s column almost never drops below the 0th mark.
How to get there
If you bought a ticket to the Hotel Golf View 3 * (Rhodes), then don’t worry, you don’t have to fly to Athens first, because the island has its own international airport, where charter flights from Moscow and some other major Russian cities fly. The air gates of Rhodes are named after the great ancient Greek Olympic athlete Diagoras of Rhodes (5th century BC). It will take a little more than three hours to fly from Moscow to the island.
Afandau - a picturesque town on the coast of the Aegean
As noted above, the Golf View 3 * hotel is located near the village of Afandou, which is located 19 km from the town of the same name in the center of the island. An ancient history is associated with its name (Afandou - invisible). Once the pirates of the Aegean Sea chose this town and often began to visit here and rob the locals. And then the townspeople decided to move deep into the island, in a place that would be hidden from the eyes of the pirates. The sea robbers were very surprised when they once discovered that there were no more cities in the area, but did not dare to go in search of it and left the inhabitants alone. In Afandou you can find real Greek flavor: winding old streets, low houses in traditional Greek architecture, rural markets with many handmade rugs. Sometimes it even seems that civilization has not touched these places. However, the most valuable in these parts is the hospitality of local residents. Golf View 3 * Afandou will welcome guests with warmth and hospitality. They will be able to see the most interesting architectural monuments belonging to the Byzantine era: the Church of the Virgin Mary near the central square of the town, the Panagia Katholiki church (Church of Our Lady), decorated with frescoes of the 17th and 18th centuries. The village also has a museum of folk art with an exhibition of works by local artists. Tourists can also try various dishes of national cuisine, visiting the many taverns, also decorated in the traditional Greek style.
Beaches Afandou
The coastline of Afandou is over 3 kilometers long. However, there are not many beaches. The main part consists of bizarre cliffs and mysterious caves. Locals know the passages to them, and if you wish, you can negotiate with them and take a short tour. The water off the coast is crystal clear, and the beaches are quiet and calm. You can go diving or windsurfing. There is also plenty of water fun. Some Afandou beaches have been awarded the blue flag by the World Environmental Organization. By the way, not far from the coastline in the immediate vicinity of the Golf View 3 * hotel is the only golf complex on the island. Here, at the height of the tourist season, various music shows and other social events are organized.
Hotel Golf View 3 * (Greece / Rhodes). general description
You are already slightly familiar with the Golf View Hotel and you know that it is located near the village of Afandou. The hotel building was built in the seventies of the last century according to the project of the English architect Donald Heredin. It consists of one snow-white three-story building in the colonial style, in front of which is a blue L-shaped pool. The hotel owners are a welcoming middle-aged Greek couple. They can always be seen next to the reception. Particular attention in the hotel is paid to cleanliness. Cleaning is done daily. And tourists often praise the Hotel Golf View 3 * for this. Reviews of Russian tourists about this hotel, however, are not always flattering. For example, in tourist forums you can find complaints from Russian guests about poor cuisine, an unclean pool, and a high fee for wireless Internet and air conditioning (10 euros per day). In addition, the hotel is 2 km from the beach, although in many tourist sites in the column "remoteness from the beach" is the figure 500 meters. Nevertheless, in the velvet season (September-October), tour operators manage to sell a large number of tours specifically to the Golf View 3 * hotel (Rhodes). Reviews, both negative and positive, about this hotel in this case do not particularly concern tourists. After all, their main part is fans of the “royal” game, golf, and goes here to be around the corner from the famous golf club. Naturally, the proximity of the beach does not bother them much. For golfers, the main thing is cleanliness in the room, decent service, a wonderful view from the window on the sea, and if they do not like the hotel's kitchen, they can always eat at the golf complex. There certainly cook the best chefs on the island.
Number of rooms
The main building (main building) of the Golf View 3 * hotel is located on a hilltop and offers a wonderful view of the turquoise expanse of the Aegean Sea. All 42 rooms of the three-story building overlook the sea. By the way, this is another feature of Greek hotels. All rooms have snow-white walls and floors that are cleaned daily by hotel technical staff. The furniture in the rooms is modern and very comfortable. By type, all rooms at the Golf View Hotel are standard (1-, 2-, 3-seater). There are no suites in the hotel. The cost of a weekly stay at this hotel for two persons depending on the month varies from 550 to 680 US dollars.
Room Amenities
The hotel rooms practically do not differ from each other (only in the number of beds). All of them have the following amenities:
- combined bathroom with shower, bath accessories and a hairdryer;
- balcony with sea view;
- satellite television;
- telephone;
- radio;
- air conditioning (paid);
- mini-bar (for a fee);
- safe (paid), etc.
Hotel service
In the lobby of the hotel there is wireless Internet (paid). For lovers of television and cinema there is a TV club. As already noted, in front of the hotel is an outdoor pool, around which sun loungers and umbrellas are placed. For little vacationers there is a “paddling pool” and slides. In the evenings, you can take a walk in the beautiful garden with tropical plants. For sports enthusiasts, the hotel has a tennis court and billiards. Unfortunately, there is no gym in “Golf View 3 *”.
Nutrition
Actually, tours to this hotel suggest an all-inclusive meal plan, but this is not necessary, and you can only agree on a continental breakfast at the buffet, which includes fried eggs and omelets, meat products (bacon, sausages, sausages), cheeses, jams and preserves, dairy products, etc. Lunch and dinner include European and Greek dishes. However, many of the vacationers prefer to eat in numerous taverns located along the coast. So it turns out both tasty and cheap (from 12 to 20 euros for 2 persons).
Excursions
If you want to visit the sights of the island, then you better not rely on the hotel administration, but rather take the organization of excursions into your own hands. You can rent a car, buy a card and go around everything that seems most interesting, you can also contact one of the many tour agencies, where you will definitely find a Russian-speaking employee and guide. The most popular attractions in Rhodes are the Rhodes Fortress - the residence of the Masters of the Order of Hospitallers, the “Valley of the Butterflies”, the ancient ruins of the Acropolis, the natural park “Seven Springs”, the ruins of the ancient city of Kamiros, the temple of Athens, the Byzantine church of St. John, as well as a sand spit with a romantic the title “Kiss of the Two Seas”, which connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Aegean. For lovers of the underwater world, there is an aquarium in the city of Rhodes, for amateurs of attractions - an amusement park and an aqua park.
Conclusion
A distinctive feature of all the Greek islands is the abundance of attractions, as well as the benevolence and hospitality of the local population. After this reception, the rest spent in the country of myths and legends will be remembered for a long time by you, and you will dream of returning here again.