Matoula Beach Hotel

“Matoula Beach Hotel – practical guide to location, food and getting around”

I’ve read enough reviews to know the main themes, so I won’t retread them here. The one thing that stands out immediately is how spotless everything is. I was expecting a mid-range, family-run hotel on the outskirts of town, with the usual questions running through my mind: Is there anything nearb… more

I’ve read enough reviews to know the main themes, so I won’t retread them here. The one thing that stands out immediately is how spotless everything is. I was expecting a mid-range, family-run hotel on the outskirts of town, with the usual questions running through my mind: Is there anything nearby? Is it easy to get around? Is it close enough to everything, but far enough away from the crowds? Location was the main reason we booked, but before arriving I struggled to find answers to some of the practical questions I actually wanted answered. So rather than repeat what others have already said (spotlessly clean, super-friendly staff, nothing too much trouble, relaxed atmosphere), here’s the information I was looking for before I arrived: Location This was my main concern. You can spend ages on Google Maps and Street View, but it’s still hard to get a feel for distances in reality. Want a beach? Turn right out of the hotel and you’re there in about a minute. It’s pebble, so bring water shoes or Crocs in full sports mode if you’re planning to go in properly. Supermarkets are easy. There are around three within a 10-minute walk. The largest is on the main road and has pretty much everything you’ll need, plus a very good ice cream place next door for the return leg. The easiest route is: turn right out of the hotel, left before the small water park, continue to the main road and turn right. It’s next to the petrol station. I preferred this route because it avoids the hotel buses and motorbikes that seem to be travelling everywhere at full intent. About 650 metres. A 10-minute dawdle in flip-flops. There’s another smaller supermarket almost opposite the hotel, but it’s more limited. Another one is further along past the water park, if you continue left instead of heading to the beach. Can’t miss it, Useful for all your basics, snacks, souvenirs and all the things you forgot to pack. Food The hotel restaurant is genuinely excellent and ideal if you don’t fancy wandering far. Within about five minutes is Rosemary Restaurant. For us, this was comfortably the best meal in the area and well worth a visit. We also went to Antonios, about 1km away towards Ialysos. Friendly staff, plenty of choice, and solid food. There were other places nearby, including a few attached to hotels, but they didn’t really stand out to us. Perhaps unfairly, we stuck with what worked. Prices were fairly consistent wherever we went. For two people with a starter, wine, and a beer, we were usually around €50–60. Ialysos It’s an easy walk into Ialysos itself, around 2–2.25km. In the June heat it took us closer to 30 minutes. You can walk along the beach if you want, but it’s a mix of sand, pebbles, boardwalks, and dirt tracks, so wear proper shoes if you do. It’s a nice walk and you pass all the hotel fronts along the way. Getting Around TUI will happily sell you trips, but the hotel also works with a local company offering similar excursions for a bit less. Details are available at reception. The main one we used was the shuttle to Rhodes Town. Book via QR code at reception, choose your times, and you’re sorted. Air-conditioned small coach, sensible drivers, about 30 minutes into town. Rhodes Old Town is worth seeing. I won’t try to describe it properly because you can Google that part. Plenty of eateries including some with big photos of food on display or staff trying to pull you in from the street. We avoided those. The quieter ones tend to speak for themselves, and in our experience those were the better options anyway. The same shuttle also runs to Lindos and the Acropolis. It is €25 return per person, which worked out cheaper than the organised tours. It’s about an hour each way once it’s picked up from a few local hotels and Matoula Beach is one of the first pick-ups, so you get a decent seat and view. We bought Acropolis tickets online beforehand from the official Hellenic Heritage site (€20) and skipped the ticket queue. Take a hat and water as there’s very little shade in the Acropolis. Plenty of rooftop places in Lindos for a drink or meal afterwards, and you can head down to the bay if you want a swim. The Hotel (briefly): Super clean & friendly staff, couldn’t ask for more. No issue getting sunbeds during our stay. Plenty available. Outdoor bar is well stocked. A large beer (0.5L) was €5.50, similar to most places nearby. Aircraft noise is mentioned in other reviews. You are close to the airport (20 min transfer) so planes are part of the soundtrack. Occasionally you will have to pause conversation for a few seconds while one passes overhead. For the nerds, it peaked around 80 dB but didn’t feel intrusive. Who it suits: Pretty much anyone. You could stay at the hotel the whole time, but I think you’d miss the point of the location. It’s a good base for exploring Rhodes while still being quiet and easy to return to. Overall, it exceeded expectations and I couldn’t fault it. Five stars.

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