Where to stay in Rhodes: five bases from the Old Town to Lindos

Rhodes is a large island with one famous walled town, a long east coast of beaches and a handful of villages, and where you sleep decides how much of your trip is spent in a car. The Rhodes travel guide covers the whole island; this page settles the practical question of where to base yourself, and how that fits with a wider Greece trip.

Distances look small on the map. The airport is on the west side of the island, Rhodes Town is at the northern tip, and Lindos is on the east coast about an hour south. A day that begins in one base and ends in another can swallow half the hours of sunlight, so the best approach is two bases, each for two or three nights, matched to what you want from the trip. Our Rhodes in 4 days plan shows how that works in practice.

Three things decide the choice. The first is whether you want the medieval town or the beach. The Old Town is a living World Heritage site with stone lanes and Knights' buildings, but it is not a beach base. The second is whether you drive. Without a car, Rhodes Town and Faliraki have buses and taxis, and tours cover the rest. The third is the season: in July and August the island is hot, busy and fully booked, while May, June and September give warm water and more choice. Choose the area first, then the hotel.

Price bands below are per night for a double room: $ is a simple hotel or apartment, $$ a mid-range hotel, $$$ an upscale hotel or boutique stay. Rates swing widely between shoulder months and August, so treat the bands as a guide and check current prices at booking.

The Old Town is the island's postcard: stone walls, cobbled lanes, the Street of the Knights and a palace at the top of the hill. Staying inside the walls puts you within minutes of the sights and the harbor, and the lanes are quietest early and late, when the day groups are away. See the Rhodes Town guide for what to see and when.

It is atmospheric but not simple. Cars cannot enter most lanes, so you arrive by taxi to a gate and walk with your bags, often over cobbles and up steps. Rooms in historic houses can be small or have stairs, and squares with restaurants stay noisy into the night in summer. Ask for a room away from the main squares if you sleep lightly, and check whether the property has air conditioning and a lift, since both are less common than in modern hotels.

You will not have a beach at your door. The city beach is a short walk beyond the walls, and the east coast is a bus or car ride away. If sand and a pool are the point of your trip, look at the New Town or the coast.

The New Town lies outside the walls, along Mandraki harbor and the city beaches on the north tip. It has most of the mid-range hotels, a long run of restaurants, supermarkets and the bus station, and the Old Town is a 10 to 20 minute walk away. It is the easiest base for a mixed trip: you can walk to the sights, swim in the morning and still have buses to the airport and Faliraki.

It is also the practical choice if you arrive late or leave early. Taxis from the airport go straight to the door, and ferries and day boats leave from the harbor. The area is more modern than the walled town and less characterful, so it suits people who value convenience over atmosphere.

Hotels range from larger beachfront properties to small apartments and guesthouses on side streets. Rooms on the beach side are brighter and louder in summer, so check which way the room faces, and ask about a quiet floor if you have an early flight.

Faliraki is the island's classic beach resort: a long sandy beach, water sports, a strip of bars and restaurants and many package hotels. It sits about 15 km south of Rhodes Town, with frequent buses, so you can be in the Old Town in under an hour without a car. For families and groups on a budget, it is hard to beat for choice and value.

It is also the busiest and loudest base in July and August. The strip is lively at night, which is a plus for some and a problem for others, and the beach is crowded by midday. Quieter corners exist at the edges of the resort and in the hills, so ask your hotel how far it is from the main bars and which side the rooms face.

If you stay here, you can still reach Lindos by bus or taxi, but a rental car gives you the freedom to find smaller beaches. Plan a day or two with a car instead of the whole stay.

Kolymbia is a smaller, calmer resort on the east coast, between Faliraki and Lindos, with a small beach strip, tavernas and a handful of hotels. It is a good base for people who want to swim in the morning, drive to a second beach in the afternoon and be in bed before midnight. Tsambika beach, one of the island's well-known sandy bays, is a short drive away.

You will need a car or a scooter. Buses run along the east coast, but the schedule is thinner than on the Faliraki line, and the best beaches are spread out. From Kolymbia you can reach Lindos in about 40 minutes by road and Rhodes Town in about 40 to 50 minutes.

Accommodation includes beach hotels, small family-run places and apartments. Book early for July and August, and ask about parking before you book.

Lindos is a whitewashed village below a hilltop acropolis, with a curved bay below and a tangle of lanes between. It is the most photogenic base on the island and a lovely place to wake up, especially before the day groups arrive. See the Lindos guide for what to do, the best times for the climb and the beaches.

The trade-offs are practical. Lanes are narrow, many hotels are in old houses with stairs, and cars cannot get close, so you carry bags from a parking area. Choice is limited, and prices are higher than in the resorts. The village is busy by late morning and quiet at night.

Two or three nights is the sweet spot. Use it as a second base after Rhodes Town, and plan a beach day, an early acropolis climb and dinner above the bay. Check how far the hotel is from the parking area and whether a taxi can reach the door.

Book early for July and August, when the island is hot and packed, and for local holiday weekends. Late May, June and September give a better balance of warm water, open businesses and lower prices. Some smaller hotels and restaurants close in winter, so check dates before you commit to a base.

Greek hotels add a local per-night charge that is shown separately from the room rate and varies by category and season; our note on tourist taxes in Europe explains how it works, and the final price at booking is what counts.

Book the room first, then the transport. A rental car often decides whether a base works, and cars are limited in summer, so reserve it with the room. The Getting around Greece page covers cars, buses and ferries, and the EES explained page covers what to expect if you land from outside the EU. Get an eSIM from our connectivity guide before you go, so maps and ferry tickets work on arrival.

Compare cover in our travel insurance guide, and read Rhodes or Crete if you are still choosing the island.