Located on the beautiful, historic island of Rhodes - the largest of Greece’s Dodecanese islands - Elissa Lifestyle Resort offers a five-star adult-focused resort hotel whether you are looking to relax and unwind or have some fun on the island.
Elissa Lifestyle Resort is located just a 20-minute drive away from Rhodes Airport and a 40-minute drive from the nearby town of Lindos.
With several restaurants and bars on site, 15 swimming pools and a private beach, freshly cooked food, crisp cocktails and cooling dips come fast and plenty.
The Facilities
This hotel resort has a lot to offer to guests including an impressive 15 pools, four restaurants, three bars, a spa facility, and a private beach.
Each area has its own individual sharing pool to use, along with the larger communal pool with comfy, cushioned recliners, located near the Fanes restaurant.
Guests are at liberty to try out as many pools as they like, so you could easily spend each day of your holiday using a new one.
The private beach is located a short walk from the main reception and has comfortable seating on offer, although the beach itself is a little rocky so bring flip flops.
The Rooms
There are several accommodation options at Elissa, from the Water Bungalow with an exclusive private pool, to the Lifestyle Suites with views of the pool and sea.
The rooms have a minimal, bright and airy feel to them with incredible views of the resort and the sea.
I stayed in one of the Lifestyle Suites which was situated on the ground floor with simply breath-taking views of the sea and within a few paces of the complex’s private sharing pool.
The rooms are all equipped with the mod cons: a TV, fridge, coffee machine, kettle and air conditioning, as well as luxury toiletries, beach towels, bath robe and slippers.
But the real highlight of arriving at my suite was to receive the delicious fruit platter spread, laden with dragon and star fruit and other tropcial delights.
Food and Drink
Elissa has a number of dining options to choose from, including four restaurants and three bars serving a mix of classic and signature cocktails.
The variety of cocktails on offer was impressive. They had around 10 of their own signature cocktails as well as many classic options, with everything from a mojito to a frozen daiquiri.
When you’re at the poolside you can either get a drink from the bar or have a member of staff bring it to you, and I have to say my first pool-side mojito marked the start of summer.
Elissa takes its food seriously at each of the four restuarants, and each are of high caliber. The main restaurant, Fanes, is also where they serve their breakfast and dinner buffet, which comes with meat, dairy and gluten free choices.
During my trip I tried everything from freshly caught prawns the size of my hand to lamb meatballs with freshly made tzatziki.
The serving staff are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about wine, and each meal was paired with a specially selected wine sourced from various parts of the Greek Islands and other parts of Europe.
If dining at Kavos you must try the restaurant's Greek salad, the sea bass, and their pistachio ice cream for dessert.
Masari is Elissa’s sushi restaurant, serving a mix of hot and cold sushi tapas dishes with fresh ingredients and produce.
My personal favourite was the crab sushi rolls made with fresh ginger.
If dining at Fourni try the arancini for a hearty and slightly sweet rice dish.
If meat is your thing the restaurant prides itself on having a number of options fresh from the grill, including cuts of steak and lamb.
The Spa
Guests at Elissa can also visit the spa which is situated on the site of the neighbouring Helea Family Beach Resort.
You can either take a short walk from Elissa or you can take a ride onboard one of the on-call golf buggies to take you to the spa entrance.
The spa features a thermal pool, sauna, steam room, cold room and a rather invigorating experience shower.
There are a variety of treatments you can also choose from, ranging in prices, including massage, foot treatments and facial treatments.
The indoor pool even has its own juice bar, where you can have freshly made fruit juices whilst you take a dip in the pool or relax on one of the many loungers.
You could easily spend a few days within the hotel at its many pools and using its on-site facilities before you thought about venutring outside, but Rhodes will reward you if you do.
A day trip to Rhodes Old Town will take you through the medieval locale which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
You can also explore the famous Lindos Acropolis dating back to around 300 BC or for those seeking thrills, have a go at water skiing with one of the many providers on the island.
For something a little more romantic, take a drive to the town of lalysos to visit the Cave Archangel Michael Panormitis and for spectacular views of the sunset, and then return to Elissa for leisurely cocktails into the evening.
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