Lindos Blu stands above the curve of Vlicha Bay on the east coast of Rhodes. The postal address reads Vlicha, Lindos, Rhodes: the village is 2 km up the road, Rhodes Town, the airport and the port are each 50 km away, and the water is 50 m below.
The house is cut into the slope as an amphitheatre over the bay, its terraces and pathways stepping down towards the sea, and Blue Flag Vlicha beach, 50 m below, is reached on foot in 2 to 3 minutes. Every room and suite faces the water. Outdoor infinity pools sit on the terraces, with an indoor heated pool, open-air Jacuzzis and canopied daybeds.
Adults only, minimum guest age 17, is how the house is run, and it was designed that way from the start. The hotel has 70 rooms and suites over three floors, and is operated under the Blu Collection name. Closed November to April, it is a summer address.
Rooms and suites
The ladder starts at a 30 sq m double guestroom with a 10 sq m balcony or terrace, floor-to-ceiling windows onto the bay and a hydro-massage bath. Above it come a 38 sq m junior suite, two categories that share a 25 sq m pool between two rooms, and a 40 sq m deluxe room whose 20 sq m terrace carries an outdoor Jacuzzi. The villa takes 50 sq m indoors and a 50 sq m terrace with a temperature-controlled infinity pool and a double Jacuzzi. At the top of the ladder is the Two-Bedroom Maisonette, 80 sq m indoors, 50 sq m terrace, 35 sq m private pool, laid out over two levels: a living room and king-size bedroom on the ground floor opening onto a stone terrace with an outdoor shower, and the master suite above in marble and neutral tones, with a hydro-massage tub set in the bedroom.
The two restaurants
Dining runs on two rooms: Five Senses, dinner only; Smeraldo, all day. Five Senses serves from 7pm to 11.30pm, cooking Greek dishes in a modern register from local produce, and takes reservations only. The dress code is smart casual, and there is a lobster night once a week. Smeraldo opens at 7am for breakfast, runs lunch to 4.30pm and dinner from 7pm to 9.30pm, with buffet and cooked-to-order dishes together. Luna Rossa, the lounge bar, is open from 5.30pm to 1am for cocktails, wines and champagne, with a DJ once a week. Allegro by the infinity pool and the Il Sogno sun terrace both serve from 10am to 6pm, as does the beach and pool service. Music carries through the week: piano at breakfast twice weekly, and violin, saxophone, piano and acoustic duos across the two restaurants in the evening.
Aegeo Spa and the health club
Aegeo Spa is small and quiet, and its treatments are personalised to the guest. The health club looks over the sea, there is a tennis court, and the wellness programme runs to yoga and gentler movement. The boutique stocks resort wear from prominent Greek designers, which saves a drive into the village for a swimsuit.
Lindos, 2 km away
The acropolis of Lindos stands above the village, reached on foot or by mule, and full admission is 20 euros. The hotel and the archaeological site share the 85107 postcode, which is a fair measure of how close the two sit. Rhodes Town, the airport and the port are all 50 km away, so the drive in from the plane is the same length as the drive to the medieval city.
Who is this for
Two people travelling without children, who want a base that is quiet and a little set apart with the island still within reach. The mood is slow. Sunbeds and umbrellas are set out on the sand below, coastal paths and hidden coves run off in both directions, and boat trips and water sports can be arranged nearby. Transfers and a chauffeur come from the house, reception answers at any hour, and mornings are for a swim before the heat.
