The buzz around the new AMOH Rhodes was hard to ignore. As its opening approached, operators teased new images of swanky bedrooms. Fresh videos started appearing of THAT Insta-worthy pool, and social media was ablaze with excitable comments. So how better to discover exactly what this newcomer can offer discerning clients, than by bringing five luxury travel advisors out to the island to explore it first-hand?

In May, Wavemaker Hospitality whisked five luxury travel advisors out to Rhodes on an exclusive TTG Luxury Journey, becoming some of the first guests to stay in the brand-new property. From gourmet dining to luxury spa treatments and high-end suites, they had the enviable task of testing it all.  

A refined retreat

AMOH Rhodes

Located on a private peninsula on the south-eastern coast of Rhodes, AMOH Rhodes is the island’s first internationally branded hotel, and its 10th Wavemaker property. It's also Wavemaker's fourth brand, alongside Atlantica Hotels & Resorts, Aphrodite Hills Resort and Mare Resorts, and they will be joined by the new APHI Resorts brand next year.

The advisors quickly agreed that the hotel would be a perfect fit for many of their clients. As Gold Travel Counsellor Olivia Posca explained: “I think it will appeal particularly well to luxury couples, honeymooners, stylish adult travellers and clients looking for a more boutique-feel luxury experience in Greece. I also think it will work very well for clients who may previously have considered destinations such as Mykonos or Ibiza but are now looking for somewhere more relaxed and refined.

“It would also suit clients celebrating special occasions, as the atmosphere feels very premium and experience-led. The balance between luxury, lifestyle and authentic hospitality is particularly impressive. It feels polished without being pretentious, which is something many clients are increasingly looking for.”

Suite sensations

AMOH Rhodes

The hotel offers 197 rooms, half of which are suites. Clients have a choice of sea or inland views, with many overlooking the main pool, and more than half offer private pools. The remainder feature terraces, all with gigantic, comfy loungers. They’re designed to impress, and upon arrival, everyone in the group gave squeals of delight as they opened their doors.

All of the rooms were named after the close family of Helios – the patron God of Rhodes – and our spacious Hemera Hideaway suites were inspired by his daughter, the Goddess of Day. The furniture was designed especially for the hotel, and the attention to detail shone through, from the gorgeously plush bedding to the statement bath (complete with Byredo bathroom amenities), all styled in a welcoming, warm neutral palette.

There were plenty of local design touches around the hotel too, such as huge stone pots framing walkways and beautiful handmade pebble mosaic flooring, which was inspired by the traditional black and white mosaic pathways in nearby Lindos.

Kaitlin Mortimer, Holiday Planner at Cotton Travel in Cottingham, explained: “The design stood out to me immediately, as it’s contemporary, elegant and very in keeping with the island setting. The rooms were beautifully furnished, spacious and comfortable, with a real emphasis on detail and quality. The hotel felt very polished and thoughtfully curated, with a strong sense of luxury while still maintaining a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.”

For Carl Harris, Wavemaker Hospitality’s Sales, Marketing and Promotions Manager, UK and Ireland, this was the feedback he’d been waiting for. “When the agents walked through their doors and they all went ‘wow’, and were so emotional, it was a goosebump moment,” he said. “We've been designing the hotel for over two years, and that's all we wanted to achieve. Travel agents have always been so important to us, as they’re the ones who can influence the customers, and they're the ones who can really share the story with their customers.”

Hear more feedback from the agents: 

Poolside perfection

Before we arrived, we’d all seen images of the hotel’s impressive pool, lined with a geometric pattern of navy and turquoise tiles, and surrounded by matching sun loungers. But as Karen Brooks, a homeworker with Travel Four Seasons noted, even the impressive photos struggled to do justice to the space. “When I first entered the hotel, I thought it was absolutely beautiful. The main feature is this stunning, open swimming pool, which is fantastic, especially if people don't like deep water, as you can walk through it. And surrounding it are probably the most comfortable sunbeds – and the most colourful – I've ever come across in any hotel. There are gorgeous complimentary Balinese beds too.”

And as relaxation is key, guests can order drinks from the Isle pool bar, with an array of tasty snacks delivered directly to their loungers.

AMOH Rhodes

Secluded coves and shaded groves

As we explored the hotel, the advisors all praised the spacious guest areas. We meandered along pathways through the gardens, and saw how the low-rise buildings blended into the landscape.

While building work started two years ago, some savvy early planning ensured the hotel opened with plenty of lush greenery, featuring tall swaying pine trees and nearly 300 olive trees dotted throughout. Travel Counsellor Olivia explained: “The greenery is all lovely, and it’s spectacular to have that as part of the hotel. As it’s set on quite big grounds, even at full capacity I don’t think AMOH Rhodes will feel crowded.”

And if guests can rouse themselves from the pool, two beaches beckon, hidden in secluded coves. The main Kavos beach offers 50 sunbeds on tiered wooden decks, complete with stylish parasols and a food truck, while Kymata Beach offers just 12 sunbeds.

AMOH Rhodes

Rituals and relaxation

Another haven for relaxation is the Elispa Retreat, which is spread over 700-square-metres, featuring six single treatment rooms and a couples’ treatment room, complete with a private Jacuzzi. Facilities include a sauna and steam bath, hair and nail salon and wet lounge.

We all visited for personalised treatments, and were welcomed with a spritz of quartz-infused water while pieces of blue sodalite were placed on our wrists, a crystal famed for promoting inner clarity. After this serene and relaxing start, we were led to a seating area to enjoy a refreshing drink and spa ritual. We wrote down any negative thoughts we wanted to leave behind, placing the papers into a box with a black tourmaline crystal, before they were ceremoniously burnt by the spa team in the evening.

AMOH Rhodes

Gemma Smith, Travel Consultant at Revells Travel in Headcorn, enjoyed a personalised back and shoulders massage, and said: “I have had a few massages in my life, and this was definitely the best that I've had. It was incredible. It's not just the moment that you're having the treatment done, but the before and the after, from the welcome, to all of the staff, and the room where you have a drink. Everything is done so beautifully.”

Therapists use products from 111SKIN and Aegeo Spas, as well as local ingredients such as wild herbs, volcanic clay and olive oil. And guests can use the spa’s outdoor pool, 24-hour Technogym-equipped gym offering personal training and yoga classes, and Reformer Pilates room featuring a digital trainer.  

Ancient history meets modern gastronomy 

AMOH Rhodes

AMOH Rhodes offers a choice of B&B or half-board stays, and clients can opt to have their main meal at lunch or dinner, returning to the included restaurants as many times as they like.  

We started with dinner at the main restaurant, Lithos, which also boasts a private dining room for eight and a wine room. The presentation of every dish was impeccable, such as our scrumptious Greek salad, which was carefully housed inside a huge tomato, before being elegantly sliced open at the table.

Breakfast at Lithos was a similarly glorious affair, boasting a heaving buffet, as well as a tempting a la carte menu; the French toast with cream and summer berries quickly garnered cult status among our group.

Guests can also dine at seafood restaurant Kymata, while the Cava di Pietra Italian Restaurant serves lunch and dinner with a view, as it overlooks an ancient stone quarry. It was discovered when building work started, and dates back to the Hellenistic Roman era. As we tucked into our lunch, we looked down on a stone staircase that leads down to a chamber where workers used to rest, and saw where special ‘porolithos’ stone was once excavated and transported to Lindos to help build buildings and fortifications.

AMOH Rhodes

Speciality restaurant Glaze serves steak and sushi, with an open kitchen and Teppanyaki table, while Oniro Patisserie satisfies those with a sweet tooth.

Guests can also join an Epicurean Moment, which are Marriott standards offered across Luxury Collection properties. We gathered round to learn about and taste the island’s olives, and this complimentary 15-minute experience is offered daily, alongside trips to make olive oil at a local grove.  

Lilly Ainscough-Glynn, Trainee Travel Planner at The Departure Lounge in Ramsbottom expects the hotel to quickly become a firm favourite among the agency’s clients. “They love luxury and that is exactly what AMOH Rhodes offers. The service is excellent, the rooms are stunning, the food is delicious, it has a fabulous location, gorgeous beach coves, and that is just the beginning of the list!”

Immersive island culture

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As well as enjoying the hotel’s restaurants, guests are encouraged to dine out locally, and it’s a 15-minute stroll to the pretty resort of Pefkos. We took a 10-minute drive to the nearby village of Lindos, which is widely billed as the third-most visited site in Greece, despite having just 400 inhabitants.

The hotel can arrange a local guide for guests, and we joined Dimitrios Salachouris to hear how Lindos dates to the 10th century BC, with its ancient hilltop acropolis and historic theatre built into the rockside.

Dimitrios advises visitors to come after 5pm, as our evening trip meant we could easily stroll through the labyrinthine streets full of white buildings, whereas he sees them packed with up to 10,000 visitors a day during peak season.

As the sun set, we enjoyed dinner on the rooftop of Greek fine dining restaurant Akres, which Travel Four Seasons’ Karen declared a must-try for visitors. “I’d definitely recommend having a rooftop dinner, as the views over the surrounding beach area, the mountains and acropolis were stunning. It was my first time in Lindos, and it’s such a pretty place with a really mystical feel to it.”

Our TTG Luxury Journey also included a trip to Rhodes Old Town, just over an hour’s drive from the hotel. The advisors all enjoyed picking up souvenirs while exploring the Unesco-listed cobblestone streets, and unwinding with a drink in the bustling Hippocrates Square.

Next up was a pottery class at the family-run Michail Artistic Craft & Artefacts. The group tried their hand at making and painting clay mugs and pots, learning how the team supply intricately designed pottery to hotels and restaurants across the island – including Wavemaker properties.

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For The Departure Lounge’s Lilly, the trip was her first experience of Rhodes. She said: “It was always on my list to visit – I had high expectations and they were definitely met! The people were so lovely and passionate about Greek culture, the views were gorgeous, there is plenty to do and everything is within an hour’s drive. The pottery was my favourite excursion and the local touch really made all the difference.”

Cotton Travel’s Kaitlin also explained how the trip had changed her perception of the island. “Before the trip, I associated Rhodes mainly with traditional beach holidays and family tourism. Experiencing the island in this way showed a far more sophisticated side to Rhodes, with beautiful culture, history, gastronomy and luxury experiences. It has repositioned Rhodes in my mind as a destination suitable for premium and luxury clients as well.”