An Essex Wedding - March/April 2023 (Issue 109)

Approaching Rhodes by air, you’d be forgiven for missing a bird’s-eye view of the Ixian Grand & All Suites thanks to the beauty of Greece’s largest island, but for the eagle-eyed travellers you can spot the hotel due to its inimitable layout and luxurious beachfront private pool suites nestled luxuriously on the beach of Ixia Bay, just metres away from the sea. Ixian Grand & All Suites is only 7km away from Rhodes town and the Medieval City of Rhodes, as well as being a mere 10-minute drive from Filerimos, one of the three ancient cities of Rhodes. Overlooking the Ixia Bay and Aegean Sea, this hotel has the beauty of being adult-only, so is the ideal destination for a honeymoon offering total relaxation. LUXE APPEAL With 124 deluxe guestrooms with garden or sea view, the garden complex offers accommodation in 122 spacious and comfortable guestrooms, while the suites area is comprised of five buildings with 102 rooms and suites. While all rooms offer a level of luxury only befitting a resort of this calibre, the aforementioned beachfront private pool suites are without doubt the way to go if you’re looking for a once-ina-lifetime experience, and I can attest you will wake up every morning to pinch-me-moments looking out over your private infinity pool to the crystal clear Aegean sea that stretches as far as the eye can see. Looking for further wow factor? Enjoy a romantic soak in the bath and appreciate the floor-to-ceiling windows while watching the sun set over the ocean. FOOD FOR THOUGHT Talking romance, no honeymoon is complete without a romantic meal or five, and the Ixian Grand & All Suites has romantic eateries down to a fine art. Vis-à -Vis, the hotel’s main buffet restaurant, focuses mostly on the Mediterranean diet and the Greek cuisine, but also international food. Milonges, is an open-air restaurant offers traditional Greek cuisine and is located by the main swimming pool, serving lunch and dinner, while Muza Htista offers Japanese and Peruvian cultures. My personal favourite was the Alazonia Suites Restaurant – while only available to those staying in suites, this stylish restaurant serves breakfast and dinner, with outdoor or indoor seating options. Evenings were spent embracing the laidback Greek culture and indulging in a tipple or three at Truman’s Lobby Bar, which has a stunning terrace with views to the gardens, pools and the sea. AND RELAX… If you’re able to drag yourself away from the room, the pools and the idyllic scenery, then it’s almost a perquisite to try out the hotel’s spa, and Ixian Grand & All Suites offers one of the most tranquil I’ve had the pleasure of attending. Offering massages, facials and beauty therapies, the spa also has an indoor pool and a Turkish bath, as well as a complimentary gym with a fitness instructor offering various daily classes – if you’re so inclined. I opted for a more relaxing pastime instead, and indulged in a full body AFFAIR A grand Louise Prance experienced the ultimate luxury combined with traditional Greek appeal at Rhodes-based Ixian Grand & All Suites 96

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0NTE=