Grecotel LUX ME Dama Dama Rhodes

Hugging the north-east coast of Rhodes, this white-washed retreat spills onto the biscuity sands of a Blue Flag-awarded beach. A scattering of terracotta-roofed bungalows is arranged around two long, slender pools, lined by towering palms. Cinematic views come as standard here: the vast Aegean unfurls luxuriously before you, at every turn. For the best sea panoramas, nab the double sun bed perched on a tiny island over the swimming pool or one of the beachside loungers shaded by a sugar-white parasol. Children are well catered for at the hotel, with a kids club and pool, complete with waterslides, plus an all-day snack corner in the buffet restaurant.

This crisp colour scheme streams through to the rooms and suites, where the walls showcase eclectic artwork. Wood floors and beamed ceilings warm interiors, while jewel tones ruby red and topaz blue are paired with metallic finishes to stylish effect. Book a Mini Guestroom Inland View for space-savvy digs opening onto a terrace, or upgrade to a LUX.ME Sky Guestroom Sea View for a penthouse pad with a glass-sided balcony framing Aegean views. There are plenty of family options, but the room to book is the Two-Bedroom Bungalow Suite Sea View for perks like an open-plan living and dining area and three furnished balconies all just steps from the beach.

While theres not much reason to leave the hotel, a 20-minute drive north takes you to Rhodes Town. The capital is a cultural jigsaw whose many layers of history can be pieced together through its architecture styles Byzantine, Ottoman, Italian. The Old Town is a living museum, with medieval walls wrapping around a labyrinthine core, where the legacy of the Knights of St John is etched across the old stones.