I have never been an ‘all-inclusive’ person. That is until, I went to Amada Colossos and actually let myself see the benefits of doing less and being looked after.
I've always seen holidays as something to accomplish: a new place to travel, 25,000 steps a day to walk, sharing hostel rooms, trying a new adrenaline-fuelled activity and eating street food.
By day three, I entered a state that I'm not all too familiar with: pure relaxation. For 72 hours, the only decisions to make had been ‘where shall we eat lunch, at the Dimond Suite or by the pool?’ and ‘should I get another frozen mango margarita?’ My brain felt smooth, like all the ridges had been steamed out and my shoulders had dropped a few inches, letting go of pent-up tension. It turns out, I very much am an all-inclusive person, especially when that all-inclusive is a luxury resort on the Greek island of Rhodes.
When I thought ‘all-inclusive’, I envisioned buffet food with flies on, sick in the pool from too many excitable children (or boozy adults), cringey entertainment and fluorescent lighting; that sounds judgemental, because before this trip, I was. I understood them as a family option; how an all-inclusive can take away a lot of stress and leave room for quality time, but as a childless twenty-eight year-old, I couldn't imagine it being for me. Where would the excitement be? Would I be foregoing experience a new culture? Wouldn't I get…bored?
Amada Colossos markets itself as a 5-star, free-flowing, luxury, all-flexible resort. They want you have the “golden feeling of generosity.” It's this marketing that hooked me in- the website and social media look chic, couple-friendly, and the food actually delicious. My partner and me had a packed summer of festivals and parties, but very little down time for ourselves; Amada Colossos looked like the perfect reset for us.
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The Amada experience is where luxury meets accessibility. Yes, it's an all-inclusive, but it's also a wellness retreat, a beach holiday by the Aegean Sea, an action-packed break. It's whatever you're looking for.
Within half an hour of arriving, I was already basking in that golden feeling they described. To say the staff were friendly would not only be cliched, but a huge understatement. We had genuine conversations with the bar staff, the waiters, the people at reception - it wasn't just small talk, but a real sense of communication and care.
There are multiple restaurants within the hotel wall's, there's the main buffet restaurant, a Greek Taverna, an Asian restaurant and an Italian restaurant.
The buffet is ‘international’, with stations serving up…everything and anything. As a vegetarian, I was happy to find a station separated and marked as vegetarian-friendly. It's always a worry of mine at buffets, that the dietary options will get mixed up. The food at the buffet was good, as good as buffet food can be- it's still mass scale, so don't expect to be blown away, but we enjoyed it especially for lunch. The dessert area was, by far, the best bit.
It was the Greek Taverna, though, that really stole the show. We ordered a dry Cava Brut from Rhodes, and devoured their set menu. The meze-like starters were my favourite bites of the whole trip, with fresh pitta that was pillowy almost like an Indian paratha. The olive tapenade was intense and mouth-puckering, and the garlic aubergines moreish. My partner had sea bass for his main, and ate it completely in silence because it was just too good to speak through!
The Italian restaurant held its own, and if it was a local spot in London, I'd definitely return for their confit tomatoes on bruschetta and the ravioli with cream foam. The Asian restaurant was the only meal that I wouldn't rave about, but largely I think that is because I am spoilt by England's brilliant Asian eateries and generally I wouldn't choose a ‘pan Asian’ restaurant as they are less authentic. The homemade spring rolls were great, however.
At Amada, there are six types of rooms, three types of suites, and two villas to pick from. The resort is sprawling, but apart from at the buffet in peak-hours, you won't feel crowded at all.
We stayed in a Sea View Junior Suite, as part of the Diamond Ultra All-Inclusive Collection. The Diamond package gave us access to an exclusive bar where we could order off-menu for breakfast and lunch, and enjoy some quiet time away from the bustle of the pool.
The Junior Suite was spacious, with a large balcony overlooking the Kallithea beach, a private stretch of sea and sand just for the resort guests. The decor felt Greek-inspired, with blues and wooden accents, but as with any large resort there is a feeling of uniformity.
Watching sunrise and sunset from the sliding french doors made this room feel special, you really can't beat an ocean view - especially in Greece.
2023 Lead-in Rates, per night: Double BB from 134 euros, Family BB from 298 euros, Sea View Junior Suites from 418 euros, Sea View Amada Villa from 1964 euros.
For more information, visit: https://amadacolossosresort.com
