With an adults-only beachfront setting, six dining venues and a summer of visiting culinary talent behind it, The Ixian Grand & All Suites is making food and relaxation central to its late-season appeal.
When the main summer holiday season begins to recede, the prospect of another few days by the sea can be more appealing than an ambitious itinerary.
The Ixian Grand & All Suites in Rhodes is making its case for an autumn escape with an adults-only beachfront setting, an emphasis on slowing down and a food-and-drink programme that has attracted some familiar names from Britain’s restaurant scene.
The five-star resort sits on Ixia Bay, on the island’s west coast, with direct access to the shore. Poolside loungers and the beach are central to the experience. So is the freedom to do very little without feeling that the holiday is somehow going to waste.
Yet there is more to this particular stretch of Rhodes than finding a comfortable place to spend the afternoon. The hotel’s recent culinary collaborations suggest that dining is becoming an increasingly important part of its identity.
Space to slow down on Ixia Bay
An adults-only hotel will not suit every traveller, but it does establish the sort of break The Ixian Grand is offering. The emphasis is on time by the water rather than a schedule that needs managing.
That is also where the resort’s wellness positioning deserves a little perspective. There is a perfectly reasonable appeal in spending a few days away from routine, although a relaxing environment should not be confused with a specific health treatment or measurable wellbeing outcome.
Here, the case for switching off rests chiefly on the surroundings and the pace of the stay.
The beachfront location gives guests a choice between the pool and Ixia Bay’s quieter shoreline, without needing to organise an excursion simply to spend time beside the sea.
For travellers looking to recover some breathing space after a busy summer, that simplicity may be precisely the attraction.
Six dining venues give the stay its character
Food is where the hotel is trying hardest to distinguish itself.
Across six culinary venues, the all-inclusive offering brings together Mediterranean cooking and Japanese–Peruvian dishes at Muza Htisa.
The combination offers an interesting range of flavours, although the number of dining venues alone tells you little about the experience on the plate. For a longer stay, the more meaningful question is whether those different kitchens can make dinner feel like an occasion rather than simply the next item on the holiday timetable.
The resort has certainly invested attention in that side of its operation.
During the summer, The Ixian Grand hosted a series of culinary and mixology collaborations featuring recognised British restaurant talent. Special menus were created by Elliott Grover, Matt Tebbutt, Daniel Watkins and Claude Bosi, while mixologist Michele Lombardi contributed to the drinks programme.
It is a notable collection of names for a hotel seeking to develop its identity around food.
Crucially, however, these were summer collaborations rather than evidence that the visiting chefs oversee the resort’s everyday kitchens.
The hotel intends to develop and expand its culinary and mixology programme next season, giving the dining offer a continuing role in its plans.
A coastal stay with a cultural detour
The contrast between Ixia Bay and Rhodes Old Town is one of the more useful aspects of this location.
Rhodes’ UNESCO-listed medieval Old Town is only minutes from the resort, offering an alternative for guests who want to explore beyond the beachfront.
That proximity gives the hotel another dimension without requiring sightseeing to dominate the holiday. A day can revolve around the pool or sea, with the historic city providing a change of scene when the mood takes hold.
It is an appealing arrangement for travellers who enjoy having options but would rather avoid turning a short break into an exercise in itinerary management.
The details worth checking before booking
Travellers choosing The Ixian Grand principally for its food should confirm which dining experiences are included in their booking and whether particular venues require reservations.
The same caution applies to the visiting chefs. Although the resort is planning further culinary and mixology collaborations, specific future dates and participants have not been established in the announced programme. The names associated with the summer events should not be treated as a guarantee of what will be available during an autumn stay.
Booking information is available through the official Ixian Grand & All Suites website.
That distinction between a special event and the everyday hotel experience matters. A relaxing holiday ought to stand up on the ordinary days, when there is no visiting chef, no event to chase and nothing much on the calendar beyond dinner.
