Orion Hotel

English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside German, French and Greek, so you can deal with the practicalities of a diving holiday without resorting to mime. Orion Hotel is a three-star address in Faliraki with air-conditioned rooms, a pool, restaurants and a bar: the sort of base that lets you keep the important decisions for the day after the dive, when your brain has stopped making bubbles.

The feel is more resort than hideaway. You can eat on site, sit by the pool, use the spa or head out towards Faliraki and the beaches around it. Families are catered for with a kids' club, children's pool and children's activities, while couples have the quieter option of a room with a garden or pool view and a drink at the pool bar.

You are in Faliraki, Greece, rather than in Rhodes Town itself. Faliraki Beach is about 0.25 miles away, with Katafygio Beach around 0.8 miles on foot and Kathara Beach about 1.1 miles away. Anthony Quinn Beach is further out, roughly 2.3 miles on foot or 2.5 miles by road. That gives you several stretches of coast to choose from when the day's diving is done.

The location also works for a day away from the resort. Rhodes Waterpark is about 2 miles away, while the Temple of Apollon, the Acropolis of Rhodes, the Street of Knights and the Grand Master's Palace are roughly 6 to 7 miles away. Rhodes International Airport is about 9 miles from the hotel, making the final transfer a manageable part of the journey rather than a second holiday.

The useful question here is not which room has the longest name, but how much space you want around yourself and your dive-day clutter. The apartment with pool view is the practical choice for a larger group, with room for up to five guests and two bathrooms. For two people, a Queen Room with garden or pool view keeps things simpler, with a super-king bed and a balcony outside.

If a third person is joining you, the King Room gives you a super-king bed and a single bed without moving into the apartment. The Double or Twin Room also takes up to three guests. Room cards below give you the measurements and sleeping arrangements; the useful difference is whether you want garden, pool or balcony views, and whether you value extra living space over a more compact room.

Air conditioning matters when you return from hot, salty water, and it is available in every room. A refrigerator gives you somewhere for cold water, while the kettle handles the first tea or coffee before anyone starts discussing dinner. You also have free WiFi, a flat-screen television, a desk, a private bathroom, a balcony and daily housekeeping. Soundproof rooms and soundproofing are part of the offer, which may help when the resort is doing something rather more energetic than you are.

The main table is Poseidon Restaurant, where Mediterranean food is served on a terrace with sea views. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are covered, with breakfast served as a buffet from 7:00. The broader breakfast choice includes continental, Italian, full English or Irish, vegetarian, halal and American options, so the first meal of the day does not have to be a negotiation with a single plate of eggs.

The hotel has two restaurants in total, plus the Apollo Bar by the main outdoor pool. It is a pool bar specialising in cocktails, which is a respectable place for the post-dive ritual of sitting down and not moving for a while. There is also a snack bar and continuous snacking, alongside 24-hour room service for the nights when the walk to the restaurant feels unnecessarily ambitious.

The board basis is half-board. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets are catered for, and local ingredients are used in the dishes. Smart casual is the dress code at Poseidon, so you can leave the full expedition wardrobe in the room but may want something less aquatic than a rash vest.

The main outdoor pool is the centre of the easy-going part of the day, with sun loungers, a swim-up bar and a separate children's pool. The hotel also has a terrace and garden, giving you somewhere to sit with a book rather than automatically booking another excursion. A hot tub adds another option when your shoulders have had enough of carrying the day around.

Orion Spa covers 150 square metres and includes massages, facials, a hammam and a sauna. There is also a gym and a yoga studio with yoga classes, which gives you a sensible choice between gentle movement and complete horizontal recovery. Neither requires a timetable complicated enough to need its own briefing.

For more active days, the hotel offers kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkelling, jet skiing and boat excursions, with equipment hire available. Away from the water, you can use bicycles, go hiking or join cultural excursions to Lindos and Rhodes Old Town. Live music and themed nights add an evening option, while billiards and televised live sport are available on site.

Rhodes International Airport is about 9 miles away, with a journey of around 20 minutes by car. Airport transfers are available through the hotel, and you can also take a taxi or bus. Car hire is available on site, and free public parking is available without reservation if you prefer to drive yourself around the island.

The reception operates around the clock, with luggage storage, a tour desk, currency exchange, concierge service and express check-in and check-out. Check-in runs from 15:00 to midnight and check-out from 07:00 to 11:00. That early departure window may be useful for a morning flight, provided you have packed before breakfast rather than attempting the familiar last-minute search for a missing fin strap.

WiFi is free throughout the hotel, and rooms are reached by lift. Laundry, dry cleaning and ironing are available, while a safety deposit box can be arranged at reception. The hotel is non-smoking throughout, with smoking allowed in designated areas. Children of any age are welcome; a cot can be requested for children aged two and under, while extra beds are not available. The minimum check-in age is 18, and pets are not allowed.

The hotel commits to sustainable tourism practices. That is the full extent of the stated environmental approach, without a named certification or a list of specific energy or water measures.

For you, the practical point is simply that the property presents sustainability as part of its operating approach, while the rest of the choice comes down to the things you can use directly: the pool, the beach access around Faliraki, the food, the spa and the short airport transfer.