Blog

Join us at Apollo Hotels for the fifth annual “Food & Wine Pairing Degustation Events,” where we celebrate the finest Greek vineyards and innovative Greek cuisine. Under the expert guidance of Andreas Matthidis, Dip WSET, President of the Greek Sommeliers Association, these events are a highlight for wine and gastronomy enthusiasts.

Event Schedule for 2024:
– Friday, May 31**: Hatzigeorgiou Winery (Kavala)
– Saturday, June 15**: Gavalas Winery (Santorini)
– Friday, July 26: Barafaka Winery (Nemea)
⁃ Friday, August 9, Ktima Alpha Winery ( Amuntaio Florina)
– Friday, August 23**: Novus Winery Nasiakos (Tripoli – Mantineia)
– Friday, September 13**: Avantis Estate (Evia)
– Friday, October 11**: Tsilili Distillery (Trikala)

At each event, our acclaimed culinary team, Head Chef Giorgos Kambourakis, Chef à la Carte Ilias Tsampikakis, and Pastry Chef Michalis Chrysovergis, will craft exquisite dishes that perfectly complement each featured wine. Their creations, guided by Andreas Matthidis, will highlight the unique character of each wine, providing an unparalleled tasting experience. The presentation of the selected wines will be expertly managed by our Sommelier Alexandros Efkarpidis and Maître d’Hôtel Stelios Vorvolakos, along with our dedicated service team.

Due to limited availability, reservations are required and can be made at the Apollo Blue hotel reception. We invite all wine and food lovers to experience these exclusive events.

Join us at Apollo Blue Hotel for an unforgettable journey of wine and culinary excellence.

We extend our deepest sympathies to the communities affected by the devastating wildfire that struck the southern part of Rhodes. The bravery and resilience displayed by the people fighting tirelessly to protect our beloved island are nothing short of heroic, and for that, we are profoundly grateful.

At Apollo Hotels, we are committed to supporting those impacted by the wildfire in any way possible. Our hearts go out to those who have experienced loss and hardship during this challenging time. We have taken every measure to provide assistance and aid to the affected individuals and communities.

Our gratitude also extends to the courageous individuals at the frontline of the firefighting efforts. Their unwavering dedication and selflessness have been instrumental in mitigating the impact of the fire.

We are pleased to announce that Apollo Hotels, situated in an area unaffected by the wildfire, continues to operate as usual. Our doors are open, and we are ready to welcome our guests, providing them with the exceptional service and memorable vacations that we are known for.

As we navigate through this difficult period, we are confident that Rhodes will recover and rebuild its splendor. The beauty and allure of our island remain intact, and we are here to ensure our guests’ safety, comfort, and enjoyment during their stay.

Apollo Hotels is fully committed to contributing to the healing of our island . We are united in our determination to preserve Rhodes as the enchanting destination it has always been.

Apollo Hotels team

It’s official! are opening our doors on April 1st  and we can’t wait to welcome you all over again at Apollo Blue Hotel! The bright sun, the sparkling sea, the warm hospitality and everything that makes your holidays heavenly are here, awaiting for you!

Spring awaits you in sunny Rhodes & Apollo Blue Hotel

This year why don’t you take the opportunity of our early opening & spring rates to enjoy springtime and a family Easter vacation at Apollo Hotels in sunny Rhodes? Our lavish gardens and sandy beach are ideal for relaxing moments under the spring sun, our pools are heated for a refreshing dive, while a great variety of outdoor sport activities and restaurants are also available

Moreover nature is at its best in springtime in Rhodes and the temperature feels perfect to start exploring the magnificent island of Rhodes, based at the conveniently located Apollo Blue Hotel. Here is our top suggestions of what to see and do in Rhodes prepared just for you

Your safety is always our priority.

As we are gradually getting back to a normal life, we have updated our

Health & Safety Protocol for 2022 to ensure to our guests a carefree stay, without compromising to our warm hospitality.

Feel free and confident to book directly our flexible offers & packages , with the best available rates and extra benefits. We take care of you so that the only thing you have to worry about is your best vacation photos!

Sustainable hotels are at the core of securing sustainable tourism at ground level, helping to reshape the global industry, one destination at a time. Sustainable is not just the word of the hour, it is the word of the future. At Apollo Hotels, we are proud to be fully committed to green practices and eco-friendly procedures, thus becoming pioneering sustainable hotels in Greece that have been making environmentally-minded choices for over a decade now. We believe that “we are all guests here” on Earth, the place we call home, and it is our obligation to minimize actions that negatively impact the environment that nurtures us.

Apollo Hotels are sustainable hotels in Rhodes, Greece that have been dedicated to reducing the environmental footprint of operation since 2012. It has been our top priority for 10 years and counting. Supporting our 10 year green journey is our environmental policy and our environmental timeline that list our ecological achievements and milestones. You will find both on our  website, Apollo Hotels, that documents all our efforts towards a greener future, which we cordially invite you to read. Our green practices extend beyond the in-house operations within our sustainable hotels and out towards our network of partners, suppliers and contractors.

More specifically, all our practices conform to national and European environmental legislation. They are centered around securing biodiversity and preserving natural resources. We prioritize cooperations with local producers and suppliers as well as give greater weight to goods and services with Eco-label certifications. Furthermore, we assess and evaluate our environmental performance on a regular basis, applying corrective measures where discrepancies against our targets arise and set even higher standards as part of our dedication to improving.

The latest practical application of our commitment to green practices is joining the pilot programme run by WWF called Hotel Kitchen which is a project that aims at curbing food waste in the hospitality industry. Food waste is a huge issue and challenge which this initiative aims at addressing, all the while minimizing the excess procurement, production and quantity of discarded food. Food is a fundamental source of life and one of our basic human rights, and so treating it with greater respect means the more efficient handling and monitoring of food, from source to consumption which is crucial in securing a more sustainable future. This is why we were absolutely thrilled to be part of the Rhodes Hotels WWF Hotel Kitchen initiative.

We are proud to participate in the WWF’s innovative program “Hotel Kitchen: Here we value food” that aims at reducing food waste in the hotel sector. Through this program, our hotels are recording waste across the supply, preparation and dining process and are implementing best practices to reduce food waste, a major environmental issue of our time.

We strongly believe in this initiative, as the protection of the environment wherein we operate is one of our key objectives and we invite our guests to join us at this effort.

Your support is valuable and very welcomed. 

Apollo Hotels Management team

“We are all guests here”

One third of food produced worldwide today goes to waste and along with it we throw away all the planet’s valuable resources (farmland, water, clean air, energy) that were needed to produce our food. Therefore, the sustainable management of our raw materials and the prudent use of food is one of the main pillars of our actions.

Since April 2021 we have committed to reduce food waste in every possible way and we are proud to participate in the WWF Greece program “Hotel Kitchen: here we value food “, with a vision to prevent food waste in the hotel sector.

That is why we are changing the way we purchase, cook and dispose of the food we use, while we use a reliable measurement system to track the volume and the causes of food waste in our premises. At the same time, our staff are being trained and engaged in tackling this huge challenge that affects us all.

Ensuring an excellent experience for our guests, both Apollo hotels, Apollo Blue & Apollo Beach,  are among the 11 hotels selected to implement this program, actively engaging staff  and guests in reducing food waste.

The “Hotel Kitchen” program was first implemented in 2017 in the United States by WWF US in collaboration with the American Association of Hotels and Accommodation (AHLA), with the support of the Rockefeller Foundation. In Greece, the program has been implemented since March 2019 with the support of the WWF network and Unilever Food Solutions.

Here at Apollo Blue hotel we have a passion for wine and it shows ! Bellow our impressive hotel main entrance lies our wine cellar, where in excellent conditions  a thoughtfully selected collection focused mainly on Greek wines,  from renowned wineries to small producers and independent vineyards, is carefully preserved for our wine aficionados guests.

Starting from our passion for wine and the wish our guests to get acquainted with the great variety and quality of  Greek wine, we have build up our collection that showcases the production of the best vineyards all over Greece,  from the mainland to the islands.  Some of the best native varieties such as Asyrtiko from Santorini, Agiorgitiko from Nemea and Xynomayvro from Naousa, just to name a few, are here to discover and savour. Popular varieties produced in Greece and in other countries from Chile to France, are available also in our cellar to taste and compare, during our wine tasting events!

Wine tasting events for our guests are taking place regularly at the area of the wine cellar or outdoors in our gardens by our sommelier, while our  trained staff is happy to recommend to you the wine that matches best with your dinner or lunch selection.

But this not all! As food and wine pairing is arguably one of the ultimate arts of the wine world, we couldn’t resist the temptation to challenge our chefs to be inspired by the exquisite wines of  Greek producers, organising a Food & Wine-pairing degustation event  once a month.

Our chefs in close cooperation with the invited wine producer or renown sommelier,  prepare uniquely inspired dishes that bring out the flavours of each selected wine fully, offering you a flavourful experience beyond imagination.

This is a unique wine tasting experience in Rhodes, Greece. At the magnificent outdoor setting of Taverna Blue with the backdrop of the Aegean sea is an event to remember!

Ask us about the dates of our wine-pairing degustation experience and make your reservation as we have limited places available each time for this exclusive, unmissable event particularly curated for the lovers of good wine.

Let’s seek some inspiration from the beloved Greek tastes of previous summer holidays!  Cook at home one of the most popular dishes of our kitchen, “Gemista” – Stuffed tomatoes & peppers with rice, following the step by step recipe by our executive Chef George Kampourakis. Taste at home a classic everybody’s favorite Greek dish that will surely transport you to the sunny days at the Apollo Blue Taverna.

Gemista” stuffed vegetables with rise

Nutritional info

A summer dish with high nutritional value. Tomato is rich in antioxidants, vitamin B6, magnesium, iron, zinc and folic acid. Pepper is an excellent source of vitamin C. Stuffed rice is a very good source of B vitamins, carbohydrates and fiber. This dish becomes even more valuable if it contains parsley, an excellent antioxidant, rich in vitamin C.

Ingredients are for 4 to 6 portions

Time of preparation is 20-25 minutes

Cooking time is 60 minutes

Ingredients

•  4 large green peppers
•  4 large tomatoes
•  1 small eggplant (100 gr)
• 1 small green pepper (50 gr)
• 80 gr dried onion
• ½ bunch of parsley
• ½ bunch of mint
• 100 gr olive oil
• 50gr Carolina rice
• 50gr parboiled rice

Execution

Step 1. Prepare vegetables

• Wash all the vegetables, cut 1 slice from each tomato (to remain united with the tomato we do not separate completely) and with a spoon empty the crumb, taking care to leave a little flesh in the skin so that they do not open after filling and baking . Lightly salt the tomatoes
• Keep the tomato crumb for the filling and grind it in the blender.
• Cut 1 slice from the top of each pepper and remove the seeds and their white part. Lightly salt the peppers
• Peel the eggplant from its outer skin and finely chop it into cubes, finely chop the small pepper

Step 2. Prepare the filling

• In a deep frying pan, heat 1/2 cup from the total olive oil and sauté the chopped onion for 2-3 ′. Add the eggplant crumb, the chopped pepper and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until they wither. Add the rice and stir.
• Add the ground tomato and 1 tbsp. water. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the filling from the heat. Sprinkle with the chopped herbs. The filling should be quite juicy when we fill the vegetables.

Step 3. Stuffing vegetables & cooking

• Fill each vegetable up to 3/4, because the rice will swell when cooked. Put the lids and place them in a deep pan, close to each other.
• In a bowl, whisk the remaining ground tomatoes with the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the pan with a spoon.
• Bake them in a preheated oven at 180 ° C (356 Fahrenheit) the first half of an hour covered. Then, remove and continue baking, which takes a total of 1 hour. If you notice it getting dry, add a bit more water. To see if it is done, check the rice it should be soft and mushy
  • Extra tip: Accompany stuffing vegetables with Greek feta cheese & white wine “Moschofilero” for an authentic Greek taste experience! Kali Orexi

Let us show you a heavenly place. Here the touch of Apollo -the ancient god of harmony, music and the sun- is evident everywhere. The bright sun, the sparkling sea, the warm hospitality and everything that makes the holidays heavenly are here, awaiting to fill your soul with visuals and experiences you will never forget.

Here are 10 reasons why Apollo Blue is your carefree holiday paradise

1. Beach front, with an endless sandy beach and clear blue waters at your footsteps
2. Great outdoors & open spaces, for lounging, swimming, dinning and entertaining
3. Gastronomy at its bests, savor the Greek & Mediterranean culinary and discover refined wines from the top Greek vineyards
4. COVID safe environment, as we have adapted all our services since 2020 to comply with the highest health & safety measures
5. Well trained and friendly staff to offer you a superior level of care and safety
6. Sports & leisure facilities, from state of art grass tennis courts, to yoga classes in the garden and a rejuvenating session at our spa
7. Location convenient for getting around Rhodes and make the most of our beautiful island
8. Commitment to sustainability, as environmental policies are in the heart of our vision since the first day of our operation.
9. Αll-inclusive package available for an absolute carefree holiday
10. Fully flexible booking policy & exclusive offers for planning your holidays with a piece of mind.

This summer at Apollo Blue make the most of your vacation and rest assured, we take care of you so that the only thing you have to worry about is your holiday photos!