The first sundowner of the evening is always a holiday highlight – but not if you’re paying through the nose for it.
One of Greece’s prettiest spots, the ancient Old Town of Rhodes, has been red flagged as a major hotspot for overcharging tourists, according to reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.
The area’s narrow network of streets are filled with places to imbibe everything from local Dodecanese beer to shots of ouzo, but according to some disgruntled tourists, a visit to Rhodes’ Old Town also leaves visitors vulnerable to inflated prices – with a string of bars accused of ‘scamming’ tourists.
One of the most common tricks, say drinkers, comes via the ‘Rhodes Boot’, a boot-shaped glass vessel that can hold up to two litres of beer.
Customers at bars in the Old Town say when they’ve asked for a small or medium beer, they’re frequently been presented with the ‘Boot’, and then charged handsomely for it, whether they drank it or not – with prices starting at around 10 euros (£8.40) for the sizeable drink.
Reviews of the Chevalier Shisha & Cocktail Lounge Bar, which is in the main square of Rhodes’ Old Town and enjoys the attention of tourist crowds all summer long thanks to its atmospheric setting, has been on the receiving end of some particularly scathing reviews.
One person, who visited in April, criticised the ‘very poor service’ and ‘shocking attitude’, as well as claiming they were given a second menu when they paid their bill at the bar – with very different prices.
While there are plenty of positive reviews for the shisha bar, which has a three-and-a-half star rating on TripAdvisor, another unhappy customer claimed the establishment charged them 32 euros (£26) for two small cocktails, despite advertising the price at 20 euros (£16).
Sunset in the main square in Rhodes’ Old Town is a tourist favourite…but holidaymakers have warned it can also leaver drinkers out of pocket, as bars inflate prices
A similar post from last summer also flagged the lack of clear pricing, saying: ‘There are no menus and they don’t tell you prices of drinks until you’re paying the bill.
‘They don’t tell you that if you order a large cocktail you will get a fish bowl, which is £35 and a large beer is a 2 litre boot, which cost £18.’
It seems to be a similar story at The Gate, another bustling venue in Rhodes’ Old Town, where drinkers also reported being unhappy at the lack of transparency when it comes to prices.
Just two weeks ago, four tourists said they paid 60 euros (£50) for a medium beer, cider, and two medium frozen daiquiris, with the reviewer calling the cocktails ‘the worst I have ever come across’, and claiming they ‘didn’t taste any alcohol’.
Another declared the venue a ‘tourist trap’, writing: ‘There is a reason why the drinks menu has no prices. I thought it was safe enough to order a sparkling water. It cost €5 (£4.20).’
The bar earned just two stars out of five from 154 reviews on Google – with the food described as ‘standard’ but the drink prices never clear according to those who’ve visited it.
A short walk away, a bar named Rendez Vous currently has just 1.9 stars on TripAdvisor, with ambiguous prices again behind the low score.
One holidaymaker on the island last month said Rendez Vous had ‘horrible prices’ and urged people to ‘ask or check them before ordering anything’.
Another revealed they’d paid 15 euros for two soft drinks, writing: ‘A shame. The staff was cold and unpleasant, and the prices are a real scam. Two cokes charged at 15 euros? (£12.60)’
Bars in the ancient port on the Dodecanese island have been accused of not being clear with customers on drinks prices, with many reviews of venues warning tourists to avoid them
Some of the reviews on Google and TripAdvisor don’t hold back when it comes to naming and shaming venues in Rhodes Old Town that they claim inflate prices
Meanwhile at the Panorama Cafe & Bar, there was more bad news, with those who’d enjoyed a drink there in recent months split on their experiences.
One drinker recounted: ‘I ordered 2 tonics. The waiter arrived with 2 bottles. The boss sent him away and he came back with 2 full glasses.
The taste was so foul that we couldn’t drink them. Tasted like rancid water. It is believed that he only used one bottle to make 2 glasses, topping it up with water. Cost 9€ (£7.58). A scandal.’
And the Lithos Cocktail Bar, a 7 minute walk east down the Old Town’s quaint lattice of streets, paints a similar picture – and again it involves the Rhodes Boot of beer.
On TripAdvisor, one furious customer wrote: ‘They do the same “trick” over and over again. As described in other reviews. We go in, ask for “one small, and one medium size beer”. Server repeats. But a little later two “boots” arrive, one of about 2 litres, one of at least one litre.’
When it comes to paying, the customer was told ‘we don’t do small beers’, and served up a 20 euro (£16.80) bill.
And it seems it’s been going on a while; back in 2022, one person penned: You’ll be provided a menu with no featured prices.
‘After you’re finished with your watered down cocktail, served with low quality alcohol, you’ll be presented with an outrageous bill. Ours was 70 euros (£58) for 2 cocktails. If I could give zero rating I would.’
Another visitor said the view was sublime, but the service not quite the same standard, writing: ‘Overall: unacceptable shop, service, drink and boss’, although they said the cocktails served were reasonably priced.
Over in Italy, tourists were warned this week about a potential scam involving one of the country’s most famous foods – gelato.
Tourists have been urged to take care when ordering ice cream in Italian destinations this summer as they could be being duped.
Tourists have been urged to take care when ordering ice cream in Italy this summer as they could be being duped
Italian gelato is world famous for its creamy texture with tourists often flocking to purchase iconic flavours such as pistachio and stracciatella.
But they might not be getting the real thing. The Express reports that many tourists are actually buying a cheap copy of gelato with the cheeky scam particularly prevalent in Rome.
Foodies at TheKitchn.com explain that classic gelato is ‘churned at a much slower rate, incorporating less air and leaving the gelato denser than ice cream’.
And there’s also an easier way for tourists to spot inauthentic gelato. If the ice cream colours are particularly bright, it’s generally a sign that you’re not buying a real gelato.
Classic gelato is usually pale in colour as makers don’t use artificial food colouring during the process.
Tourists can also check reviews on Google and Tripadvisor to find gelato cafes with particularly high ratings.
One popular spot is Vivoli, a historic ice cream shop in Florence which is home to an iconic new treat.
A €6 coffee dessert has become the latest Tuscan viral sensation, drawing crowds of tourists and creating hour-long lines outside the city’s oldest gelateria.
The creamy drink, called the Gran Crema Caffè Vivoli, is a twist on the classic Italian affogato – a shot of hot espresso served in a pre-chilled cappuccino cup with four strips of smooth vanilla gelato lining the edges.
