Ocean Blue is the new name for what was Sunflower Hotel i believe. It is very close to the beach and there are bars and restaurants in walking distance but none directly outside the hotel. It is closer to Kremasti than Trianda and though Kremasti is a small village it's got a great, friendly feel and several decent restaurants. If you walk out of the hotel car park and turn right you'll be in the centre of Kremasti in around 15 mins (quite rough bumpy roads though if the 18 month old is in a buggy), you can also walk along the seafront road though this takes a little longer. There are also a few restaurants and bars just outside Blue Bay Hotel which is only 5 mins walk, just turn left out of the car park.
Trianda is quite a walk along a very busy main road so i wouldn't walk it with young children. Easy to reach though as taxis are reasonable (i'd guess at around 7 euros) or you can catch a bus from the main road.

Thanks marcus, I guessed that Trianda would be a long walk. I understand what you mean about it being bumpy as I have experienced similar in Zante. Kremasti sounds nice, and from your description sounds just what we were after.

Well i have fond memories of this hotel - i used to live in Kremasti and used to go there to use the pool. Though the pool has always been very nice, i think the hotel was a bit shabby but i had a look at some pics of the renovated hotel and it looks a hundred times better
Make sure you take a torch if you're planning on walking at night as not all the roads are lit.

sorry but i have to post this...........we stayed at the sunflower hotel in 1994. the noise off the aircraft is horrific, we were on the top floor and arrived at 4am and when we looked out the patio and saw the headlights off the plane we thought it was crashing into us it was that low.

Aircraft noise does occur in Kremasti but what else do you expect when this is the last village before the Airport which is about 3km away.

We have visited Kremasti over the last 4 years and the aircraft noise does not spoil our enjoyment. After a while you do not even notice the noise and we actually like to see the aircraft.

I'm with jamkart, there is aircraft noise and it's mentioned in most brochures but it's not a problem for everybody. It's something most people get used to and i have to say i've never seen the planes low enough to 'crash into' a hotel and i lived at the very last house before the runway!

Having been to Kalamaki in Zante, I think I know what to expect, as that was close to the airport and the planes fly right over the beach. From memory there are not too many night flights in Rhodes and my nine year old will love plane spotting anyway. I am more worried about whether the hotel is finished. Thanks eveyone for the advice. Marcus, have you posted your pics anywhere? Cheers

Hi
A friend that i was out there with sent me a link on facebook, i think they're from the hotel's own website http://www.hoteloceanblue.eu/index.php?p=3

Just to update. We really liked Kremasti and there were quite a few bars and restaurants. We like the one on the junction which looks like an opium den inside (not that I have any experience of such places, just a vivid imagination!). There is a bowling alley near the Ocean Blue which has much cheaper internet access than the hotels.

We did walk to Trianda, but cabbed it back....nuff said.