Cyprus - Travelling post first UK lockdown
At the beginning of August 2020 Stuart and I did our first post COVID trip staying in a villa and then the Asimina Suites in Cyprus for 2 weeks.
Cyprus has always had a huge place in our hearts as we both here 15 years ago in the resort of Paphos. We’ve been back nearly every year since and explored pretty much every hotel, beach, resort and have lots of special memories.
First stop - Pissouri Villa
Our first stop on this trip was a stay in Pissouri at our friend’s beautiful villa at the top of the mountain. If you’ve not been to Pissouri before it’s an absolute must, unlike other parts of the island that are more commercialised – Pissouri has that traditional relaxed Cypriot vibe.
I’ve always liked the freedom of staying in a villa, you can eat when you want, you’re not surrounded by lots of people and it’s a home from home. We have some excellent villas we can offer at the local resort of Aphrodite hills and if you did want to stay in Pissouri but wanted a hotel then the Columbia Beach resort is perfect, a high end luxury beach hotel with fantastic facilities and right in the heart of the resort.
I can personally recommend all the best places to eat and drink and just some great tips on things to see and do whilst you’re there. If you are there on a Friday then Cyprus night in the square is a must – great fun.
Adults only luxury
After 10 nights in a villa we headed in to Paphos to finish our stay with a few nights of luxury at the Asimina Suites hotel. We’ve worked with Asimina for many years, but this was the first time we have stayed at the hotel. On arrival at the resort I was really impressed, the porter came straight to our car and the luggage was whisked away and we were greeted with the smiling faces of the guest services team. We were taken to a private check in room with a glass of champagne and fresh canapes – what a way to start our stay. Asimima has a selection of rooms and they are all suites.
Private pool, wining and dining
We we’re booked into an executive one bedroom suite with private pool and sea view. The rooms are traditionally decorated, with all the modern touches you’d expect in 5 star resort. I have stayed in a lot of hotels in my career and probably visit around 75 hotels a year, however one thing that wowed me was the bed – it was so comfortable, and I had the best nights sleep. Our suite had a bedroom, separate living area and then leading out to our own private sun deck with a very good sized private pool.
As soon as we checked in, we headed down to the beach for lunch and there was a great range of choice of options for lunch all included within our full board meal plan. After lunch we spent a bit of time in our private cabana (which was included with the room we booked) and then towards the end of the day went back to the private pool in the room to chill as the sun went down.
That evening we had dinner on the beach and the setting was so lovely, really romantic and the sunset whilst having dinner was just stunning. The food was delicious, and I was really impressed at the quality and choice, from scallops to Aberdeen angus steaks. At dinner the whole meal felt like a really relaxed environment and nothing was too much trouble, nothing was too stuffy.
Exploring Paphos
The next day we headed out into Paphos and you can walk all the way along the seafront promenade right into the centre of Paphos, this is also a really nice walk in the evening after dinner too. Paphos has certainly developed in the 15 years since I worked there, and you still have the iconic luxury hotels such as the Annabelle and the Almyra but I would say the Asimina certainly has one of the best locations as it’s more secluded and much quieter.
In the afternoon we visited a new hotel which only opened last year called The Amavi. The Amavi certainly has that Wow factor on arrival and is definitely a different hotel to the other hotels in Paphos. It’s super modern, very contemporary and has a very much more busy vibe in the resort. The hotel was full when we visited but I can certainly see this hotel appealing to someone who’s looking for a busy, upbeat atmosphere with ultra-chic rooms and with a location close to the harbour of Paphos. This would also be a very good option for honeymooners, or groups of friends travelling together. We understand that every client is different so we would always chat first and recommend based on your requirements of what hotel we think would suit you best.
All good things must come to an end
Our last day at Asimina and we spent the day chilling on the gardens of the resort in front of the beach and it’s just a stone’s throw from the jetty to jump into the sea. As we prepared to head home, we were given a voucher to use at the airport lounge in Paphos which comes as part of booking the executive suite, and also private transfers.
We had a wonderful stay at Asimina and I would recommend to anyone looking for an adults only escape, with great dining and a peaceful environment to recoup and reenergise – definitely the perfect place to stay post COVID.
