Almyra

Rooms

Choose between sea- or rear-facing rooms (entry-level standard varieties only have French doors and no balcony, ground-floor rooms have direct access to the gardens, higher ones have better sea views), and 1- or 2-bedroom family suites for more space. Some have a balcony and/or indoor sitting area - see Rates for details. Note that rear-facing rooms don't get much of a view, and you may hear passing motorbikes at night, and that Premium Sea Views are adults only. We'd recommend a Superior Sea View if you're counting pennies, a spacious Terrace Sea View if you want to be able to roll down the lawns to your sunlounger, or a Kyma Suite if you're treating yourselves.

In all, expect clean bright lines: deliberately blank white walls, wooden accents, grey screed floors, marble-lined showers, excellent chic brass lighting and upholstery in white, blue and purple tones. Mattresses are super comfy, showers truly drenching and you get White Company toiletries. Photographs by local artist Michalis Kouloumos grace the walls.

Our Kyma Suite had a vast bed, a sitting zone with a broad sofa/extra bed and a table stacked with design books and fresh fruit. An ents console hides a flatscreen TV inside a wooden box that rises at the touch of a button... all very 007. A sea-facing glass wall leads onto a private terrace with double daybed, ideal for a bottle of chilled wine at sunset (as luck would have it, you'll find one awaiting you in the minibar for booking through i-escape).

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Bathrobes
• Cots available
• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Radio
• Safe box
• Toiletries
• Turndown service
• TV
• WiFi

Eating

With 4 on-site restaurants and plenty of alternative eating and drinking holes a short walk away, you've a great choice of food options.

If you try Asian-Med crossover Notios first, you'll dine every night at its low-slung outdoor seating with superb views across to Paphos harbour. Dishes could include beautifully presented sushi platters, delicious concoctions using fresh-cut leaves from their kitchen garden, extravagantly flavoured plates from vegetarian to meat and local fish. If a lighter evening meal is preferred, sample the bar snacks in Aeras beside the Helios bar in the lobby.

Consider booking half- or full-board which is good value: choose from a short menu at Notios and a wider spread at Mosaics, Almyra's main, family-friendly restaurant, which offers everything from international buffets to local seafood, with occasional themed nights too. It's also where the rich and varied buffet breakfast is served: mountains of baked goods plus an inventive range of hot dishes and smoked fish elevate the usual cereals, juices, fruit, yoghurts, eggs, cheeses, and cold meats.

For lunch, wander to Ouzeri where, sitting at traditional taverna tables on lavender-painted wicker chairs on an over-sea deck, you're served Greek meze-style tasters (also included in the half- and full-board rates). Think grilled halloumi squares, puréed-aubergine melitzanosalata, mini spinach-filled spanakopitakia and Greek salad. It also draws a number of passers-by from the seafront promenade; note it can close in bad weather. Alternatively, healthy fruit shakes, organic teas or juices and light bites can be savoured in the Eauzone eatery adjacent to the spa.

Other exciting innovations include omakase ('trust the chef') menus, beach BBQs for the kids, and 'wine appreciations' with the ebullient sommelier.

Features include:

• Bar
• Kids' meals
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby
• Room service
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Swim from the tiny sand-shingle beach (the sea is calm and safe), or go windsurfing, parasailing or waterskiing
  
• Lay down some lengths in the lap pool or spa pool; retire to a canopied daybed in the gardens
  
• Book a treatment at the Eauzone spa - perhaps the signature fragrant flower ritual (rose-milk exfoliation, aloe-frangipani rinse, neroli-oil body massage, wild-rose oil facial) - and enjoy its steam room, sauna, salon, yoga room, beauty parlour, 120m indoor pool and relaxation area
  
• Almyra's winter fitness programme includes water aerobics and yoga, plus Training camps for cyclists and triathletes. Hire bicycles all year including mountain and road bikes
  
• There's a tennis court, table tennis, and 4 top-rated golf courses within a short drive
  
• Themed evenings, especially in summer months, include live music, chill out tunes, bossa nova and jazz, occasionally the spa pool is transformed into a swim-in movie theatre
  
• Wander along the seafront promenade into Paphos harbour for touristy cafés, souvenir shops and excursions: glass-bottom boat trips, cruises to turtle beaches, fishing, helicopter rides, scuba, jeep safaris
  
• Further is the Fort and Archaeological Park with houses, baths and temples from Greek and Roman times, plus immaculately restored mosaics

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Boat trips
• Fishing
• Golf
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Kayaking
• Mountain biking
• Museums / galleries
• Nightlife
• Private guided tours
• Sailing
• Scuba diving
• Scuba diving courses
• Shopping / markets
• Snorkelling
• Swimming
• Table tennis
• Tennis
• Tennis coaching
• Well being
• Windsurfing
• Wine tasting
• Yoga

Kids

Almyra is extremely well set-up for children, and deservedly popular with stressed-out parents who want to be able to fully relax on holiday, in the knowledge that their offspring are having the time of their life in the kids clubs expertly run by well-qualified staff. The kids' pool is shaded by awnings in summer and slopes to account for both swimmers and non; there's a separate small toddler pool; the small beach safe and the sea water calm.

The Baby Go Lightly service allows parents to pre-order every conceivable baby item you could think of from car seats to baby gyms and swimming aids.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

All rooms (except Premium Sea View Rooms) can take an extra bed or baby cot; we'd recommend the Terrace Sea View rooms for parents with 1 younger child, since they have direct access to the lawned gardens. If you want a separate bedroom for your child, the One-Bedroom Suites can have their sofa in the lounge made up as a comfy extra bed - or spend a bit more and go for the ground-level Kyma Suites (which can interconnect to make a larger suite if required).

For parents with 2-3 children, two-bedroom suites can sleep 4-6 (if you use extra beds), but are generally more expensive than 2 connecting Sea View rooms. So we'd advise 2 connecting Superior Sea View or Terrace Sea View rooms, depending on your budget.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

Distances:

• Airport: 20 mins (Paphos)
• Shop: 5 minutes' walk
• Doctor: 5 minutes' walk

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Almyra is on the waterfront of Paphos (Pafos), a resort town in the west of Cyprus (the Greek speaking part).

By Air:
Paphos is the closest airport (20km) but Larnaca (145km) has a slightly wider range of flights.

From the Airport:
You can take a taxi, book a transfer, or hire a car. If you are not intent on exploring the island, you could easily manage without a car.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Cyprus and getting around