Where to Stay in Cyprus for a Beach Holiday

Anassa Hotel is a Byzantine village-style complex perched atop a pebbly stretch of Polis Bay. Simple rooms are accented with locally crafted furniture, but the main draw are the glorious views of bougainvillea-scented gardens and the waters of Asprokremmos Beach. To relax, try a skylit thalasso bath at the spa, with healing waters from Chrysochou Bay. Dine among the lantern-strewn olive trees at Helios Restaurant – don’t leave without trying the homemade cheese selection.

With a pool surrounded by lemon trees and a candlelit spa, you could spend your entire holiday without ever leaving Elysuim’s tranquil environs. Those who can’t ignore the call of the ocean, however, should forgo the seaweed-strewn stones at nearby Lighthouse Beach and instead head south on one of Paphos’s prettiest boardwalks. Here, you’ll saunter past a slew of historical sites until you reach your destination: the sandier – but busier – shores of Alykes Beach.

The first choice you’ll face at Asterias is which view you’d prefer: sea, garden or swim-up pool. A few sandy steps away is your second choice: which stretch of sand to lay your towel on? The hotel sits on the Makronissos peninsula – a whale-tail-shaped headland that sandwiches ancient tombs between sand and sea. But the best sunbathing spot? A day bed at Levels Beach Bar that comes with an almost endless supply of mojitos.

Sitting in a leafy slice of Mandria – a tiny village named after its unspoilt green meadows – it’s DIY luxury only at this honey-coloured hotel. All apartments and villas come with their own well-stocked kitchens. If you can’t be bothered to cook, join the locals, and trek the half-hour to seafront Filiotis Fish Tavern for the freshest seabream around. For sunbathing, it’s got to be the hotel’s private – yet un-serviced – sandy beach.

When the road to a hotel is more of a scribble than a street, you know you’re headed somewhere offbeat. Sitting at the end of a pine-tree lined track, it’s no surprise that Columbia Beach Resort is a temple of tranquillity. Traditional terracotta and ancient-style archways make way for rustic rooms, set around a central lagoon – but the blue-flag waters at Pissouri Beach are just a few sandy steps away.

Mornings are magical at the Sunrise Jade. Watch the light turn the pool into a pinky-orange glow. Join a sunrise yoga class to soak up the views via downward dog. Night owls are also catered for, with a decent selection of cocktails at Mint Lounge Bar. Additionally, it’s a short trot to Fig Tree Beach, which has been consistently voted one of Europe’s best.