Columbia Beach Resort, A Small Luxury Hotel in Cyprus

I was invited to stay at the Columbia Beach Resort which had re-opened in September after 10 months of renovation. The hotel now compromises of the West Wing and the East Wing, making one deluxe beach resort in Pissouri Bay.

From Paphos International Airport, getting to Columbia Beach Resort is a 30-minute drive through hilly terrain. The drive down to the hotel lobby takes you past a row of well maintained trees, past the entrance to the Eagles Nest Suites before pulling into the grand entrance of the reception.

Upon check-in, we were greeted by a friendly receptionist who invited us onto the terrace to enjoy welcome drinks while she checked us in.

Room

We spent two nights in one of the best room categories in the hotel, the Eagles Nest Suite. Our suite was large with handmade Cyprian furniture and nautical accents. It also boasted beautiful panoramic views of the hotel grounds, mountains and the shimmering Mediterranean Sea in the morning. The bathroom featured a large bathtub, separate shower, his and hers sinks, along with a range of Molton Brown amenities.

With the sunrise comes the benefit of having a panoramic view. The hotel grounds looked stunning in the natural light. Columbia Beach Resort was running at 75% capacity that weekend but looking around the resort it didn’t feel like that at all. It also became apparent as to how much the hotel is on an incline, there are a lot of steps and hills. For us staying in the Eagles Nest we were able to take the newly built lift down so only had a short downhill walk to Bacchus for breakfast.

Dining

Bacchus is the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, open for a la carte breakfast and Italian fine dining in the evening. Breakfast here was great, we sat outside in the sunshine and was served fresh orange juice. There was an assortment of food to choose from cooked food at the live station to pastries and cheeses. The chocolate mousse here was amazing! One thing to note when eating breakfast outside is that there are resident cats that the hotel care for which roam the grounds freely but are not intrusive at all.

Dining in Bacchus is a luxury gourmet experience. From the moment you walk into the restaurant with the live music playing, the light up menus to the amazing knowledge of the sommelier, the experience begins. The food was amazing, really tasty and presented beautifully. I had the Beef Ravioli for starter, Trio of Veal for main and the Caramel Chocolate Cake for dessert, all of which left me feeling more than satisfied. The menu was reasonably priced for a luxury five-star hotel I thought, and the service was impeccable. A really enjoyable evening!

Bacchus isn’t the only restaurant at Columbia Beach Resort, guests can also dine at Apollo Taverna and the Atrium Restaurant. Apollo Taverna serves a la carte authentic Cyprian and Greek cuisine with live musicians. The food here was lovely, again reasonably priced. I had the Chicken Souvlaki, personally the Chicken was too soft for my liking so when I asked for it to be cooked longer the staff were more than happy to do this. The chef served me a new dish with the Chicken cooked just the way I asked.

We didn’t eat in the Atrium Restaurant which served an international buffet. Although it did offer different themes every night and had live entertainment too.

Facilities

Columbia Beach Resort has two main swimming pools, one in the East Wing and one in the West. Both quite large but neither of which are heated and in November were very cold! Although there were plenty of sun loungers around the pool, on the lawn and down by the beach where you can soak up the warm sun. The beach is not private, but the hotel provides guests with exclusive sun loungers, parasols and towels complimentary. It is also not a sandy beach, there are a lot of pebbles – which is great for skipping stones but not for a romantic bare-foot walk along the 3km bay.

Every guest has complimentary access to the spa facilities. This includes the steam room and sauna, jacuzzi, plunge pool and swimming pool. The spa area is split into two, one being family-friendly and the other adults only. The family-friendly area has a swimming pool with relaxing loungers and comfortable seating. Whereas the adults only area features a steam room, sauna, Jacuzzi, plunge pool and relaxation room.

Columbia Beach Resort offers guests complimentary access to the tennis courts, squash courts, gym and exercise classes such as Yoga and Pilates on the lawn.

My stay at Columbia Beach Resort was amazing, it really was an experience that I will cherish. The friendly staff and the high level of service is what makes sets a resort apart and makes it special.

Thank you to the Columbia Beach Resort for hosting my stay here.