While Belgium was sinking into gloomy weather a few weeks ago, the thermometer showed 23°C on the island! Suffice to say that the Christmas decorations which were beginning to be installed in the AMARA hotel, where we stayed for several days, contrasted with the blue sky and the summer outfits of the Cypriots and tourists, very present but not too numerous at this time of year. the year…
So let’s come to this 5-star establishment. Located on the south coast of the island, AMARA is one of many hotels built along the sea in Limassol, the second largest city in Cyprus (after the capital, Nicosia). A luxury hotel, AMARA opened its doors in 2019, evidenced in particular by its chic and very modern style. The massive forged entrance door gives you access to a high-ceilinged lobby whose bay windows offer a direct view of the sea. This is also the case for the 207 rooms of the hotel, which was built in a that each guest benefits from a 180% view of the blue horizon from their personal terrace and even their bath (or their private swimming pool, for suites and cabanas).
Like any self-respecting luxury hotel, the Cypriot establishment houses a Spa, with a surface area of 3000 m². There is a sauna and a very large hammam, but also three swimming pools, including an indoor one 25 m long, and an infinity seawater pool, surrounded by four-poster beds for lounging in the sun. The wellness area also has a bar where you can enjoy vitamin-packed (and delicious) fruit and vegetable cocktails, before relaxing during a treatment.
Four restaurants within the AMARA hotel itself
Speaking of food, AMARA has no shortage of food spots! In addition to its large lunch room and its bars – including a rooftop on the 8th floor, open from mid-May to the end of October – the hotel has no less than four restaurants, all of which have a large terrace (with a view of the sea here too, obviously). Starred Italian chef Giorgio Locatelli has set up his knives in Cyprus, as has world-renowned Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Both establishments are named after these two culinary stars. THE Locatelli was installed on the 3rd floor of AMARA, and pays homage to Italian tradition. We can only advise you to sit there between the beginning of October and the end of December, in order to taste Giorgio Locatelli’s special white truffle menu. THE Matsuhisa will take you on a unique culinary experience between Japan and Peru.
The Beef Baranother international address whose concept was born in Monaco, has also opened a room within the AMARA hotel. This is where you will taste the best cuts of beef from Australia, Japan and the United States, in a revisited streetfood cuisine. But if you want to take advantage of being in Cyprus to (re)discover the flavors of the Mediterranean, it is mine which must be returned to you. The restaurant offers a rich selection of fish and seafood, all carefully selected and prepared using local ingredients. You will taste excellent homemade tarama, octopus carpaccio or even grilled lobster.
Suffice it to say that vacationers who don’t like leaving the hotel during their stay will be delighted at AMARA, given the countless services offered by the establishment, and its extensive and majestic setting. But for those who like to venture out of their holiday accommodation, Limassol also has plenty to offer. At first glance, this large city where hotels and apartment buildings sprout up on all sides is not the most visually appealing. Along the sea and the black sand beach there are buildings of all sizes and shapes. But if you look closer, you will discover that the seaside is home to some small, colorful and cozy beach bars. A pedestrian path runs along the coast, which allows you to stroll for several kilometers, with your feet almost in the water.
Cyprus and its classified archaeological sites
However, it is in the center of Limassol, and more precisely in the old town, that you will observe all the historical and traditional charm of this city of 230,000 inhabitants. Take a bike (nice cycle paths line the road) or a taxi and go to the port, about 20 minutes by car from AMARA. Beautiful villas with colorful facades surround the port, giving it a picturesque style. If a beautiful new marina has been built in the center, with pedestrian streets lined with shops, continue on to the old marina. Cafés and restaurants line up there, and small colorful shops are hidden there. The place is perfect for strolling and sipping a Cypriot coffee on the terrace or tasting other local specialties, such as halloumi. Limassol also has its medieval castle, built by the Byzantines in the year 1000, and an archeology museum which highlights the antiquities found at the city’s sacred archeology site, the ancient kingdom of Amathus, of which one can observe the ruins not far from the AMARA hotel.
More broadly, Cyprus is an island steeped in history and mythology. It is notably known for being the place where the goddess of love Aphrodite emerged from the sea and where Adonis, Aphrodite’s mortal lover, met a tragic end. Further west of Cyprus (compared to Limassol), is Aphrodite’s Rock. According to the Cypriot version of the story of the goddess, it is at this place where the chalk cliffs fall sheer into the Mediterranean Sea that Aphrodite emerged from the water, near a large rock.
This legendary place is located a few kilometers from the town of Paphos, which is home to several archaeological sites classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Kato Pafos Archaeological Park is arguably the most impressive, as it includes sites and monuments from Prehistory to the Middle Ages, most dating from Roman times. You will notably discover large mosaic frescoes, which made up the floors of the Roman villas that were built there. The Tombs of the Kings (where no royal remains were buried, contrary to what its name suggests) is another impressive site, with its underground crypts. As everywhere in Cyprus, beautiful churches also adorn the town of Paphos, such as the Byzantine chapel of Saint Anthony.
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A luxurious stay that comes at a price
In addition to its rich heritage, Cyprus is a welcoming island. “We love to host, we are very warm and like to put this hospitality forward“, the marketing director of the AMARA hotel told us when we arrived in the country. And we can only agree with her. Cypriots like people to be interested in their culture and are proud of attract tourists from all over the world. The country mainly lives from tourism, the main source of income for the national economy, ahead of agriculture and the pharmaceutical industry (Cyprus is a major exporter of medicines).
The country, divided into two since 1974 – the Republic of Cyprus in the South and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, under Turkish control – offers attractive conditions for foreign industries, which also makes it a tax haven for oligarchs. Russians in particular.
Cyprus joined the Eurozone in 2008, making things easier for European tourists. The AMARA hotel also attracts many vacationers from the Old Continent, particularly Germans and Poles. You should know that the establishment, even if it was created to accommodate couples as well as families and young people as well as retirees, is not affordable for everyone… Because who says luxury and 5 stars, says services at high prices. You will have to pay at least 350 euros for a night in a Deluxe room (the “basic” room) out of season. Prices climb to more than 2,000 euros per night, if you book a suite with a private pool in season, for example.
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The hotel’s restaurants also have high prices, due to the quality of the concepts and the reputation of the chefs. Giorgio Locatelli’s white truffle menu costs several hundred euros per person… The prices at Nerea are, however, more affordable.
If you are curious to discover Cyprus, know that since February 2024, the airline Cyprus Airways connects Brussels and the coastal town of Larnaca (closest to Limassol), in season and in three and a half hours, with a direct flight. Outside of tourist periods, a stopover is necessary in Munich, Vienna or Athens.
