Aphrodite Beach Hotel

This family-owned and-operated beach hotel traces its origins back to 1978, when the current director's parents moved to this quiet part of Western Cyprus and opened a beachfront restaurant. They transformed the property into a hotel in 1993, starting off with 20 rooms and continuing to expand over the years to the 78-room property that exists today. Although Aphrodite Beach Hotel attracts some families, the clientele here skews older, and it's particularly popular with German, British, and Cypriote travelers (along with a smattering of other Europeans). Many are repeat customers who come year after year. 

A huge emphasis on making guests feel at home prevails throughout the property -- the words "welcome home: are scrawled, graffiti-like, on the property's entry gate and guests are greeted with a "welcome home" from staff on arrival. That's not to say this hotel feels like a house -- while the lobby has plenty of homey accoutrements, including class photos of the children and grandchildren of the founders, random tchotchkes, and lots of Orthodox iconography, the grounds are still very hotel-like, from the series of two-story white-stucco buildings that house the rooms to the large dining area where buffets are served for all three meals. Still, there's no question that the family running this place are working as a team -- during our visit, we were escorted to our room by the owner's nine-year-old son. The family dog, Homer, later joined us for a trip down to the adjacent pebble beach. 

This hotel is located right on the beach, in an area without much else going on within walking distance. While it's not a bad idea to have a car here, it's not entirely necessary, either, as there's a bus that runs along the coastal road on a regular basis. It's a five-minute drive or slightly longer bus ride to the Baths of Aphrodite and about seven minutes by car to the beach at Latchi. Akamas Peninsula National Park is nearby. It's about an hour's drive from Paphos, where the nearest airport is located, or about 90 minutes from Limassol. Factor in aboout two and a half hours to reach Mount Olympos or up to three hours for Nicosia.

Aphrodite Beach Hotel offers 74 air-conditioned rooms spread across three buildings. Four of the units are large Family Rooms for up to four people, with two twin beds and a double bed. There are also a couple of two-bedroom suites, each with a double bed in the master room and a second room with a single bed. The other 68 units have either two twin beds or one double bed. Decor is simple and dated here, but not stark, with off-white walls and light wood-finish furniture. Standard amenities include tube-style TVs, free Wi-Fi, and mini-fridges, but no coffee- and tea-making facilities. Bathrooms are equally simple, with walk-in showers and a little bit of counter space. Toiletries are limited to soap for the sinks and showers, so travelers should remember to pack their own shampoo. 

Features at Aphrodite Beach Hotel are centered around food, beach, and quiet. There's no fitness center or pool, but the hotel looks right over its own stretch of pebbly beach lined with shaded lounge chairs. The water is ideal for swimming, particularly from spring through the middle of autumn. There's also a covered beachfront bar and restaurant with pizzas, pastas, and seafood (plus a kids' menu) for those who want to come to the beach but aren't actually staying at the hotel. For those who are staying here, there's a main restaurant with buffets for all three meals plus room service during restaurant hours. Guests have the option of either bed-and-breakfast or half-board meal plans; those opting for the latter have the choice of eating either lunch or dinner at the hotel, and they can switch from day to day. The menu changes daily, but guests can expect a variety of high-quality traditional local foods, including a salad bar with plenty of hummus, tapenade, and other local favorites. 

Other features include a small children's playground with a slide and a swing, plus ping-pong and billiards tables in the lobby. There are four meeting and event spaces, one of which is designed for New Age groups and features gongs, yoga mats, and a sectioned-off area with a massage table (massages can be arranged through the front desk). The hotel can also arrange for services such as glass-bottom boat tours, airport transfers, and car and bicycle rentals, and 24-hour turn around laundry service is available on the property. Wi-Fi is also free and reliable throughout the hotel and there is ample on-site parking.