Hilltop Gardens Hotel Apartments

This budget-friendly apartment hotel exudes a familial vibe from the get go. Guests pass a fountain with a statue of Aphrodite into a bright lobby with blue-and-white decor seemingly inspired by the similarly hued houses of the Greek island of Santorini. The bar and restaurant sits off to one side and leads out to the pool deck, where many guests spend much of their day. The whole area is surrounded by palm trees and plants, with blossoming bougainvillea adding color to the space. Because Wi-Fi is only available in and around the lobby area, it often stays busy with guests buried in laptops or focused squarely on their phones. This property was originally under contract with a rotation of tour operators but now books rooms independently, with the vast majority of their clientele coming from the UK. There’s a solid mix of couples and families here, including the odd guest who might stay for up to six months. Many of the people here are repeat customers and the staff and guests tend to interact like old friends.  

Hilltop is located just off the main road that runs along the coastline between Coral Bay and Paphos, just north of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Tomb of the Kings, a two-minute drive or 18-minute walk away. There’s a branch of the popular discount supermarket LIDL under 10 minutes away on foot and plenty of places to eat and drink within walking distance, including a British pub and an Indian restaurant. Coral Bay is a 15-minute drive north, while it takes around 10 minutes by car to get to Paphos (or 15 minutes to the airport). The Adonis Baths waterfalls are a half-hour drive from the hotel and it takes about two hours to reach Mount Olympos. Nicosia is also a two-hour drive away. Paphos International Airport is 25 minutes from the hotel. The larger Larnaca International Airport takes 90 minutes or so to reach. 

Hilltop offers a total of 48 apartments, almost all of which are one-bedroom units (though there are two two-bedroom apartments which have a double bed in one room and two twin beds in the other room). While the units here are decent enough for a budget apartment hotel, and kept relatively clean, they definitely show signs of wear and tear and could use some new furniture and a deep scrubbing. Decor is simple, with polished marble tile flooring, white walls, and a mix of white and dark-brown or black furniture. Nothing more than a cursory piece of generic artwork hangs on the walls. Sliding glass doors open up to balconies with simple plastic patio furniture. Each of the one-bedroom units has a bedroom with a small vanity and two twin beds pushed together, plus a large wardrobe for storing clothes. Main rooms feature dining room tables for four, plus tiny flat-screen TVs and two sofas that convert into beds. These open-plan spaces also have kitchenettes with mini-fridges, four-burner stoves, small ovens, kettles, and toasters, plus a reasonable amount of cookware and dishes. Both the bedrooms and main rooms have split air-conditioning units, for a fee, as well as tiny safes, again for a fee. Wi-Fi isn't available in rooms. Bathrooms feature shower/tub combos and simple toiletries. While some of the ground-floor units are suitable for those with limited mobility, there aren’t any truly wheelchair-friendly units. Note that housekeeping is offered five days per week. 

This hotel doesn’t offer a ton in terms of features, though there is a lovely mid-sized swimming pool surrounded by shaded lounge chairs and parasols. There’s also a second children’s pool right next to it, as well as a tennis court that’s free for guests to use. Other amenities include a small mini-mart with basic food items (primarily from the UK: think Heinz soups and baked beans) for guests who don’t want to make the trek down to the nearby supermarket. There’s also a small sitting room set off to one side of the lobby with a paperback book exchange. The bar/restaurant serves a big menu of British pub classics, plus a few local specialties and has a pool table for guests. It’s open from the morning until well in the evening, and while there aren’t any sort of dining packages available, the rates are reasonable. Wi-Fi is free in the lobby and restaurant, but it can be slow at times, and is not available in other common areas or in the rooms. Outdoor surface lot parking is free and there’s plenty to go around.