Leonardo Plaza Cypria Maris Beach Hotel & Spa

Leonardo Plaza Cypria Maris Beach Hotel & Spa is housed in a star-shaped structure built so that three-quarters of the rooms have sea views.  It pays homage to its Cypriot location with whitewashed exteriors and sprawling grounds dotted with towering cacti and shrubs. Multiple patio areas are constructed of light-colored stone. The lobby features bright-white walls and ceilings with matching chandeliers, plus lovely local art on the walls and a few seating areas with blue accents reminiscent of Santorini. Most of the guests here are British, with some Dutch and German couples. The minimum age is 16, which keeps things a bit less hectic than at some of the family-focused properties nearby. Note that this property closes annually from the end of November through around the beginning of March.

This hotel is situated right on the beach, with only a boardwalk separating it from the shoreline. Note that like all beaches in Cyprus, the beach here is public, but guests get access to free lounge chairs and umbrellas. This isn't the case at all beachfront properties, since sun bed rentals are often run by external private companies. This hotel is located about a 12-minute drive south of both the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Tomb of the Kings and the Paphos Archaeological Park, home to crumbling ruins and ancient mosaics. Alternatively, the archaeological park can be accessed on foot via the boardwalk, but the journey takes a good 45 minutes and can be a bit much in the hot sun. The Adonis Baths waterfalls are a 45-minute drive from the hotel and it takes about 90 minutes to reach Mount Olympos. Nicosia is also a two-hour drive away. Paphos International Airport is just under 20 minutes from the hotel while the larger Larnaca International Airport takes about 90 minutes to reach.

This hotel offers a wide range of rooms, starting with 24-square-meter (258-square-foot) Standard Rooms up to 39-square-meter (420-square-foot) Executive Suites. There are also a few bungalows located on the hotel's grounds, right by the main pool -- one even has its own swimming pool. While this is the only unit with its own pool, a few of the ground-floor Suites have direct access to a semi-private pool from their patios. However, ground-floor units and bungalows can be noisy due to their proximity to the pool and to the hotel next door, which has evening mini-discos for kids.

All rooms are bright and modern, with a lovely mix of light-aquamarine and pale-gray furnishings, plus wallpaper designed to resemble a pale wood on accent walls behind the beds. Standard amenities include mini-fridges, flat-screen TVs, coffee- and tea-making facilities, and safes  with a surcharge. Smallish bathrooms are modern and bright. They come with shower/tub combos and big round frosted-glass windows in most that separate them from the living areas. Furnished balconies have sea or mountain (inland) views, with stellar panoramas from higher floors. 

Facilities at this hotel are geared towards travelers who want to relax and soak up the sun. It's right on the beach, and there are plenty of free sun beds and umbrellas for guests both on the sand and next to the huge outdoor swimming pool and adjacent whirlpool hot tub. There's also an additional indoor pool right by the lobby that's heated in the wintertime, along with a small therapeutic salinity pool that guests can use for a fee -- it's supposedly good for relieving muscle pain. A spiral staircase leads up from the indoor pool area to a mezzanine level where the hotel's privately run spa is located. Along with a variety of beauty treatments, there's a fish pedicure station for those daring guests who want to get the dead skin cells on their feet gently nibbled off by tiny fish. For the truly daring, the spa also has a full-sized tank for those who want a full-body version of the experience. Other wellness facilities include a fitness center with modern equipment and a sauna. Note that the gym closes daily for a couple of hours at lunchtime. 

The hotel offers a great selection of dining options, with good-quality food and buffets available for all three meals. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are served at the Mare Restaurant (with indoor and outdoor poolside seating) and there are always plenty of salads, Cypriot pickles, and local sweets along with a variety of international meat and fish dishes. Dinner is served with themed buffets and show cooking at the Blue Horizon Restaurant. There's also an outdoor Greek taverna, Mourayio, serving traditional mezze at dinnertime. Egao, the sushi restaurant, has lots of fresh seafood. Bar options include a swim-up pool bar and and an all-day lobby bar. All-inclusive packages are available with free well drinks, beer, and wine, but bottled water costs extra. Note that meals at Egao and Mourayio are not covered in the all-inclusive package. 

Animation features all the regular suspects: karaoke, magic shows, traditional dancing, and live singers that can be a little loud during evening meals. Parking is free, as is hotel-wide Wi-Fi.