Louis Althea Beach Hotel

Common spaces at the Louis Althea Beach Hotel are simple and family friendly. The clean and bright lobby has a fittingly beachy feel, and seems designed for high traffic. The furniture is not new or fashionable, but it is comfortable. There are plenty of families milling about, and entertainment for all ages in the evening. In addition to two outdoor pools and a kids' pool, the hotel is located off a small cove of the Famagusta Bay. The beach isn’t large, but there are plenty of lounge chairs and umbrellas, and the water is tranquil and blue.Lydia’s Restaurant is spacious and plain, with a large patio and bar overlooking the main pool, and the water in the distance. The buffet restaurant has a number of options, and guests can choose an all-inclusive package (that includes drinks at the hotel's Dionysos Bar) if they want to stay by the hotel. The other restaurants and bars, such as Blue Ocean and Tavern By The Sea, are typically not included in the all-inclusive package (though once a week all-inclusive guests can visit Tavern By The Sea), but provide a greater variety of a la carte options.

The hotel is located away from the main commercial area of Protaras, but there supermarkets, restaurants, and other hotels nearby. For a livelier scene, it’s about a five-minute drive to the main section of town, with more bars and restaurants, and access to the larger beaches. The Larnaca International Airport is about a 50-minute drive. The hotel has free parking for guests.

The Louis Althea Beach Hotel is made up of simply furnished apartment-style suites with full kitchens. The furnishings are nothing special; they have a dormitory kind of look and can be uncomfortable. For example, in the Standard One-Bedroom Apartment, there are two daybeds with a few flimsy pillows in place of couches. While this is helpful for those with larger parties, it may not be the most comfortable space for entertaining. The apartments are sizable, however, with fully equipped kitchens—including an oven, a stove, a microwave, a coffeemaker, and a toaster—and clean tile bathrooms with full tubs. Cribs and strollers are available through the hotel, another useful perk for families. In-room Wi-Fi comes with an extra fee, and the hotel provides soap and little else in the way of toiletries unless you're in the Luxury Villa. The Luxury Villa takes the style up a notch, offering a large, two-floor, one-bedroom flat that mixes modern and 1960s styles. In the blue and white themed living room, for example, the hotel pairs tree trunk coffee tables and classic egg chairs. The Villa has a large private pool on its back patio, too.

For having an essentially no-thrills aesthetic, the Louis Althea Beach Hotel has a surprising number of features. The two pools are quite large and beautifully designed. The quieter infinity pool tends to attracts adults, while the curving main pool has a number of shallow areas and games for kids. Children can also partake in a mini kids' club, or parents can hire babysitters for an extra charge. Sports facilities include a basketball court that doubles as a soccer field, a tennis court, and a children’s playground. There's a small spa for beauty treatments. While the equipment at the fitness center may not be from this decade, there is a good amount of it, including free weights and weight machines, a stationary bike and two treadmills. The hotel has regular evening entertainment, and in addition to Lydia's buffet restaurant and Thea's poolside bar, there are a la carte dining options, the Blue Ocean restaurant and Tavern By The Sea. The hotel also has coin-operated laundry and free Wi-Fi in the public spaces—although it’s usually pretty spotty.