Queen's Bay Hotel

Spread out over four floors and overlooking the sea, Queen's Bay Hotel is a mid-range resort that first opened its doors in 1991. Most guests here are from the United Kingdom or Russia and while some families opt for this property (and there is a playground and a kids' pool), it's aimed more at adults looking for R&R. Moreover, the majority of people who stay here are of the fly-and-flop variety, meaning they don't tend to venture out from the property too much to go exploring. This means while the bright lobby -- renovated in 2016 to add modern decor including plush turquoise seats -- is nearly deserted throughout most of the day, the outdoor pool area and adjacent restaurant is usually bustling with guests. The hotel grounds start at the pool and extend out to a grassy sea-facing cliff set with lots of beige lounge chairs and blue parasols. The hotel also has its own small beach (technically public, like all beaches in Cyprus are by law), with a beach bar and lots of lounge chairs for guests. Most of the space sits on a rocky cliff, but there are stairs leading directly down to the water for guests who want to take a dip. Note that as is the case with many area hotels, this property is closed annually from approximately early November through the beginning of April, during which time it does lots of maintenance. 

Queen's Bay sits at the end of a quiet street that juts off toward the Mediterranean from the main coastal highway, in between Coral Bay (an eight-minute drive to the north) and Paphos (16 minutes south of the hotel). Getting to the hotel takes around a half-hour by car to Paphos Airport. The hotel itself is right on the beach, and there's no real impetus for most guests to go for a wander, but those who do want to explore can walk up to the main road (about three minutes on foot) and catch a bus to Paphos. The Adonis Baths waterfall is about 25 minutes inland by car. It takes around an hour and 45 minutes to reach Mount Olympos. Nicosia is also a two-hour drive away. 

Rooms at the Queen's Bay are simple and bright, with sliding glass doors that lead out onto balconies and let in plenty of sunlight -- but not much noise (that award goes to the main doors to the rooms -- the soundproofing between hallways and rooms is seriously lacking). All rooms here are air-conditioned and have light-wood furniture (including huge closets with lots of drawers and hangers),  and comfortable beds with red bed runners and accent cushions -- just note that double beds are two twin beds pushed together. Decorative features are limited to bland watercolor prints on the walls. Standard amenities include small wall-mounted flat-screen TVs, hairdryers, USB charging ports, and safes. Note that the Wi-Fi connection here is almost worthless. Coffee- and tea-making facilities and mini-fridges don't come standard, except for all-inclusive guests, but they can be arranged on request, for a fee. Bathrooms feature simple shower/tub combos, and the only toiletries provided are wall-mounted dispensers of low-quality soap.Most rooms here are Standards, although there are a few Superior Rooms that are more or less the same but have larger balconies furnished with lounge chairs and umbrellas (as opposed to the plastic tables and chairs found in the other rooms). There are also seven larger rooms with extra beds for families, but these aren't readily available to book online, so travelers will need to contact hotel reception directly if they need this type of room. Views are either inland (i.e., the parking lot) or of the sea.

Queen's Bay Hotel's amenities are geared toward travelers who plan to spend most of their time on the property. The centerpiece feature -- and the one that gets the most guest traffic -- is the rectangular outdoor swimming pool, which sits at the base of the property overlooking the sea. It's surrounded by lounge chairs and big umbrellas. Poolside snack and drink service is available from the main buffet restaurant, where lunch, dinner, and afternoon snacks are served. Dinner is available at a separate Cassiopeia Restaurant, also served buffet-style. Meal plans here run the gamut from bed-and-breakfast to all-inclusive, the latter of which includes all three meals along with snacks and alcohol. Bars include a daytime beach bar that also serves snacks and the lobby bar, where entertainment takes place come nighttime. Though this property tends to attract mostly adults, there are a few features geared toward families, including a playground with a small slide and a play structure, plus a kids' pool. For grownups, there's a tiny fitness center on the lower level (just a couple of cardio machines and free weights) along with tennis courts and a game room with a pool table and ping-pong table. There's also a small indoor pool, as well as a spa offering massages, salt scrubs, and wraps. Animation activities take place throughout the day and into the evening and include activities such as archery and petanque along with pool games. Evening entertainment changes every night, with offerings such as karaoke, discos, and Greek dance performances staged in the lobby, all of which prove quite popular with guests. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, but it's terribly slow. There's enough free parking to go around on a surface lot right outside the lobby entrance. Other features include a small gift shop selling souvenirs and a book exchange library.