THE CYPRIOT CLUB
CATHERINE MURPHY enjoys some five-star treatment on the Mediterranean island
WHEN a resort can count celebrities and royalty among its previous guests, it automatically sets the expectations of holidaymakers very high.
Thankfully Columbia Beach Resort met all of these expectations during my five-night stay in May.
The five-star resort is based in the Pissouri-bay area of Cyprus and prides itself on being one of only a handful of all-suite hotels in the world.
It opened more than 10 years ago and is spread over an impressive 75,000sqm space. Following a huge renovation in 2017, the resort boasts a total of 169 multi-purpose suites.
All Saints Chapel is also located on the grounds of the resort, making it a strong contender for anyone looking to get married abroad too.
It stands elevated from Pissouri village, overlooking the beaches yet within visiting distance of the towns of Limassol and the popular town of Paphos.
Despite its secluded location, you have very little chance of getting bored at Columbia Beach Resort.
Upon arrival it’s clear to understand how it has established a reputation in Cyprus for its hospitality and award-winning service.
Royalty including Prince Harry and Mike and Zara Tindal are previous guests and I was not surprised to hear the hotel was tipped to be chosen by Harry and Meghan Markle as their honeymoon destination after their wedding earlier this year.
Television programmes such as This Morning have chosen the hotel as a filming location in the past too.
When you first arrive, Columbia Beach Resort is quite breathtaking due to its size and luxury interior.
I arrived late at night but was pleasantly surprised to see staff still on hand to greet me and show me to my room, offering that ‘nothing is too much approach’ which is often sometimes forgotten in large resorts.
My trip involved traditional trips to tourist sites such as Aphrodite’s Rock and Kato Paphos Archaeology Park as well as unique experiences such as a cycling trip around Pissouri Bay with a former Olympic champion Thomas Wegmueller, which the staff at the hotel kindly arranged.
With so much to fit in, I was grateful for such a comfortable room to stay in each night. I had an Executive Suite, which consisted of a huge open plan room featuring a desk, Nesepresso machine, and the biggest bathroom I’ve seen at a hotel before.
Double basins, a bathtub, waterfall shower and Molton Brown toiletries are all stand-out features. If this doesn’t sound enough for you, selected suites are home to a working fireplace, and private plunge pool complete with an air-conditioned elevator to take guests to the Eagle’s Nest Executive Suite, situated at the peak of the hotel’s grounds. Food is definitely a speciality at Columbia Beach Resort and was a prominent theme during my trip.
Executive chef, Ioannis Giakoumidis oversees the four restaurants at the hotel, with his love of food evident throughout each menu. Each restaurant also offers children’s menus.
Over the course of my stay I was fortunate to eat at three of the four restaurants, tasting dishes such as Cape Aspro’s speciality seafood
sharing platters, which included seabass and of course a traditional Greek Salad.
Apollo Tavern, serves lunch and dinner and provided a traditional Cypriot dining experience, with its menu being heavily influenced by cuisine typical to the Eastern Mediterranean.
Bacchus Italian Gourmet Restaurant offered not only unbelievable tasting food but live entertainment to suit the mood too.
The sight of each dish had the wow factor, and the taste followed suit.
Chef Ioannis, also treated our group to a cooking masterclass, showing us how to make his speciality dish of halloumi – which I’ve been thinking about ever since.
The resort’s award-winning Hébe spa sits at the top end of the infinity pool where its inside pool interconnects during the summer months. It was complete with a sauna, Jacuzzi and a whole collection of Elemis products.
I enjoyed a Swedish back massage and was left feeling very relaxed as my masseuse showed a clear understanding of the areas she needed to cover.
The spa led to a state-ofthe-art gym area, which had everything those who wanted to burn off the delicious food could want.
As well as a day trip into Paphos, I also visited The Elea Estate Golf Club (eleaestate.com), designed by Sir Nick Faldo.
It sits above the Mediterranean Sea and offers players a challenging Par 71 course. It is supported by the Elea Golf Academy that sits alongside the clubhouse.
I took part in a 30-minute session with one of the professionals from the club where I was given the chance to experience the course.
The was followed by a lovely lunch at Elea’s Clubhouse.
My final day trip was to Vasilikon winery, a family-run business where I was able to taste a selection of red, white and rosé wines.
Columbia Beach Resort was idyllic and proved itself to be the ultimate place for anyone wanting to spend their holiday relaxing, tasting great food and soaking up the Cypriot atmosphere. It manages to centre itself around a complete mix of the island’s history and culture as well as its cuisine and adventurous side.
Staff at the hotel couldn’t be more accommodating, and made sure each of the guests and myself knew them on first name terms.
It felt like a home-away from home by the end, and became a trip I didn’t want to end.