Living in luxury . . . Cyprus-style

3:05pm Friday 25th July 2008

EVEN in my younger days I never really did “basic” when it came to holidays.

Running water, modern bathroom facilities and air conditioning have always been essentials on my list of requirements.

So, it was with some trepidation that I faced the loss of my luggage on the way to my short-break in Cyprus.

Could I really enjoy a holiday if I didn’t have my hair straighteners, comfortable beach shoes or floppy hat — not to mention my full make-up collection?

It’s a pretty solitary experience when you are standing by the suitcase carousel and your case doesn’t arrive and not one I’d wish to repeat in a hurry.

But there is no point crying over spilt milk — as my dad would say — and I duly filled in the required forms and headed for the hotel — minus my luggage.

Thankfully, our base for the three-night break was the five-star Apollonia Beach and toothbrush and toothpaste were provided in the bathroom, as was soap, shampoo and conditioner — so that was a start.

An early morning visit to Debenhams in Limassol the next day helped, as I was able to purchase further essentials.

With just one pair of shoes to my name — they became day, night and beach shoes rolled into one — I set off to explore Cyprus and find out what this island had to offer.

It was a good job I'd been able to buy suitable clothing in Limassol as what the city can offer its visiting tourists is far from basic. The dress code is smart-casual, but leave the combats at home.

Limassol’s former mill area is now a regenerated delight, filled with bustling, smart al fresco restaurants and beautiful people.

An evening enjoying Cypriot mezes — lots of different dishes — in the shadow of a stunningly-lit church was my favourite night of the trip.

The atmosphere was electric, the food superb and the service first class.

After a night of people-watching and far too much eating it was back to our hotel. This was a five-star hotel that certainly justified its top class status. It has all the luxury extras you’d expect from a hotel of its calibre.

If you fancy champagne for breakfast then it’s available at no extra charge and there’s no need to take your own beach towel as you can collect one from the spa every day.

We had a full day of relaxation at the hotel, enjoying a delicious buffet lunch served on the terrace, and could see why holiday-makers would return to the Apollonia Beach. It is located slap-bang on the beach and has a stunning pool area where sun loungers are plentiful and cocktails the order of the day.

The hotel boasts two restaurants — one traditional, one Japanese.

We opted to eat Japanese on one of the three evenings and were suitably impressed. The food was excellent and well presented and the service faultless.

Away from the hotel, I would recommend a visit to a family-run winery, followed by lunch at a hillside taverna, in the picturesque Troodhos Mountains.

I would also keep at least one day free to visit the city of Nicosia.

Here, the Green Line, which divides Cyprus between the Greek and Turkish side, is a popular visiting point for tourists. There are also plenty of shops, although I’d advise taking plenty of euros as many of them are pretty exclusive.

Cyprus does the Greek experience with a lot of class. The people are ultra-friendly, the weather glorious and the food is superb.

• Rooms at the Apollonia Beach Hotel cost from 120 euros a night, with a half board supplement costing 23 euros per person and full board 46 euros.
• Visit louishotels.com or email res.apollonia@louishotels.com Return flights from Manchester to Larnaca are available with Monarch Airlines. For further details visit flights.monarch.co.uk

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