StyleNest sent writer Kerry Robinson off to the luxury Cypriot hotel, The Anassa. Family five star luxury at it’s best.
Before our daughter came along, we lived for our five-star holidays and fine dining. But with a nineteen month old now in tow, and knowing her performance skills even in our local Italian, holidaying in the lap of luxury seemed like a dreamy, distant memory. Was it possible? Can you still do five star with a noisy toddler? Could we actually have ‘a holiday’? Or would those family hotels we’d spent a lifetime avoiding now be our only resort? Our search led us to Cyprus.
Driving over the hills towards Latchi, a sleepy fishing town, we caught a glimpse of the bright white-washed walls of what looked like a pretty Mediterranean village. Anassa is nestled into the hillside of the breezy North West coast, about an hour’s drive from Paphos airport. As we walked through the doors, an air of serenity washed over us. Water fountains line the grand entrance and we were greeted by acres of cool, cream marble. Its architecture is classical and palatial. Calming neutral tones give the hotel an understated elegance.
The rooms
There are a 175 rooms here, with some housed in the main building and some scattered around the hillside and nestled among the beautifully-landscaped gardens. We used to only visit hotels half this size as we prefer a more intimate feel, but with only two storeys in the main building and villas scattered among the gardens, it doesn’t feel too big.
An impressive variety of room types mean that whatever your family’s needs, there is sure to be a room that meets your needs. There are no bad rooms here, and almost all have a stunning sea view.
Baby Go Lightly Service
Anassa (and its sister hotels the Almyra and Annabelle) offers a fantastic Baby Go Lightly service which meant we didn’t have to fill the suitcases with nappies, wipes, formula and all the other paraphernalia you daren’t leave home without. They’ll also furnish your room with all kinds of useful things, from potties and training seats, to sterilisers and baby baths. You can borrow kids’ books, DVDs games and puzzles too. The exact Aptamil formula we requested (the numbers are different in Europe, which baffles me when we travel), and the right Pampers nappies were all in the room, alongside a gift too – a bucket and spade set that made her day (holiday, in fact). In her room, her wooden cot had a selection of sheets and blankets, and following the first evening’s turn-down service she was thrilled to receive her very own children’s hotel slippers, just like mummy’s and daddy’s.
Babysitting
Guest Services arranged babysitting for us at very short notice on a number of occasions, and all of them were truly lovely ladies, with years of experience. Having her own room meant that we could get ready without disturbing her once she was asleep, and the babysitter could watch TV or even have the light on. It gave us two or three hours to just relax, talk and enjoy some of the exquisite food at Anassa.
The food
There are a number of dining options here, to suit your mood, tastes and appetite. The main restaurant, Amphora, is where the amazing breakfast buffet is served, offering everything you could ever wish for to begin your day (including a glass of bubbly). The impeccable service throughout the hotel meant a highchair was at our table in a flash and even a damp facecloth fetched when a pain au chocolat decorated our daughter’s face. There was plenty to choose from for children, and purees made on request for little ones, so even the fussiest eaters would be happy.
For lunch, Pelagos, the pool-side restaurant, offers Mediterranean a-la-carte dining, including a children’s menu, and a wonderful selection of fresh fish. We ate here a couple of times when we wanted to take a proper break from, well, the tough life that is hanging by the pool. Most days though, we sat alongside other families at the Meltemi Pool Bar, where the shaded seats offered us a sanctuary from the surprisingly hotJune sun, while gorgeous couples supped cocktails on the opposite side of the swim-up bar. We made great friends here not only with the other mums and dads but also the incredibly friendly staff. The guys there were like big brothers to all the kids, keeping an eye on them, playing with them and making sure they were safe. Here the super-efficient chefs prepared light salads, sandwiches and a selection of kids’ dishes quickly, avoiding any toddler hunger meltdowns.
In the evening, the themed buffet is served at Amphora six days out of seven – the seafood evening was a particular favourite. On the seventh night, the Cypriot buffet is served in the hotel’s own pretty Village Square, set around an original Byzantine Chapel. Live music and folk dancing gave it an entirely different feel and felt like a true taste of local life. Kids of all ages stayed up late to enjoy the evening making it a real family affair.
Tucked away down a winding staircase, is Basiliko – Anassa’s gourmet restaurant. An intimate experience, with only 24 seats, it’s perfect for a romantic, candlelit evening. The cuisine here is a fusion of Asian and Mediterranean flavours offers an intimate alternative to the lively buffet at Amphora.
Across the grand hall, Helios is an elegant, contemporary fine dining experience, and with a no children policy this is one for a babysitting night. You can sit inside or outside under the beautifully-lit olive trees, whilst a pianist plays. The service was immaculate and we were greeted not only by our name, but the Maître D’ also asked how our daughter was too – a lovely touch. We ate here twice and went for the daily Chef’s Selection menu both times. A foie gras and potato brioche starter followed a delicious Amuse-Bouche, and after a refreshing sorbet, our rosemary oil poached veal tenderloin with parmesan gnocchi melted in our mouths. We both have a sweet tooth but are rarely impressed by restaurant desserts. That changed at Helios. We agreed that the blood orange and mixed nut mousse with lemon sorbet was actually the best dessert we’d ever had. After passing our particularly gushing thanks on to the chef, he came out to greet us. It was no surprise that he had trained at Michelin-starred restaurants, and it showed. We were blown away by the food and it was a real treat to enjoy two nights here while the babe slept soundly nearby.
The Bar
On certain nights we’d head to the main bar’s large terrace with our daughter asleep in her buggy. Here we could sit in relative quiet – there is live music here every night, but we’re talking soothing vocals and a piano. It was here we met Johnny, who looked after us incredibly well every night. He advised us on the quietest spot and also went out of his way to make our evenings enjoyable. On the nights we had our daughter asleep in the buggy, he offered us the bar’s snack menu, the hotel’s extensive room service menu, and even offered to arrange dishes from one of the restaurants to be brought to us so we could keep her in the quiet. Not that the restaurants were particularly loud that is, but we have a rather noise-sensitive little one.
Activities
The energetic half of us headed out for a morning training ride every day. Being a cycling nut, we travel nowhere without my husband’s precious carbon-fibre bike – heaven forbid he loses fitness while we’re away. This usually means dragging a cumbersome bike bag away with us (as well as the suitcases, bags, buggy etc etc – oh the fun we have). Knowing we now also had to deal with a toddler who point-blank refuses to get in the buggy on most occasions, we needed an alternative. The hotel kindly researched and put my husband in touch with a local company – Mountain Bike Cyprus. Al, a keen English cyclist had moved to Cyprus and offers the hire of decent road bikes. Of course nothing is as good as his own bike, but it meant we could travel a little lighter. Al advised my husband on good routes, which would take him on daily 3-hour, 80km rides, tackling as many of the nearby ascents and descents as possible. He came back 3 kilos lighter. Which is a lot more than can be said for me.
He’s now considering a return trip this October for the hotel’s new Extraordinary Active Holiday, which offers an intense training programme of over a week, including a personalised body assessment from a nutritional expert, invigorating rides along costal trails, and open water swimming, all under the watchful eye of a Cypriot champion triathlete. I feel exhausted thinking about it – he can leave us by the pool. Anyway, I’m on the toddler activity programme which is exercise enough in my eyes.
If mountain biking is more your thing, the hotel is a short drive from the Akamas peninsula – a rugged nature reserve that can be explored by bike, foot, or jeep. From the water, it looks even more dramatic. The hotel’s professional watersports facilities, run by Latchi Watersports, put diving, sailing, parasailing, waterskiing and windsurfing a few steps from your door. We saw couples learning to dive and families heading out for the day on Anassa’s private yacht. Much to our daughter’s delight, we took a boat out to the nature reserve one morning to visit the famous Baths of Aphrodite and to enjoy the stunning coastline views. Our friendly English skipper was a great tour guide and gave us a great insight into the area and the Cypriot way of life. It had been his recommendation that we set off straight after breakfast and he was spot-on. We had the water to ourselves – pristine, crystal clear water – and had great fun jumping in. As we headed back we travelled through a sea of boats heading to where we’d just been. It was definitely worth the quick breakfast.
There are many other sweat-inducing activities on offer too including Golf, tennis, squash and of course, the fully-equipped gym should keep those with an inability to lie still for ten minutes happy.
Keeping the kids entertained
While daddy rode, our daughter and I spent some quality time together. Some days we’d splash about in the children’s pool which was as balmy as bath water (the other is an infinity pool split over two levels and is more refreshing, with stunning views of the sea). A huge treasure chest of toys and inflatables kept her and every other child entertained for hours. To escape the glare of the sun, we’d often head over to the Baby Go Lightly Crèche where the wonderfully experienced nannies there always gave us the warmest of welcomes. We painted, coloured in, read, played skittles, played with dollies, rode in cars, played choo-choos. There is even a shady playground outside with slides and swings. You can book children from 4 months to 4 years here for a morning, or afternoon, or for the full day of course. I never chose to leave our daughter there simply because I was too greedy for time with her, but I wouldn’t have hesitated had I wanted a break. For children over four, the Smiling Dolphin Kids Club must seem like all their Christmases come at once. A packed timetable of activities with everything from learning to be a lifeguard and baking cookies, to making pirate hats and swimming races. There is even a kids’ disco once a week in the evenings. Open six days a week it means exhausted mums and dads can have some much needed rest while the kids make friends, have fun, and come back nicely worn out for a good night’s sleep. For hotel so geared up for kids though, it doesn’t seem overrun by children or in any way noisy or boisterous, much to the relief of some of the couples there I imagine.
The beach
Down a winding path from the pools, gardens and crèche lies Anassa’s private beach – what a treat. While it’s not a white sandy beach, the fine-shingles were actually easier to deal with as far as our toddler went. They don’t stick to everything and everywhere, but sandcastles are a little tricky. The attentive service also means your water is always cool or your beer never empty. Heaven.
The spa
When it was time for a little mummy R&R, the Thalassa spa was top of my list. The luxury Roman-style retreat offers a whole host of treatments and therapies to treat mind, body and soul. In much need of all of the above please, my afternoon there felt like I was in a different world. The cool, calming interior immediately slowed the heart rate. A columned, heated indoor pool offered the chance for a soothing swim, and there’s an exercise pool if you want to step it up a bit. Thalassotherapy uses the healing powers of seawater, seaweed and algae, with the spa able to create tailor-made programmes over three or more days aimed at your specific needs – from salt water jet spray massages to aid lymphatic drainage, to algae wraps to promote weight loss. Skincare and body treatments use The Organic Pharmacy’s 100% chemical-free products and Osea’s marine-based products.
I chose The Organic Pharmacy 60-minute facial, although I completely lost track of time while I was there. Facials are dangerous for me – the moment my head hits a pillow I’m inclined to fall asleep (I could sleep on a clothes line these days.) My lovely therapist chatted to me about my skin concerns (I’ve gone from almost flawless skin a couple of years ago, to somewhat blotchy and congested skin post pregnancy/birth/breastfeeding) and talked me through which products she felt she needed to use. It was one of the most relaxing facials I’ve ever had. The products felt gorgeous – the gentle Flower Petal Exfoliator and Honey and Jasmine Mask especially. She chose the Rose Hip Oil for its healing effect and whether it was this, or the combination of products, but my skin looked clearer than it had in months after just an hour. The face, neck, head and shoulder massage was heavenly and sure enough I had to be woken at the end. No rude awakening here though, I was led to a quiet, dimly-lit room where I lay on one of the large beds to rest after my treatment. The spa is a real sanctuary and I headed back out into the sunshine rested, refreshed and (even more) relaxed.
Private and peaceful, this five star resort manages to achieve that rare blend of luxury and family-friendliness.
For more information please visit Anassa.com.