Kissos Hotel

Kissos is mid-range vacation hotel with rooms and facilities housed in a series of stucco off-white buildings accented by terra-cotta roofs. The design makes it easy for those with compromised mobility to get around via convenient ramps throughout the grounds. The lobby is stuffy, but what it lacks in air circulation, it makes up for with style. Think: polished marble floors, sleek beige leather sofas, and a long reception desk fronted by carved wood and a lovely spiral staircase. The grounds are even more inviting, with a lovely poolside covered terrace and ample greenery. Brits account for about 80 percent of the guests here; the rest tend to be from Poland or Russia. Like many Paphos properties, this hotel gets lots of families in the summer and older adults in the shoulder season, with plenty of repeat guests. Note that the hotel closes annually from early November through April.

Kissos is located on the main road that runs along the coastline between Coral Bay and Paphos, just south of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Tomb of the Kings, a two-minute drive or 10-minute walk away. There are lots of restaurants in the immediate area, including a KFC, a McDonald's, an Irish pub, an Italian joint, and a few tavernas. A branch of the popular discount supermarket LIDL is about three minutes away by car. Lighthouse Beach takes under 10 minutes to reach on foot.

Coral Bay is an 18-minute drive north, while it takes around 10 minutes by car or bus to get to Paphos. There's also a shortcut that makes it possible for guests to reach the medieval castle in about 20 minutes on foot.The Adonis Baths waterfalls are a half-hour drive from the hotel and it takes about two hours to reach Mount Olympos. Nicosia is a two-hour drive away. Paphos International Airport is 20 minutes from the hotel. The larger Larnaca International Airport takes 90 minutes or so to reach by car. 

There are three categories of rooms here: the 15-square-meter Standard Twin Rooms (each with two twin beds, plus the option of a third cot), larger Family Rooms with three or four beds, and 25-square-meter Superior Rooms with two twin beds and a sofa bed. Standard and Family Rooms are located in the main building of the hotel and have either inland or pool views (some with slight sea views). Superior Rooms are located in a series of blocks at the back of the hotel and have views out over the hotel's second lagoon pool; rooms on the ground floor have direct pool access. All rooms have similarly bland decor schemes, with light-wood floors and furniture and blue bedspreads, chair upholstery, and drapes with yellow accents. Features include terraces or balconies, air-conditioning, small flat-screen TVs, coffee- and tea-making facilities, mini-fridges, and safes (for a fee). Wi-Fi is available for a fee. Bathrooms are simple, with white tile and marble countertops. About half of the bathrooms have walk-in showers, while the other half have shower/tub combos. Toiletries are provided. 

The standout feature at this hotel is the lovely lagoon pool, which weaves its way between the Superior Room blocks and has a series of small bridges linking the two sides. It tends to also be the quietest part of the hotel, since guests staying in the main building often assume it's a private section of the hotel when, in fact, it is not. There's also a rowdier main pool with an animation team, but it still stays quiet outside of the school holidays, when the hotel is predominantly occupied by older guests. There's a third octagon-shaped indoor pool that sits under a skylight. Other features include a gift shop, giant chess, mini-golf, boules, a play area for kids, bike rentals, a pair of double tennis courts, table tennis, and a game room with a pool table and a couple of arcade-style driving games. For business travelers, there's conference space for up to 120 people, plus a TV room that can be rented out for smaller groups. The hotel has a large gym with a good variety of older equipment, plus sauna and steam facilities. 

While most guests here stick with the hotel's standard bed-and-breakfast plan, half- and full-board and all-inclusive add ons are available. Breakfast and dinner are served buffet style at the Semeli Restaurant, with a selection of evening theme nights focusing on Greek, Italian, and French fare as well as traditional "souvla" barbecue nights. Lunch is served at The Terrace, an alfresco option by the pool. The hotel also has a pool bar and a second indoor bar for winter months. Wi-Fi is free in common areas, but costs extra to use in rooms.