Paphos Gardens Holiday Resort

Paphos Gardens is an older property, dating back to the mid-1970s, and it's showing its age. The lobby is a quiet, airy space and though there's pop music in the background and a couple of TV screens showing sports matches or news channels, the overall vibe is quiet. A small table with traditional snacks and drinks for guests sits off to one side, and there's a long table at the back with a vendor selling local traditional handicrafts such as lace and filigree. All of the hotel rooms along with the pool, restaurant, spa, and fitness center are located in this main building, while the apartments are spread out over a series of buildings, each named after a flower, across the grounds. The lobby remains quiet most of the time, but the pool area and restaurant out back are much busier. Beyond the main pool is a kids' pool and a kids' club and playground. There are also a few bird cages, but animal-lovers be warned: some of the creatures here look stressed-out, and a couple were disturbingly missing feathers, apparently due to fights with other birds or anxiety. Most of the guests here are a mix of families and couples from Russia and Scandinavia. 

This hotel is situated on a quiet side street just south of the main strip of Paphos, about a six-minute walk from the beach. It's about a 10-minute drive north the UNESCO World Heritage listed Tomb of the Kings, and seven minutes by car to Paphos Archaeological Park, home to ancient attractions such as the Paphos Mosaics. The Adonis Baths waterfalls are a 40-minute drive from the hotel and it takes about 90 minutes to reach Mount Olympos. Nicosia is also a two-hour drive away. Paphos International Airport is 20 minutes from the hotel. The larger Larnaca International Airport takes about an hour and a half to reach.

This hotel offers Twin Rooms -- housed in the main building -- and a variety of apartments, ranging from Studios to Two Bedroom Apartments, plus a few three-bedroom units, though these go unadvertised. Rooms have two twin beds that can be pushed together with a topper to be transformed into doubles. Simple light-wood furnishings and parquet flooring, plus the occasional watercolor print make up the simple decor. Balconies look out either on the pool or the quiet street. Rooms all have kettles for making tea and small flat-screen TVs, plus safes (for a fee), but not much else. The apartments have a bit more going for them, and all have kitchenettes with microwaves, fridges, ceramic stoves, toasters, and plenty of cookware. Living rooms feature sofa beds for families traveling with children, plus balconies or patios, some with direct access to the Oasis Pool. Most bathrooms have shower/tub combos, with free basic toiletries and hairdryers provided. All units throughout the property have air-conditioning and unlike the safes, it doesn't cost extra to use. 

Offerings at this hotel center on relaxation, with a large outdoor area featuring a decent-sized pool and lots of lounge chairs, plus a covered game area with foosball off to one side. There's also a second indoor pool, though it's not that big, plus a third outdoor swimming pool -- Oasis -- with its own bar, tucked in the middle of some of the apartment blocks. 

All three meals are served buffet style at a busy restaurant near the main pool, and kids get discounted meal packages. There's also show cooking and themed nights are a regular occurrence. All-inclusive guests get access to their own bar near the pool, while there's a cash lobby bar open in the evenings. On Thursdays, the hotel fires up traditional Cypriot ovens to bake fresh olive bread for guests to try. 

Other features include a spa that uses products from high-end French skincare line Phytomer, and guests can use the showers here if they have an evening flight and need somewhere to hang out for a while after checking out. There's also a fitness center with a decent collection of dated strength-training machines. While many of the guests here opt for self-catering rates, the hotel offers everything from bed-and-breakfast to all-inclusive packages, with discounts for children. Other family-friendly facilities include a kids' pool, a playground, and a kids' playroom with arts and crafts. There's also a laundry room. Meeting facilities are available for conferences and weddings. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel and there's more than enough parking for all guests.