Globalisation Alert! Mall Rats Invade Cyprus!

Advantages: Good facilities. Well appointed. Light and airey. Air conditioned.
Disadvantages: Eye-wateringly expensive. Could be anywhere in the world

...INTRODUCTION In the seven or eight years I have been going to Cyprus for my holidays, a lot has changed, and not necessarily for the better. It was only a matter of time before this beautiful island was afflicted with the relentless influx of multinational American brands and corporations that seem to blight Europe these days. The drive down the Finikoudes ? Larnaka?s main, palm-lined seaside promenade ? now takes you past McDonald?s, KFC, TGI Friday, Haagen Dazs, Pizza Hut, and Bennigans. The seemingly unstoppable globalisation of Cyprus seems well and truly underway. So it was with dread and dismay that I received the news that Cyprus had been ?blessed? with two new malls since my last visit two years ago ? the ?Mall of Cyprus?, built next to an IKEA on the outskirts of Lefkosia (Nicosia), and the newer ?My Mall?, an even...

Hishyeness 04.08.2009 · Read review
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Review of The Mall of Cyprus, Nicosia

Forest Park Hotel - Platres - Cyprus - Simply Brilliant

Advantages: Family Friendly - Exceptional Service - Great Value and Location
Disadvantages: None

...INTRODUCTION As a frequent visitor to Cyprus during the summer - my father-in-law has a modest beachfront property near Larnaka - we often head up to the Troodos Mountains mid-holiday for a few days to escape the heat. In the height of summer, the temperature is invariably a good 5° to 10° C cooler than on the coast, the air quality is fantastic (scented delightfully by the indigenous evergreen pine trees) and a few days away makes a lovely ?break within a break?. A BIT ABOUT PLATRES Our destination of choice is the popular winter resort town of Pano (Upper) Plátres, which is about a forty minute (about 40km) leisurely drive north from the outskirts of Limassol, and about an hour and a half from our base in Larnaka. It is on the southern slopes of the Troodos mountain range, which gives the place a charm lacking in...

Hishyeness 02.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Forest Park Hotel, Cyprus

  An Insiders Review of Cyprus!

Advantages: Beautiful clear, warm sea
Disadvantages: Locals will wack up prices for tourists

...I know I've written a lot of reviews recently but it's keeping me entertained while I'm not working and milling around the house, so I hope you can all keep up!! My keyboard on my computer is also a bit naff so please excuse the fact that I can't include any pound signs in my review!! I lived in Cyprus for nine months last year so have a load of information to give. So this is going to be a long one so I hope you aren't all bored to tears by the time you get to the bottom but here we go... ABOUT CYPRUS: I lived on the north west coast of Cyprus in a small town called Polis which is about an hour north of Pafos. This area benefits from being relatively unspoilt so you get to see more of the 'real' Cyprus rather than Pafos which is so commercial now it is pretty much like a hot England! Polis is starting to expand however...

louwill23 09.03.2007 · Read review
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Review of Polis & the Akamas Peninsula (Cyprus)

Cyprus with Babies - Limassol. Baby equipment hire company.

Advantages: friendly service, local company, great idea for tourists with babies and cyprus residents
Disadvantages: they only work in limassol

...We found a really helpful company just recently when family came for their holidays to Limassol. We had our grandson coming to visit and needed a travel cot and a high chair. A search on a local website pointed us in the direction of Cyprus with Babies! They hire out baby equipment in the Limassol tourist area, which was great. We hired a travel cot which arrived in a bag and was set up in just a few minutes by the english staff who delivered it. We also got an extra padded mattress, a fitted bottom sheet, a top sheet and a lovely baby blanket. They don't provide pillows. Everything looked brand new and was spotlessly clean. The high chair folded almost flat so could be put out of the way when we didn't need to use it and went into a couple of different positions in case our grandson was sleepy, he could lie back. There were straps...

cyprus100 05.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Limassol (Cyprus)

Cyprus highly recommended

Advantages: lovely, lovely people, too much to mention
Disadvantages: long flight 5hrs, the extreme heat in the summer months

...it has some very nice shops and leather stalls etc and M&S, The Bodyshop and some other British shops there. One of the best months to go is May, its windy the first two weeks of May but bearable heat wise this was when we visited Protaras, also we've been to Ayia Napa the last two weeks of May during which time there was a heatwave ant it was 105 and was fairly unbearable. Ayia Napa is definitely for the clubbers or families with older teenage children, we stayed there with a four year old and struggled finding places to go that had something for her to do at night. I would go back, but am restricted with school holidays and am not sure about the heat in August, I can only guess how hot it is. The really only downside to Cyprus is its not cheap to holiday there. The holidays are expensive compared to going to one of the Greek...

Bevdav 05.02.2001 · Read review
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Review of Protaras (Cyprus)

Pafian Sun Holiday Village, Paphos, Cyprus

Advantages: See review
Disadvantages: See review

...After coming back from one of the worst holidays i have ever had in Cyprus, my mind is zooming back to a wonderful holiday i had in Cyprus 3 years ago. Pafian Sun Holiday Village in Paphos was an absolute delight. The rooms were clean and modern (consisting of a double bedroom and a sleeping area in the living area for one person), the lounge area was light, airy and comfortable and the entertainment was varied. The pool area was amazing. As you swam in the pool it actually looked out to the sea, heaven. The staff were warm, friendly and helpful. Best of all was the "all inclusive" restaurant. The choice was overwhelming. The breakfast menu had everything you could imagine and every night there was a theme, ie. chinese, mexican english etc. There was also an "al a carte restaurant which was seperate from the the main...

toyah999 25.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of Paphos (Cyprus)

BEST BEACH IN CYPRUS NOT TO MENTION THE DIVING

Advantages: Perfect for Diving & All Watersports,Clubs,bars
Disadvantages: Holiday is never long enough.

...Situated on the south east part of the beautiful island of Cyprus Protaras is famous for its beautiful coastline especially for its renowned beach- Fig Tree Bay, it really is beautiful, and conveniently it is 5/10 minutes from Ayia Napa! This picturesque resort is very popular with divers with a plethora of diving clubs available. The sea is sparklingly clear and clean making it a real pleasure for swimming and snorkelling as well.The resort is an attractive one with a good choice of accomodation, bars, restaurants,car/bike hire and several supermarkets. It is not an expensive resort - restaurant prices represent good value for money,there is often free wine with meals in restaurants, entry to the clubs is cheap (and rather nicely includes free drinks all night!)the cocktail prices are about £1 each (watch out these are large...

whitewiner 21.05.2002 · Read review
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Review of Protaras (Cyprus)

Cyprus, Paphos July 2005

Advantages: So hot you could fry an egg on your head
Disadvantages: tacky touristy gifts, exchange rate

...This was to be our second holiday abroad this year and for two weeks my family and I were looking forward to all the good things we had heard about this Island and it's people. There were six in our party, my wife and (nearly) three year old daughter, my parents in law and my wife's neice(aged 12) We had all heard such good things about this Island, especially the warm and hospitable atmosphere created by the locals; so many people had recommended Cyprus, we just had to see for ourselves. Our brochure promised us many treats including a varied cuisine, lively nightlife and a children's club. Sadly the brochure was, in our opinion, exaggerating. We arrived mid afternoon at Paphos airport and were all pleased with the gorgeous weather, the sun was shining and it seemed like the perfect start to a promising fortnight. The trip to...

the_hendon_lad 23.08.2005 · Read review
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Review of Paphos (Cyprus)

Tsokkos Gardens Hotel, Protaras, Cyprus

Advantages: Lovely hotel, Hot in October, Four hours from Gatwick
Disadvantages: Bit of a walk to the beach, souvenirs are completely tackky!

...This is a review of a package holiday to a specific hotel in Protaras rather than an overall review of the resort. Seven nights HB at the 4* Tsokkos Gardens Hotel, Protaras, Cyprus October, 2002 Through Goldensun - booked over the internet. We paid £844 each for two adults + £292 for one child. Our first visit to Cyprus Flight We flew with Eurocypria on the 10.10pm out of Gatwick arriving at Larnaca in the small hours. There was no in flight entertainment at all so don't forget your Walkman or a large paperback. The journey was a bit of a trial, fortunately our five year old slept on the plane which made life a bit easier. The final transfer from the airport to the hotel seemed to take ages, dropping off at about four hotels before finally arriving at the Tsokkos Gardens at about 6 am local time. The hotel…...

michael_john_owen 03.11.2002 · Read review
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Review of Protaras (Cyprus)

An Insiders Review of Cyprus (Part 2)

Advantages: Picturesque and quiet
Disadvantages: Not a particularly lively area

...I've found some time to sit down and tell you all more about the area of Cyprus that I lived in for 9 months last year. In my last review I told you a lot about restaurants and watersports, so in this review I am going to tell you about some places to visit and some nice beauty spots. THE BATHS OF APHRODITE In my last review I recommended Aphrodite beach which is my favourite beach in this area. Five minutes further along the same road as the beach, brings you to the Baths of Aphrodite. This little spring-fed freshwater pool is where the goddess of love bathed after her amorous adventures. Its cool water is said to bring eternal youth and although entering the pool is forbidden, you can splash your face with the water. Legend says that anyone who drinks from the pool falls in love with the first person they see afterwards...

louwill23 17.03.2007 · Read review
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Review of Polis & the Akamas Peninsula (Cyprus)