Honeymoon Review: Anassa, Cyprus

Why go?

For the luxurious seclusion of this low-rise, hilltop retreat with its relaxed Mediterranean vibe and a side of high fashion retail.

Honeymoon style:

Ideal for burnt-out execs craving some calm and restorative indulgence but with all the action at arms-reach. Sun-seekers, spa junkies and long lunch lovers, all need apply. Got kids in tow? You won’t know it. Hand them over for their very own holiday of a lifetime.

Set the scene:

Glossy neutral interiors that spread out rather than up. Think designer heels on shiny marble floors and arched stone walkways branching off from reception to the rooms. Your arrival feels more like entering an lily-scented upmarket art gallery space than a hotel reception. Fashionistas can catwalk twenty metres from check in to Kult, the in-house boutique – for a super convenient top-up of Gucci, Prada or Heidi Klein. Then there’s little to interrupt the gentle cascade downwards from reception through fragrant flower-filled gardens to restaurant terrace to pool to beach. Pack the good stuff, you’ll want to feel as polished as the marble under Kult’s Jimmy Choo heels.

Rooms:

Billowing diaphanous voiles, potted white orchids, white-washed shutters to secure you a lie-in and a punch of blue and white nautical stripes on the in-room day beds (matched to those on the poolside cabanas) so you can gaze at the sea while you siesta. Climb into beds that are huge and high with all-white linen. Giant marble bathrooms (double sinks, freestanding shower and tub) are packed with full size Acqua di Parma goodies and, opt for the Aphrodite or Adonis suites and you’ll bag yourself a honeymoon-worthy, Insta-ready hot-tub on the balcony moment.

Food and drink:

For the best view of Chrysochou Bay and the Mediterranean Sea, take a table under a bamboo pergola on the terrace at Pelagos and feast on olive-oil drenched feta and halloumi salads loaded with sun-ripened tomatoes and peppers with olives the size of plums. Just add a side of fresh-from-the-sea octopus, a glass of Xynisteri, a local white plus an afternoon with nothing else planned. Ramp up the romance at Helios, where you’ll dine under 300-year-old Olive trees studded with tiny lanterns and marvel at how the humble asparagus spear just became a work of art on your plate. Atlantic King Crab and Magret duck breast are guaranteed crowd pleasers.

But breakfast is really where it’s at. Displayed over two enormous rooms, take a tour of local pastries around one giant table, then make your selection of locally produced honey, we recommended the floral geranium. You name it, it’s here and you’ll need at least three courses to do the spread justice. Follow up with a half day cookery course and learn the local art of the perfect Moussaka and Lamb Kleftiko. Don’t miss the weekly beach BBQ or Cypriot Village Fair where you can eat in the courtyard beside the hotel’s tiny white chapel. This is Paul Hollywood’s favourite Cypriot hotel for good reason.

The story:

When you tell people on your flight/the taxi driver/ anyone who has travelled to Cyprus before, you’re staying here, expect appreciative noises. It is well known as one of the most luxurious resorts on the island. Family-owned for over twenty years and family friendly it has also hosted some mega A-listers including Paul McCartney, Emma Thompson and Rod Stewart.

Family-friendly:

Table tennis pool side, junior sports camps, a junior treats spa menu, banana boats to hire on the beach, pottery lessons, family villas with their own private pools, early restaurant sittings and a kid’s club that will take them from as young as four months. Kids are well catered for here. They’ll even organise a family photo shoot or a visit to a local donkey farm where you can saddle up and take a picnic up into the mountains. Better yet, the family pooch can come too, as long as it weighs less than 12kg!

Spa:

Open for 12 hours a day from 8am, The Thalassa Spa has masses of marine inspired treatments, many of them using salted sea water pumped directly from the local bay, to tempt you – think underwater massage, seaweed scrubs and Algae body masks. We highly recommend the Signature Cypriot Scrub which uses local organic virgin olive oil, sea salt and oregano to exfoliate away every flake of dry skin. Honeymooners should check out the unsubtly named Champagne Aphrodisiac which happens in the privacy of your candlelit room and includes a bubble bath and four hands massage. The spa also has a hair salon (blowers are 45 euros) a gym, yoga instructors and a huge heated sky-lit indoor pool.

Eco-friendly:

As much produce as possible is sourced locally with the ethos from head chef David Goodridge being, if they can’t make it themselves, it doesn’t go on the menu. The hotel celebrates its position close to the sea as evidenced in the spa and restaurant menus and has an active social responsibility programme including support of local charities and scholarship programmes.

Location:

In a brilliantly secluded spot on the Northwest coast of the island, the resort is laid out to resemble a traditional Cypriot village with its own Byzantine-style chapel and manicured grounds stuffed with Lavender, Bougainvillea and shocking pink Geraniums. Those keen to dip a toe in local culture should make the 15 drive to the Baths of Aphrodite where you can splash your face in the waters for the promise of eternal beauty. The hotel is 1hr 15-minute drive from Paphos International Airport.