Relax and rejuvenate: AMARA Hotel, Cyprus – Review

Located just outside of Limassol – accessible from both Cyprus and Paphos airports, the AMARA hotel is an ultra luxurious resort for a restorative summer holiday. Relax and rejuvenate with a cocktail in hand, writes Maria Boyle.

Review: AMARA Hotel – Limassol, Cyprus

The island of Cyprus is the third largest in the Mediterranean and enjoys 340 days of sunshine each year. Situated just south of Turkey, it offers a mix of laid back and lively resorts, culture and gastronomy, and is ideal for year round vacations. 

STAY

The AMARA is an ultra-luxe resort located on a prime beachfront spot just outside the city of Limassol. Owned by Cypriot luxury hospitality group Stademos Hotels and named for the ancient Greek word ‘Amarantos’ (meaning ‘everlasting’), it is one of the newest hotels to open in Cyprus.  

Poised above a 250m bay of sand and crystal clear water, the five-star hotel caters for couples, families and business travellers alike.

Impressively designed by SB Architects and David Rockwell (he designed the first Nobu in New York), the hotel’s modern interiors and exteriors are the epitome of style and glamour. Unique pieces of beautiful artwork and sculpture are spread across the hotel and have been carefully curated.

A deluxe twin bedroom at the AMARA hotel

The hotel has a total of 207 rooms, all of which boast panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea. Rooms range from the entry-level bright and spacious Deluxe Bedroom (with sea view and balcony) right through to a Deluxe Rooftop Suite (with a spacious balcony and private pool). Each has insulated flooring to ensure peace and quiet, mood lighting, motorised curtains, air conditioning, a smart TV, complimentary mini bar with soft drinks, tea and coffee, spacious marble bathrooms filled with Bamford and Le Labo products, and, most importantly, extremely comfortable beds.  

The AMARA’s beautifully manicured grounds include an extremely large, split-level, infinity-edge swimming pool and terraced gardens that lead to a sandy, Blue Flag beach. There’s also a children’s pool and a stunning salt-water pool with private cabanas available to Spa guests.

The hotel’s supervised Children’s Club provides complimentary daily sessions, enabling parents to relax – and families can also take advantage of babysitting services, available upon request. 

The terrace of a bungalow with a private pool

EAT

The AMARA has five restaurants, including the newest Matsuhisa Limassol, Armyra by Papaioannou, and Ristorante Locatelli. 

Off the back of the success of his Mayfair restaurant, celebrity chef Giorgio Locatelli has opened his doors in Cyprus with amazing sea views. Ristorante Locatelli’s extensive menu – including Italian classics like linguine with lobster, baked fillet of wild sea bass in a salt and herb crust, and tiramisu – is perfect for guests of all ages to enjoy together. 

The Ristorante Locatelli terrace at dusk

World-renowned Michelin star chef Nobu Matsuhisa also recently opened Matsushisa Limassol at the AMARA, with indoor and outdoor dining as well as a private whiskey bar. Dishes on offer include sushi, sashimi, ceviche, tempura, and grilled and roasted dishes like Black Cod Yuzu Miso, Chilean sea bass with jalapeño dressing, and Anticucho Peruvian-style prime rib-eye steak. 

Armyra by Papaioannou is the AMARA’s open-air fish and seafood restaurant. Located right next to the beach, it is a great spot for al fresco lunch and escaping the midday sun. 

All Day Dining is also available, with a great coffee shop service featuring some of the best cakes in Cyprus – not to be missed.

For beachside dining, head outside of the hotel and visit PlusSea, an independent restaurant just next to the AMARA, serves fresh seafood, pastas, burgers and salads on a shaded deck overlooking the sea.

Bars are also plentiful, including a chic rooftop bar offering signature cocktails and appetizers, the pool bar with resident DJs, and a vast choice of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks – plus a juice bar in the Spa.  

DO

The beauty of the AMARA is that you can do as much or as little as you want. There’s the on-site Spa – the largest in Cyprus, spanning some 3000 square metres, and offering a wide selection of treatments expertly delivered by its first class therapists. For those who want to be more active, there is a fully equipped gym, as well as classes such as Zumba, Spinning, HIIT and KettleMed.

The indoor pool at the Spa

AMARA has a number of boutiques offering designer gifts, clothes and swimwear, as well as a handy little Kiosk for daily necessities. If you want to venture out of the hotel, try First Boutique or Timinis for luxury apparel.  

For some culture, the AMARA is a five-minute walk to the royal ancient Kingdom of Amathus – a UNESCO World Heritage site dating back to before Christ. Visitors can walk around the suite and view rare archaeological treasures that were buried for centuries. Or Limassol Marina is a 20 minutes taxi ride away; from there, you can head on to Limassol Old Town (known as Lemesos) with its ancient castle and narrow, cobbled streets branching out from the city’s old fishing port.  

For nature lovers, it is worth heading to Akrotiri Salt Lake. This is the largest inland body of water on the island, and is considered to be one of the most important wetlands in the eastern Mediterranean. The 10.65 square km lake fills with water during the winter period, and is home to migrating birds between November and March. These include flocks of thousands of flamingos, cranes, birds of prey and migrant waders.

THE FINAL WORD

The AMARA really is a perfect sanctuary, offering guests a chance to flop and drop, enjoy Michelin star cuisine, handmade cocktails, and relax and rejuvenate in its impressive spa.

BOOK

British Airways flies London Heathrow to Larnaca return, from £280 including taxes, fees and carrier charges (baggage included). Double rooms at the AMARA start from €380 per night. amarahotel.com

Images courtesy of Stademos Hotels

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