Hotel Louis Ivi Mare, Paphos
Monday 7 October
We haven’t really had a holiday since our cruise for a number of reasons and as we had originally meant to call in on Cyprus on our cruise earlier this year (the port was dropped from the itinerary a month or so before we set sail) we thought we should give it a try as we had never been there.
After our weekend in London with the family and a stay overnight at the Holiday Inn at Gatwick where we could leave our car we utilised the services of Special Assistance as we both are suffering from walking issues at the moment.
Whilst the Special Assistance service is good at Gatwick’s South terminal as well as at the airline (BA in this case) there appears to be little joined up service between the two so you have to ask twice.
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Hotel Louis Ivi Mare
Inside the Hotel Louis Ivi Mare
This is the first time we have flown BA with the newish catering arrangements and although we noticed the M & S food was not particularly pricey on the plane, it certainly was cheaper land side.
Our flight to Paphos left from Gate 38 so we were grateful for the Special Assistance team and their mobility carts as Gate 38 is just under a mile from the main seating area of South Terminal.
Our four hour flight was on time and the only issue I had was with coffee – a coffee bag you put into a cup of hot water – which ended up being a bit of a “bitty” drink. The assistance at Paphos was made stress free with their assistance although the car rental was slow.
I was not sure about how I would get to the hotel as my Sat Nav didn’t cover Cyprus and it was dark when we arrived but armed with directions to the hotel on my phone and a good sense of direction, we only had one hiccup as one road was closed which caused a slight diversion.
We are staying this week in the Louis Ivi Mare Hotel which is modern and only opened in May this year. First impressions were favourable although it was in the dark.
Avios Georgia Church
Latsi Beach
Tuesday 8 October
We drive out today after a very filling breakfast to Avios Georgia’s church for a drinks stop – iced coffee – then on to Latsi Beach for lunch and ice cream.
Just because it is there, we take the long drag up to Kathikas from the coast road and are rewarded with some lovely views, some very quiet areas and lots of banana trees.
We are on half board and the buffet tonight has a Greek theme and there was nothing wrong with that especially as a glass of wine is included along with a bottle of still water.
It was quite amusing to hear a waitress struggle with a fellow guest and his Vegan dietary requirements.
This is not a hotel just for the British, many languages are spoken and all age groups (except school aged children as it was during school time) represented.
Louis Ivi Mare Pool
The pool is almost a boomerang shape and does have a life guard although he doubles up as a towel provider setting out the towels in nice neat rolls for the many loungers (there seem to be ample) around the pool.
Being new, the privacy between the pool and the beach walkway is non existent at the moment but the planting has been done and within a few years a nice hedge will separate the walkway from the hotel grounds.
An uncrowded pool
Wednesday 9 October
Today we head out towards Larnaca stopping for a photo at Aphrodite’s rock, find the hotel that our friends Pete and Lorraine stay at and have a lovely coffee at the nearby old village of Pissouri.
Pissouri Village
Back along the Motorway towards Paphos to find the old town but there are so many roadworks and limited parking we only manage a 30 minute stay and a brief look around some of the shops.
The buffet section at the hotel for dinner is excellent again tonight which is why it is always the most crowded, our advice: get there by 6:45 pm to get a good front row seat to watch (tonight anyway) a fabulous sunset.
Sunset from our dining room table
On staff recommendation watch a jazz band in an upstairs lounge – they were good.
Thursday 10 October
A lazy day with only a longer visit to Paphos for a coffee and a brief walk to Agia Kyriaka Chrysopolitissa church (our friends’ son was married there a few years ago).
Agia Kyriaki Chrysopolitissa, Paphos
The church is one of the earliest Christian Churches, dating back to the visit of St. Paul in AD 49. One of the pillars outside the church is Paul’s Pillar where he was scourged.
The present Church contains beautiful icons, it is used by several denominations including Catholic and Anglicans.
The heat is taking it’s toll on us although I do manage a swim again and a dry off in the sun.
Dinner in the buffet section tonight followed by a walk to St Thomas’ Church at the end of the walkway.
This is a recently built church but with old features so that it looks as though it was built many years ago.
The ceiling in particular is spectacular but so difficult to photograph as I didn’t have my wide angle lens.
Outside and the ceiling inside the church
Friday 11 October
Not so sunny today to start with but better later as we venture into the mountains with a drive up to Troodos with a stop in the pretty but popular (with tourists) village of Omodos for lunch and a brief look around the Timios Stravos Monastery intermingling with a French speaking tour.
Omodos village
Timios Stavros Monastery
On the way down from Omodos and the Troodos Mountains, we miss the turning back to Paphos as many of the non motorway roads have little pre turn signage, and our detour takes in some new sights and villages not seen before we get back on the road to the Motorway.
Toodros Mountains
Saturday 12 October
Our last day in Cyprus with just some pottering around but with temperatures now up to a lunchtime 35C, it was too hot to do very much other than a cool walk around the market with some discount on some beauty products ( €75 down to €25 ).
Assistance at Airport again excellent, flight again full and on time and whilst assistance at Gatwick was good, we were abandoned by the assistance support at Baggage reclaim. We had to make our own way to the hotel bus which thankfully came along quite quickly.
A bit of a shock to the system (35C in Cyprus to 11C when we arrived in the UK).
Sunday 13 October
A drive up to Nick & Ute in Cambridge for a lovely lunch and catch up and a drive to the Crowne Plaza at Stratford upon Avon in much improved weather. Hasn’t their son, Paul grown!
We booked on the assumption we would get there late and so included access to the Club Lounge which came with some drinks and snacks, useful for tonight and breakfasts.
A paper bottle of shampoo
It is nice to see that the hotel chain has ditched the individual plastic bottles of toiletries for a cardboard based one although single use water bottles are still used – it is a step in the right direction though.
Monday 14 October
A tradition for this day is to meet up with Phillip & Sylvia but they were not able to meet up until lunchtime which left us time for a short walk before it started to rain quite heavily for the rest of the day.
Dinner in The Lamb Restaurant conveniently situated a few roads away from the hotel in Sheep Street.
Tuesday 15 October
Ferry home to have a week in order to prepare for a week in Jersey with the family looking after our grandson, Harry after our visit to our 19th Country of 2019.
Cyprus Monday 7 October We haven't really had a holiday since our cruise for a number of reasons and as we had originally meant to call in on Cyprus on our cruise earlier this year (the port was dropped from the itinerary a month or so before we set sail) we thought we should give it a try as we had never been there.