Dont leave the Island without eating Souvlaki (Atlantica Bay Hotel)

Member Name: mattheconsumer

Product:	Atlantica Bay Hotel
Date:	22/09/09 (31 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Nice Pool and lots of activities

Disadvantages: No beach and not enough sunbeds

The Atlantica Hotel began in the 1970's as just one small building where is the small swimming pool and evening bar. Over the years it has steadily expanded into its current state as a complex with a capacity of 1000 guests. It has won awards several times for being a leading all-inclusive hotel.

The hotel itself has a nice pool, plenty of activities everyday a decent buffet breakfast with a large selection a gym that needs some weights machines but has a lot of potential. The room I stayed in was nice and large with a decent ensuite fridge cooking facilities and a well placed working tv and balcony.

The cost can typically be about £60 a night so its worth checking out expedia for special rates because if you see hotels like the Apollonia or Mediteranean at a comparable cost then book them as they are a very high standard and both on the beach.

The problem with the Atlantica is that if you are all-inclusive and making full use of the hotel and all its activities then it is very easy to see nothing of the island and culture other than the Bar opposite called the Nags Head. If you venture all the way down the road to the seafront you will then be met by the 'tourist area' (tourism has suffered heavily in Limassol over the last decade) then there will be loads of not very good restaurants with English names geared up for tourists serving frozen food. So here is what you do:

Leave the hotel and turn left toward the dead end/construction site then follow the road to the right and carry on straight until you reach the end where you can go right toward the seafroont or left toward large houses or straight across (well left and up 5 metres then right) carry on straight until you come to a junction turn right and there is a big taverna 100 metres down toward the seafront and on your right locally known as Kiki's (but I dont think it has a sign there. Make sure to eat souvlaki (pork lamb or chicken) and try a mixed also. Be sure to try Halloumi and Sheftalia and a proper Greek Salad and perhaps some Octupus and/or Squid (though this is not a seafood taverna but its on the menu). The walk there shouldnt take less than 15 minutes. Alternatively just get into a taxi and say 'I want Souvlaki' and he'll know what to do, just make sure he turns on the metre.

So as for the Atlantica the problem is that its possible to stay there and see nothing of the island at all, so while the hotel itself is nice and clean with good facilities and nice staff dont get sucked into not leaving it, not least because they will charge a few hundred percent on anything they can sell you in there. Also there are not enough sunbeds to accommodate everyone but if you are up in time for breakfast you should be able to get something without problem.

Summary: Good all round place to stay