| | Tombs Of Kings Road- P.o.box 60257, Paphos, 8101, Cyprus
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Overall Community Rating: |   5.4 (based on 2 user reviews) |
 Avlida: Two weeks in a miserable 4* AI hotel! by Maureen Barker |
| Posted 06 July 2005 about a visit in May 2005 | Overall rating: 4.8 |
We have just returned from a 2 weeks AI in the 4* (never!! more like a 2*) Avlida Hotel, in Paphos. NEVER AGAIN!!!
We definately felt like 2nd class citizens.
We'd read all the reviews before we went and almost changed our minds - but we decided to go and make up our own minds. I wish we had gone with our 1st instincts which was to cancel.
We pulled up at the hotel and thought it can't be that bad what a nice frontage. Through the front door into a lovely, clean but dark reception to be met by a less than smiley face of the receptionist. She proceeded to put a colour band on and tell us, room on 2nd floor, lifts that way, dining room behind youand pool along corridor - still not smiling!! We asked her if we could get something to each and she said food was finished for tonight 9.20pm and she couldn't get us a sandwich as kitchen was closed!! Oh and by the way you CANNOT bring your own water/wine or food into the hotel or it will be confiscated!! Couldn't believe it! Oh and if you want tea/coffee in your room its £3 cyp PER DAY! glad we took out own - and a fridge was about £20 cyp.
We trotted along to the lift - which held 1 case and one person - they were so small!! We bumped into a few disgruntled people who asked if we had just come and then proceeded to tell us all the downsides about the place!!
Found the bedroom and it looked OK, we had a balcony and a view of over the swimming pool and the air conditioning was working. The bathroom wasn't too bad apart from the grubby towels but we thought hey lets give it a go. They had left us some fruit (almost the only fruit we saw in 2 weeks apart from the occasional melon) and a small bottle of wine. Can't be that bad can it??
Visted the bar only to be greeted by the most miserable/arrogant/disrespectful and sarcastic youngish barman out! He most certainly did not like the AI guests or the English. You were made to wait for everything when he served you. He said to wait as he was 'training' (they were young Polish more about them later) We sat down and waited for a pot of tea and a pint - we waited and waited and after 25 minutes we went back to the bar only to be told he was doing it. We decided to have an early bed and perhaps a better start in the morning.
Breakfast was'nt too bad - three cereals, fruit juice, boiled eggs, fried eggs, bacon - if you could call it that, small savoly type sausages, and fried potatoes
do you own toast, but almost the same for the whole 2 weeks. Lunch was hit and miss for a few days, in beyer maries a few days and off the menu a few days all depending on how they felt I think. They changed the goal posts quite a few times during the 2 weeks.
If you had pork for dinner you had sweet & sour at night, chicken was the same, plain at dinner covered in a sauce at night. The meals were very poor for 3 days then it was a bank holiday and the Cypriots arrived. We had sliced Turkey, Roast beef, roast lamb I even complimented the dining room manager as I thought this was a sign of things to come. It was short lived as the Cypriots only came over the week-end and we slipped back to the normal meals. Sweets consisted of red or green Jelly, creme caramel, or egg custard most nights. NO ICECREAM
The meals for the kids were non existent at night time. They could get chicken nuggets, beefburgers or fishfingers at lunchtime though.
The pool area was the best feature of the hotel, (although you had to pass throught the kitchen area where it was very smelly) It was kept lovely and clean. It had a nice decking piece on the top of the pool with a lazy river around it but unfortunately hardly anyone took advantage of this as there were no steps into the river and if you managed to slide in off the decking you had a devils own job to get out again. The bar on this decking was only opened for the 2 days the Cypriots were there.
Although we were AI it got very boring eating in the hotel as it was very repetitive same thing day in and day out almost.
People were complaining all the time and about 12 people were actually moved to other hotels. The childrens play area was a joke! It was filthy for a start off and the grass certainly hadn't been cut in a long time.
The young Polish staff were wonderful and cheerful too (when the bosses weren't around - we think they may have been told don't smile????)and did their best to get you everything they could for you. They were pushed from piller to post by the managers who were absolutely useless. Their left hand didn't know what their right hand was doing what a mess they got into.
You had to sign for everything including water. You could have a glass of water but if you wanted a bottle you had to pay for that. Couldn't/and still can't see the logic in that as you could have a gin and tonic but not a bottle of water??? There will be a riot in the summer months
The facilities for disabled are not good. The pool does have steps into it but for wheelchair users its a pain. The wheelchairs have to be folded to be put into the lift!!
The final straw was when we booked out on the last day. We had to book out at 12 but didn't leave the hotel until 9.20pm (they wanted about £22 for keep the room on from 12noon until 6pm - another rip off.) After 12 noon you do not exist as far as the hotel is concerned and they will charge you for even a drink of water!! I am afriad I made a very big scene at the main reception and ended up talking to the owner about his terrible hotel. He eventually agreed that we could have our meals and drinks until we left the hotel but don't tell anyone else was the receptionist last words - you might guess what I did!!
We love Cyprus but will never again go anywhere near the Avelida hotel. So if you have booked a holiday here take my advice and change to a different hotel.
This review is the opinion of a diytravel.co.uk user and not of diytravel.co.uk. |
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 Avlida Reservations |
| Avlida: Avlida "clean but crap food" by Nick Case |
| Posted 30 September 2002 | Overall rating: 6.0 |
Stayed at the Avlida sept 2002 was told it was had recently become 4 star but saw no real reason why this should be so. the hotel was very clean and tidy with excellent air conditioning but staying half board was a mistake. every night the food was buffet style most of which was inedible and breakfast was not much better (their idea of bacon was fryed salami). also the bar staff did not really want to know you and the enterainment left alot to be desired. But although we say this I do recommend the Avlida on a room only basis as the location is good with excellent restaurants nearby, such as "fat mamas"(be there early if you want a table or be prepared to wait up to 1hr) also at 10pm ish the staff put on a show which is worth watching.
The bars just down from the hotel are also good we recommend "The Royal pub"(friendly staff but the cocktails a little pricey but they do get very strong) and Yammas(cheaper but more sport oriantated).
Bar street in the tourist district is much busier if you want hectic night with free shots with every drink.
All in all Paphos is a growing resort very geared towards tourism(even the old town market is just a over siezed souvenier shop) it lacks alot of typical cypriot hospitality.But do not get us wrong it is a lovely place if you are willing to explore the area and we will return in the future.
One last hint for the best restaurants ask the locals where they eat you will discover some wonderful places.
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| Avlida Reservations |
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Avlida: food