Annabelle, Kato Paphos's long-standing luxury hotel

Annabelle calls itself the grand dame of Paphos five-stars, and on age alone it has a case, since the same family has run it since 1985. What’s interesting today is its relationship with the neighbour, Almyra, with which it shares a kids’ club and restaurants. I’ll go through its official entry, what’s on offer and how to get the best from it. To compare it with the rest, see Paphos hotels.

On the register

Tourism’s Paphos listing awards it five stars, 198 rooms and 376 beds on Poseidonos Avenue, and its website gives number 10. The P beside it marks the rating as provisional. Thanos runs it, the chain behind the Almyra hotel and Anassa near Latchi. The island’s forty five-stars, area by area, are in luxury hotels in Cyprus.

Pools and gardens

The hotel describes pools on several levels with waterfalls, a swim-up bar and plenty of loungers in sun and shade, plus a free-form children’s pool with its own waterfall and wide shaded lawns. At dinner it expects smart casual dress, long trousers or tailored shorts and closed shoes, with no flip-flops or vests. Its restaurants include an Italian, a street-food place drawing on Asia, South America and the Middle East, and a fine-dining room by the water gardens that opens only on selected summer nights.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Annabelle Hotel Paphos before prices climb.

What it shares with Almyra

This is the clever bit. On half board or full board you can dine at Annabelle’s restaurants and also at Almyra’s and at the Antasia Beach Club. The kids’ club, Mythos, is at Almyra and takes children from 4 months to 11 years in four age groups, with mosaic workshops, baking, science shows and cinema nights in high season. And if you book a meal plan, under-12s get the same one free.

Bringing the dog

Annabelle has declared itself dog-friendly. It accepts well-behaved, vaccinated dogs up to 12 kilos in certain garden suites for €25 a night, with a tag, treats and waste bags on arrival, grooming through the concierge and a doggy room-service menu. Dogs can join you on the restaurants’ outdoor terraces. The documents your dog needs are covered in Cyprus with a dog.

If you would rather have a local show you round, book a guided tour in Pafos and choose by the reviews.

My take

It’s the five-star I’d choose in Kato Paphos for classic style and the best location for walking to the harbour and the mosaics. On the same avenue there’s the Alexander the Great hotel, four-star, and further east Olympic Lagoon Resort Paphos, all-inclusive. If you’d prefer a top-grade apartment, look at the King Jason apartments. Paphos Castle, at the tip of the harbour, is on the same stretch of seafront.

A car frees you from timetables: search car hire in Paphos on DiscoverCars and compare companies.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Annabelle Hotel Paphos before prices climb.