Nissi Beach Resort, gardens and bungalows above Nissi

Nissi beach is the picture-postcard image of Ayia Napa, and Nissi Beach Resort has stood above it for more than half a century. Its website presents it as a symbol of how Ayia Napa became a holiday destination, led by its founder, Pavlos Pavlakis. I go through its listing, what it puts at your disposal and the kind of trip I’d suggest it for. To compare, see Ayia Napa hotels.

On the register

Tourism lists it on its August register for Agia Napa as a four-star with 270 rooms and 540 beds at 77 Nissi Avenue, with a P that leaves the rating awaiting final classification.

Gardens, bungalows and beach

What stands out is the space. The resort covers 100,000 square metres of Mediterranean gardens with native plants, flowers and palms, and besides bright, simply styled rooms it offers bungalows a few steps from the sand. For food there are bars, restaurants and beach snack bars, with Mediterranean cooking built on local produce. nissiSPA works with organic formulas, and activities include tennis courts, sunset yoga and water sports.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Nissi Beach Resort Ayia Napa for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.

For families

The kids’ club, for ages 4 to 12, runs a supervised daily programme with face painting, arts and crafts, discos, pool games and treasure hunts. There’s a shallow children’s pool and a playground with padded surfacing. The resort bills itself as the island’s leading wedding destination, with several sea-view venues, and its sunbed-lined beach has snack bars right on the sand. It is also known for weddings of every size and has a small design shop, the Kyma Concept Store. Its guest services team arranges transport and excursions, and the resort makes a point of protecting the native plants in its gardens and the sand of its beach to cut its environmental footprint. A resort map on its website helps you see where each facility sits before you choose a room.

The Pavlakis family and the neighbours

The same founder is behind the Alion Beach hotel, with just a hundred rooms, at the other end of Ayia Napa. On the same beach, a few hundred metres west, is the Adams Beach hotel, and beyond it, at Makronissos, the Dome Beach hotel.

So you do not lose the morning at the ticket office, browse tickets and tours in Ayia Napa on GetYourGuide.

My take

For a family or couple wanting Nissi beach on the doorstep, plenty of garden and a more relaxed feel than the centre, I’d put it among the strongest options in the area. It isn’t a five-star, but the space and location make up for it. In August, I’d head down to the beach early, while the sand is still cool and there’s room to choose your spot, saving the pool and the garden shade for the hottest hours.

If you would rather go at your own pace, see the car hire deals in Ayia Napa: the earlier you book, the more cars are left to choose from.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Nissi Beach Resort Ayia Napa for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.