The Residence at Bellapaix Review - 1 of 1 Review

Having stayed at the Residence at Bellapaix before its closure, we looked forward to returning to this friendly little boutique hotel for a weekend break. Certainly it looks as good as before, with its quirky decor, cosy rooms and small but perfectly OK bathrooms. The swimming pool is small, more of a plunge pool really, but still ideal for cooling off in the evening sunshine. And, of course, it's still smack in the middle of Bellapais village itself, which is such a lovely place.

However, what seems to have dropped is the level of service, which used to be so good. Room service is not daily, (although I think new towels every day anyway is overkill, and a waste of water to clean them). Breakfast was somewhat hit and miss, and not the choice we had last time, but still perfectly OK so long as you're not the type to want a full English calorie-packed plateful. I must admit we skipped it the last day and ate at a village café instead, for real Turkish coffee.

We ate in Bellapais every night as the best restaurants are just a stroll away in the village, and we love eating near the atmospheric Abbey ruins. However, if you want to explore anywhere further than the village, you really do need a hire car or a friendly taxi driver for the day. The charm of Bellapais is to sit and watch the world go by, or potter around, never to rush. Nightlife is about cafes and restaurants rather than music-pounding bars, and the nearest beach is at least three miles away down the mountainside, so it won't suit everyone. However, we love its laid-back style, and despite the shortcomings of the Residence at Bellapaix, we will be back.

Liked — Bellapais
Disliked — drop in standard of service at hotel