WE spent our last two days on Cyprus at Palm Beach Hotel and Bungalows in Larnaca, a fabulous resort many families and couples have been returning to year after year. And it’s also a favourite with celebrities. Peter Andre and Katie Price recently attended his sister’s wedding here, and my partner and I watched the Newcastle v Manchester City footy match with fellow guest, ex-Magpie star Temuri Ketsbaia, now managing a local team. Our room was one of the rather grand Royal Suites, with an enormous bathroom, two balconies, two TVs, a dressing area and a separate living area. As with St Raphael, the hotel caters for all kinds of guests. In September, it’s mainly couples who stay but many families come at peak times. And the season never stops . . . only a few days in December and January are slow. The hotel itself opened in the 1980s and has an ongoing programme of renovation, which includes the building of 38 new garden studio bungalows set away from the main buildings. The bungalow area is like a holiday village all on its own, and exudes a touch of the Far East in its cool design and contemporary straw gazebos. The hotel’s sandy beach and shallow water is great for children, and nearby breakwaters are a haven for a wide variety of fish, making it a good spot for snorkelling and a haven for kingfishers, which buzzed around the rocks. As for restaurants, an amazing breakfast with a dazzling choice is served each day in the Coffee Shop. Get there early and there’ll be room to sit outside in the picturesque Palms Court area. A la carte dining is available in the new bistro-style Adelphi Lounge but we sampled the dining in the vibrant Omega restaurant, where the food was so good I kept the menu as a souvenir! Gorgeous dancers and talented singers provided slick entertainment as we dined. The hotel’s location — 12km from the airport and 40 minutes from Limassol, Ayia Napa and Nicosia — make it ideal for day trips . . . if you can drag yourself away from the beach. | 
