Queens Bay

We stayed at Queens Bay Hotel in Paphos as a family of five on an all-inclusive basis, and overall we had a really enjoyable holiday.

The hotel is about 40 minutes from the airport, and the journey was simple and straightforward. Check-in was very quick, as the rooms were already allocated before we arrived. The reception staff were friendly and efficient. Just one thing to note: there did not seem to be porters or bellboys waiting at reception, so if you are expecting your luggage to glide magically to your room, you may need to lower that dream slightly or ask for help.

Our rooms were a reasonable size, very clean, and had everything we needed. We did not find an iron in the room, so if you like your shirts sharper than your holiday planning, keep that in mind. The rooms were cleaned perfectly every day, and the whole hotel, including the toilets and public areas, was kept spotless.

One of the best things about Queens Bay is how easy everything is. The pool, bars, and restaurants are all close together, so you are never doing a mini-marathon just to get a drink or something to eat. The all-inclusive drinks were very good, and the service was extremely quick. Honestly, at times the drinks arrived faster than some family members made decisions.

The food was a real highlight for us. Breakfast and lunch are served near the pool, with plenty of choice and lots of seating inside and outside. Dinner is where the hotel really shines. It is served in a larger restaurant, where the staff welcome you, find you a table quickly, and take your drinks order. The buffet area may not look huge compared with some hotels, but don’t judge it too quickly. It has everything you need, the dishes change daily, and it is laid out in a really convenient way. No long expedition required to build a decent plate. The food quality was excellent, and our whole family enjoyed it. There were also plenty of desserts, which is always dangerous in the best possible way.

If you enjoy music and a good sound system, visit the Cito Bar. It has fantastic views of the bay, and the surround sound system was honestly the best I have heard in a hotel bar. We enjoyed a few cocktails there, and the two gentlemen making cocktails were excellent. I am sure the ingredients are probably the same as the other bars, but somehow they made them taste that little bit better. Maybe it was skill, maybe it was the view, maybe it was holiday happiness. Either way, it worked.

There are two pools: a large outdoor pool, which was fantastic, and a smaller indoor pool if you want some shade. There were plenty of sunbeds, but sadly the classic “towel reservation Olympics” was taking place every morning. Some guests put towels down early and then disappeared for hours. If, like us, you prefer to enjoy breakfast first and then go to the pool, you may find the best spots already claimed by lonely towels living their best life. This is more of a guest behaviour issue than a hotel issue, but it is worth knowing.

The staff were fantastic. They were friendly, polite, and worked very hard. There also seemed to be the right number of staff, so we were never left waiting long. A special mention goes to Katherine, Natasha, and Nav, who were brilliant and looked after us with a smile.

The only real area that needs improvement is the evening entertainment. This felt like a big opportunity for the hotel. It seemed to be run mainly by one person, and at times felt a bit disorganised and dated. On a few nights, when the karaoke singer asked if anyone had been to Weston-super-Mare, I had to check whether I was still in Cyprus or had accidentally been transported to an English seaside town. If you are used to big resort-style shows, animation teams, or lively evening entertainment, you may be disappointed. A couple of disco nights or more variety would make a big difference. That said, if evening entertainment is not important to you, then it will not ruin your stay, because the bar service is still excellent. The hotel may also be limited by space and outdoor noise rules after 11pm.

Overall, we had a great family holiday. Queens Bay Hotel is very well run, with excellent food, spotless rooms, quick bar service, and fantastic staff. The entertainment could definitely do with a refresh, but everything else made our stay easy, relaxing, and very enjoyable. We would happily recommend it to families looking for a clean, friendly, well-run hotel in Paphos.

Such a lovely hotel with an amazing view and location. Rooms were spotless and large and very comfortable. Would love to come here again!