Ivi Mare by Louis Hotels

2nd time at the Ivi Mare and since the last time 2023 the hotel has made lots of little adjustments to upgrade the stay. Cold flannels, water melon, choc ice, water station and as per before very attentive staff. Breakfast and lunch food is good. Probably the best sun loungers at any hotel I've stayed at! Must do is a visit to the spa for a massage. Liza was my therapist and was a great massage. A very relaxing experience!

Excellent treatment my Parou. I think the best massage I have ever had. Firm but still relaxing. I loved every minute and didn’t want it to end. Thank you.

Having stayed in many luxury five-star hotels around the world, particularly as we live in Dubai, our expectations are always very high. We travelled to Ivi Mare to meet my parents, who flew in from the UK, and from the moment we arrived, we knew we’d chosen well.

From the second we stepped out of the taxi, the service was exceptional. Our bags were taken by the concierge, we were welcomed with a refreshing drink, and shown personally to our room. The reception area is beautiful and immediately creates a warm, relaxing atmosphere.

We booked a Sea View Room, and the view was absolutely stunning, overlooking the pool and the sea. While the room itself was perhaps a little more simple than some luxury hotels we’ve stayed in, it was spotless, comfortable and had everything we needed. If I’m honest, any lack of ultra-premium touches in the room was more than made up for by the outstanding service throughout the hotel.

The food deserves a special mention. Initially, I was slightly concerned there were only three restaurants, particularly as one of them is a buffet. Buffets are usually something I avoid because of long queues, food sitting under heat lamps, hygiene concerns and an overwhelming amount of choice that often sacrifices quality. This hotel however, proved it can be done well!

Each evening has a different theme, providing plenty of variety, but more importantly the food is freshly cooked in smaller batches. There weren’t huge trays of food sitting for hours, everything felt fresh, beautifully presented and incredibly tasty. It actually became our favourite place to eat, which is something I never thought I’d say about a buffet.

The Japanese and Greek restaurants were equally excellent. Every meal we had throughout the week was delicious, and I genuinely couldn’t fault the food. The desserts were outstanding too, special compliments to the pastry chef, whose cakes were some of the best we’ve had.

The pool area was another highlight. There were always plenty of comfortable sunbeds available, so thankfully there were no early morning “sunbed wars.” The pool itself was beautifully maintained and refreshingly cool during the hottest part of the day.

Pool service was excellent. Drinks can be ordered directly through the hotel’s app and are brought straight to your sunbed, making it incredibly easy to relax without constantly getting up.

We booked the All Inclusive package, and unlike many hotels, it genuinely was all inclusive. There were no constant upgrade charges or disappointments when ordering drinks. It offered fantastic value and we would absolutely recommend it.

What really makes Ivi Mare stand out, however, is its staff.

Every single member of the team was friendly, professional and genuinely seemed happy to help. It created such a lovely atmosphere throughout the hotel.

Barbara deserves a special mention. Her wonderful sense of humour made breakfast something we looked forward to every morning. Angela, who looked after us in the Mirrors Bar, was equally fantastic, always warm, professional and made the evening cocktails even more enjoyable. Youssef serving us around the pool was so attentive and polite. Incredible service!

We also treated ourselves to the spa, enjoying a couples massage, body scrub and facial. The therapists were excellent (Paru and Liza), very experienced, attentive and caring. As I’m currently pregnant, they took extra care throughout every treatment, which made me feel completely relaxed and safe.

It’s often the small touches that separate a good hotel from a great one, and Ivi Mare gets these absolutely right. Throughout the day there were complimentary fruit sticks by the pool, smoothies in the morning, ice creams in the afternoon, cold towels and chilled water delivered regularly. These little gestures really elevated the experience.

We were also invited to the Manager’s Cocktail Evening, with canapés, drinks and a live saxophonist. It was a lovely opportunity to meet other guests and was a thoughtful addition to the holiday.

The hotel itself has a wonderfully calm, adults-only atmosphere, making it incredibly relaxing. The beach area is just across the seafront walkway and, while quite small, provides a peaceful place to enjoy the sea.

During our stay we also explored the local area. Paphos Old Town was only a short taxi ride away, and we also spent a day visiting Limassol before enjoying lunch at Aphrodite Hills, both of which are well worth a visit.

If I had one area for improvement, it would simply be the evening entertainment. Some nights were excellent, particularly the violinist and the vocal duo, which suited the hotel’s sophisticated atmosphere perfectly. On other evenings, however, the entertainment felt completely out of place for the clientele. A singer who wasn’t particularly strong, a DJ whose role largely seemed to involve pressing ‘next’, and entertainment such as the Macarena didn’t quite fit the otherwise elegant and relaxing feel of the hotel.

That said, this is genuinely the only constructive criticism I can offer.

Overall, we had a fantastic holiday. The combination of exceptional staff, excellent food, thoughtful touches and relaxed atmosphere made this one of the most enjoyable hotels we’ve stayed in. It was the perfect place to spend quality time with family, and we left feeling completely refreshed.

We wouldn’t hesitate to return and would happily recommend Ivi Mare to anyone looking for a relaxing adults-only holiday in Cyprus.

A wonderful hotel and excellent value for money.