Sofianna Hotel Apts.

2 readers found this review helpful

We have been going to the sofiana for the last 15 years.
Has there is only 2 of us we have a studio which is quiet spacious and well kitted out.
The tv is very handy bbc 1 and sky news 26 inch picture.
We allways request a room facing the gardens which we allways get.
The pool is fantastic plus plenty of sunbeds which are allways available.
The pool bar does english beakfast and food to 5pm. Prices not to bad.
In recieption there is all so a bar.
Big supamarket 5 min walk with a cafe in.
Even though all the bars are on your door step it is very quiet once in your apartment.
It is only a 10 minute walk to the sea front where the tavernas and harbour is.
Staff are great and very obliging.
Looking forward to going back 2008

HE HAVE JUST CAME BACK FROM OUR HOLIDAYS. tHE HOTEL WAS GREAT. THE STAFF WAS VERY FRIENDLY AND THE ROOMS WERE TIDY AND CLEAN. EVERYONE WAS REALLY HELPFUL. WE WILL DEFENATELY RETURN THERE AGAIN.
SOME PLACES TO RECOMMEND ARE THE ZOROS PUB AND GEORGE AND DRAGON BAR THEY SELL DRINKS FOR VERY REASONABLE PRICES AND THE OWNERS ARE SO NICE.
FOR EATING YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE WINDMILL RESTAURANT IS ONLY A FEW METERS AWAY FROM THE HOTEL. THEY HAVE SET MENUS WITH 3 COURSE DINNER FOR A VERY GOOD PRICE. THE FOOD IS LOVELY AND THE OWNER IS SO FRIENDLY.RESTAURANT WAS RECOMMEND BY SUNDAY TIMES AND SKY T.V. THEIR MEZE IS EXCELLENT BUT COULDN'T FINISH IT THEY WERE SO MANY THINGS TO EAT. THE FOOD IS PERFECT. WE ALSO WENT TO CORAL BAY. ATE IN PALM GROVE AND SIENNA. YOU MUST TRY ALL OF THEM.
YOU CAN GO TO THE HARBOUR SEE THE CASTLE THE MOSAICS ODEON AND SARANTA COLONES. DON'T EAT AT THE RESTAURANTS THERE. FOOD DOESN'T WORTH.
HAD GREAT HOLLIDAYS.

Roll on this coming June,
We have so far spent the last 14 years visiting Pafos, and I think that for 6-7 of them we've stayed at the Sofianna apts...the rooms are always very clean and airy, and the air con is very efficient, in fact after walking around in the scorching sunshine all day, it's like entering a fridge when you get back to your room.
I must agree with other people's reviews when they say how quiet Sofianna is, you would never guess that there is so much activity going on just around the corner.
Regarding the local restaurants, the best one quality, and price wise is directly opposite the Sofianna and is called the Palermo...the staff are the best that we've ever encountered, and the food is wonderful...a little further afield there is the Mandra Taverna, a little pricey, but there again the quality is first rate...their Garlic Mushrooms are the best in Cyprus!.. at the other end of the street from the George and Dragon you will find the Othello Taverna, well worth a visit...I cannot praise the places that I have mentioned too highly, and would recommend them to anyone, there again, what can I say more about the Cypriot people other than, wonderful!!!!
As I said to begin with, roll on June!
G.C.Walker...

1 reader found this review helpful

Stayed in a 1 bedroom apartment. Maids came 6 days a week but you didn’t know if they were just emptying your bins, cleaning your floor or changing beds. Only had sheets changed 3 times in 2 weeks. Balcony very small and practically on top of the one opposite, no way could 4 people sit on it as; apart from the size there were only 2 chairs on it. Had to keep the bedroom windows and curtains shut as the apartment opposite could see in and touch window.
Pool lovely and clean with waterfalls, great for little and big kids alike.
Food in pool bar good and well priced as were the drinks (try the fresh orange it’s delicious).
Right on the end of Bar street but very quiet. Supermarket opposite but a 5 minute walk away a big supermarket that was very reasonable priced.
George and Dragon pub was excellent with a quiz night every Friday night, great fun.
Too many good bars to mention but watch out for cheap cocktails being advertised as when you get in and ordered you are told that happy hour has finished.
All in all a good holiday, good apartments I would stay again in the Sofianna apartments but I think I will book a 2 bedroom apartment next time.

1 reader found this review helpful

The Sofianna apartments are kept extremely clean, maid service 5 times a week, changing towels, bedding, washing floors etc - couldn't be faulted. The reception areas and bar & outside area were all always kept clean too.
Really nice & friendly apartments. The apartments are very well equipped With cooker, coffee maker, microwave, and eating area with breakfast bar.
They were in a central but quiet location only 5 mins walk from the harbour and main strip of bars/restaurants.
Never had too queue to get sunbeds and the pool was always quiet. Food in the pool bar was reasonably priced and they had a good selection of snacks/meals on the menu.
The main bar was mainly quiet but the drinks were reasonably priced, try the cocktails!
Would definitely recommend it as a central base with good self catering facilities at a really good price.

1 reader found this review helpful

I have been staying at the Sofianna for fifteen years and have seen it improve every year. The pool is the best of any hotel in Paphos, the location is quiet but within walking distance of the best restaurant in Paphos, Mandra and nothing is too much trouble for any of the staff.
My wife and I have already booked for next year, with the children and the grandchildren too. They also like the hotel, having been there three times already. In my opinion, it is the best of its type.

Just back after 2 weeks in August and agree with most of the other reviews - the apartments are a little dated but on the plus side they are very spacious, have loads of storage space, include an oven + hob, a microwave, fridge, kettle, coffee maker, toaster, hairdryer, TV - plenty of spare plugs (UK type !) for phone chargers etc.
The TV even included several UK channels (BBC1, Sky News, FilmNet, MTV, Cartoon Network) which was an unexpected bonus.
Apartments are clean, bedding & towels changed frequently - cleaning staff were always friendly and happy to pop back later if inconvenient.
In room Safe is available at cost of C£10 for 2 weeks.
We had a two bedroom apartment and it had plenty of space for 2 adults & 3 kids.
The outdoor swimming pool is fantastic - far better than many of the more expensive hotels we strolled past. The indoor pool, although small, was nice when the heat became too much (high 30's every afternoon). The indoor Jacuzzi was disappointingly weak. The pool bar does good meals which are reasonably priced (a meal & drink for the 5 of us cost around C£20)
Way too hot to even think about using the gym or sauna but they looked good ;-)
For the kids there were plenty of facilities - table tennis, arcade machines, pool table and an outdoor play area with swings etc.
The apartments are in an excellent location - only about 5-10 minutes walk to the harbour, the nearest big supermarket is close to Debenhams (again about 5-8 minutes from the apartments) and is far cheaper than all the tiny supermarkets scattered around the hotels.
We were concerned that the hotels positioning, right at the end of Bar Street would be a nightmare in terms of noise, drunken Brits etc - but this was definitely not the case - we never heard any noise or saw any trouble. We went out most evenings with our kids (aged between 6 & 12) and the bars were great, offering really good deals to get the families in the door before the late evening crowds arrived - we were getting buy one, get one free on adults drinks, while kids got free soft drinks - so a round for the 5 of us cost C£3!!!! Bubbles, Symbols & Black and White were well worth a visit.
Coral Bay was lovely, we used public transport (C£3.10 each way), sun beds & parasols available (C£1.25 each). Food and drinks available at the bar but we found the food disappointing and pricy - however they did show the Grand Prix on the outdoor plasmas so I'll let them off!!!!
The water park at Paphos is fantastic (we got a 2 day pass) and the food & drinks there are very reasonably priced. Get there early as the queue outside was ridiculous at 10:30 and go to the Bouncy Bubble and the Family rapids ride early as the queues get very long later in the day and it gets very hot with no shade or drinks.
Definitely recommended, hope this helps.

Sofianna Apartments were what we expected. Rather basic and a little scruffy (after reading the other reviews) but all in all were ok for a base. Location if fantastic for Bars and Harbour.
Thomson's rep was nothing short of useless. Bragged about his previous high paid job, hadn't a clue where anything was and told us he would prier us not to book tours as it caused him a lot of paper work.
Food in the pool bar was awful and appeared slightly uncooked. Maid visited most days, cleaning every other day although it was cleaned very well. Sheets were not changed during our 10 days but towels were most days.
Had an 8 hour delay due to the plane being used for other passengers. No apology and a whole 5 pounds to spend in the airport (wow!). When the plane finally arrived there were no services ready to prepare it for our flight. Complete disaster. Finally reached Cyprus the following morning.
Places to eat: Camera's (4.95 for 3 course meal with a free glass of wine.) Food isn't brilliant but more than ok for the price and the people are very friendly (including the parrot that meows at you). Oasen's is the same but bigger. Avoid Chloe's the food is awful! The Mexican is fantastic! Food is gorgeous albeit a little pricey.
The 4 hour Ocean Flyer cruise is also well worth it Costs 28 CYP with a buffet (which was rubbish) but a free bar and Captain Elvis provides the singer when you've all had a few too many. Stops off in Coral Bay for snorkelling.
The glass bottom boat is also worth the effort. 8 CYP gets you to the Vera-K wreck where you can see it on the bottom. We also dived the wreck and actually saw more from the boat!!!
Visit the Mosaics in the harbour. Cost is 2 CYP but make sure you go when it's cool as they lie over a massive area with no shade.

Stayed at Sofianna last year it was great no problems with room, very clean and lovely staff. Children both got bad ear infection and had to see an ear nose and throat specialist (must say was recommended by Sofianna staff).
Returned this year but was a little disappointed. They put us in a studio which was very small and cramped (we had paid for a 1 bed apartment) complained to night staff to be told to come back in the morning. Saw the manager who tried to fob me off by telling me the studio was a 1 bed apartment, which I quickly pointed out that I knew it wasn't as other staff had told me that all ground floor rooms are studio's. I told him I had stayed last year and had a lovely room. He asked what room number and promised to move us by 11 o'clock which he did.
The room was to the standard I expected, apart from ants running all over the work surfaces and in the lounge bed, apart from that it was fine. Girls beware of Sakis who works behind the bar he keeps you talking so you spend more money at the bar!

Returned from our holidays, hotel was perfect. The room was small but very clean, the floor was clean too. The swimming pool was very big and the staff there friendly. Try the special cocktails at the bar. Very cheap.
Had really good time. For food try Windmill Restaurant they serve excellent food for very good prices. Try their MEZE and also the Pepper Steak. Returned there several times. For bars try Zorro and Robin Hood. Staff is very friendly and drinks are in reasonable prices.
Many things to do round the area. Harbour is just 5 min. walking and the beach in front of Mc Donald’s worth to go.
Perfect holidays. Really happy.