Louis Phaethon Beach

4 readers found this review helpful

This was our second visit to this hotel, we went at exactly the same time last year for the same two weeks.
I have to say this is a child friendly hotel and has plenty going on for the children.
I would also say that last year the official rating outside the hotel was a three star and I did agree with that rating albeit I would say it was a good three star. The tour operators had it as a four star and I couldn't find anyone who agtreed with that rating.
We booked this independently as it was far cheaper than going on a package this year as there is now less competition on price following Thomson buying up First Choice.
When you walk into the reception that area alongwith the bar is OK but a little dated. The corridors to the rooms are shabby and the main area of the bedrooms in a clean white. The skirting board in our room had been repainted, but unfortunately the painter had let it creep onto the carpet a fair bit. The wardobe doors were defective in that one of the runners had broken and everytime we wanted to go in it we had to lift the door at one side. One of the drawers was also very stiff and hard to use. Two lights were also broken. The bathroom was seriously dated and in need of repair i.e. cracked tiles as well as old fashioned and grey in colour.
The tiled floor around the pool is badly in need of repair as large cracks in tiles and the grout are evident. This area is very slippy and I saw several people slip and fall. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured. This needs re tiling of covering with something like astro turf.
The food in the hotel is very good and the only complaint here is that the Chinese restaurant at the pool is only open every other day. Last year it was every day.
The animation team work very hard and deserve better facilities. I feel that if it wasn't for the food and the animation team, this hotel would have serious problems.
The staff are all very friendly, but I did notice cut backs this year with the service in the restaurant being alot slower, which will be the case with fewer staff. I also noticed that last year the pool area was regularly cleaned in the day time, this year it wasn't and showed signs of it. The pool was closed at least six times in the two weeks due to parents not having the coomon sense to put swim nappies on toddlers...you can guess the rest!
This was the last two weeks of the school holidays, and if you wanted a sunbed you had to be up at 6.30am. needless to say, I am tired out.
I returned to this hotel mainly because the price was right, the Riu hotel nearby, which is the same four star rating was £1400 more. We looked in the Riu and the two are miles apart. I felt that the Phaethon was a good three star last year however the standards have definitely dropped in terms of the accomodation.
I don't know whether it is the recession, but the clientelle this hotel is starting attract, albeit in the minority, are an embarrassment to the UK. When you get people bragging that they were in the thick of the crowd trouble at the Millwall v West Ham match it says it all.

2 readers found this review helpful

Stayed all inclusive for 12 days, a family of 4 & a family of 3 and we ALL had a great time. The temp hit the 40's every day. No hint of any type of bad weather. Poor beach at the hotel but a very short walk to find sand, clear of rocks & blue waters.
Anyone not all inclusive said how expensive everything & everywhere was, you get charged for everything...be warned.
The pool was a fantastic size, it was like a bath. However the edge was very very slippery & a few accidents had occured.
ALL the staff were terrific, frindly, smiley & efficient. The animation team were great fun, differing nations. Loads to do day & night.
The FOOD was amazing, beautifully cooked, tasty, fresh & loads of choice. The roast beef, yorky puds & gravy to boot was perfect. Even the veg, well cooked, fresh, well served...none of that watery mixture. Was not 1 person who didn't disagree with that sentiment.
Yes the corridors around the rooms had dirty carpets running through, the rooms were shabby & small but were clean & cleaned every day. Clean towels available every day. The cleaning of the whole hotel was there to see all day long. Superb!
Paphos town is very nice, expensive though. Bus is cheap, taxi is fairly cheap if you haggle a price first. Waterpark in Paphos is excellent, get yr tickets fm a local who can get you a discount (& sneak in food & drink as its disgustingly expensive inside)
You will have a great holiday if you choose this place.

1 reader found this review helpful

this hotel is minging. the pool is unsafe and un-hygenic. rooms are small the beds are as hard as the floor. the entertainment room in the evening was stupidly hot even though they said the aircon was on. the shop was overpriced and rudely staffed. the waiters were all nice though very chatty. and the food was faultless even though it repeted itself after a week. the entertainment team were spot on. we stayed in the holiday village the year before and thats were we are staying next year.
paphos waterpark. good place but bit pricey 70 euros for family of 3
paphos karting alot of fun
coral bay worth a look

2 readers found this review helpful

This is our first package holiday and the first holiday with our 2 year old son and without sounding funny our previous trips have been long haul to places such as the Maldives etc andwas not looking forward to a packed out noisey hotel with lots of screaming kids,and all credit to the hotel we didn't get that.
The staff were wonderful and cant speak highly enough of them and the food was fantastic, the only thing I could say as a negative is tat the rooms are looking tired but the general areas are fantastic. We are not the sort of people to be jumping up for every event going on and the Animation team (entertainment) are not pushy for you to join in but do let you know what is going on if you want to. Our little boy wasn't old enough for the kids club but there was a creche available if we wanted it but we never felt the need to put him in there as there was always something to do and would thouroughly recomend a bus ride to the Market. They have an indoor pool and jacuzzi that we were in for 9.30 every morning after breakfast completely to ourselves and our son has become completely confident in and around the water as this pool is fantastic.
Very very pleased with the place and the people. Thoroughly recomend this for a family holiday

4 readers found this review helpful

I can't believe some people would say a bad word against this hotel, its the cleanest, friendliest hotel ive ever been to. The weather was fantastic, but that is always a certain. even if your view isnt of the pool and sea you will be over looking hills and mountains of paphos very beautiful. the food was superb! lots of varation, theme night each night, kids section and a vast selection of cheese, gataux, fruit, the best jelly ever! yes it is situated a little further from the harbour and town centre but a regular bus service will take you there for only E1.50. the nearest shops is a 15 min walk, good bars and restaurants also 15 mins away. coral bay is a 15 min bus ride away. The room was sprayed for mosquitos and the maids were very effiecent. never saw a bug in the room, and came home with not one bite! one of the best parts of the hotel was the animation team, michael, vicky etc, a very wide variation of games and the unpridictability of 'fun games'. this hotel is great for families, young couples and older couples. The beach isnt the best but there is another beach 250m away. The staff are very friendly and the porter was manuel from faulty towers! look no futher, this is an amazing hotel, you will not be disapointed!

4 readers found this review helpful

Having read a series of reviews that went from 1 out of 10 to 10 out of 10, my wife went with a little uncertainty as to what we would find. The reason for going was to see our son who is working at a nearby hotel as a scuba diving instructor who was able to tell us a little more. The hotel is situated in the better end of Paphos near to a whole line of beach side hotels all of which are 3 or 4*. If you want to walk into the town it is at least a 40 minute walk. We hired a car and was able to see alot of the island so wasn't in the hotel a lot for the activities. The area around the pool is clean but very busy and noisy. If you are a couple you will find that the hotel caters for the all-inclusive family holiday makers and therefore might be a bit hectic! There is a wjole range of activities but I was a little disappointed in the football as little kids were allowed to play and the waterpolo is played in the shallow end of the pool. Bingo is a nightly occurrence and will cost you 5euros a card and is followed by some activities such as the kareoke version of the X Factor - not for us I'm afraid and spent most evenings in our room. This was very clean - a little dated but perfectly ok for a couple - the third bed was a sofa and it would have been cramped with three. A word of warning - dont expect clean towels on a Sunday - we went back to find the ones we had used after a shower drying over the balcony and when I rang reception was told that there was a limited maid service on that day!
If you want a classier hotel the RIU Cypria bay and Mares where our son is based is very classy but he reliably informed us that the found at the Phaethon was better! I couldn't complain as to the quality and choice of food - very well cooked and presented - only observation was that the mixed veg that appeared every night was a bit bland but everything else was good.
I would recommend the hotel to anyone who wants to use it is a base as we did or wants everything on tap which it was.

this is my fourth time here! Why? because as a lone traveller I feel in a safe, no hassle environment. The staff here are friendly, helpful and treat you as if they've known you for years!
The single person supplement is more or less nominal, I have always had a lovely big room overlooking pool and sea. (cant say beach - thats a bit of a let down - there isn't really one by the hotel) Rooms are clean and comfy, perhaps needing a bit of an upgrade, as does the 'night club' downstairs
I found the food better this time than when I have been before, plenty of choice. Always something available 7am - midnight. Hot food came in small trays continuously being replenished.Always a veggie choice and fresh fuit etc available. This time the lunchtime chinese was open as well. Downside - kids allowed to run around with plates of food narrowly missing older guests.Blame parents here I know but it was a bit of a slalam on times.
Animation team are brilliant, without being intrusive, not sure about the Parrot show but I dont like animal acts anyway. The fire bit was scary as well not with all the kids running about.
I recommend this hotel out of season if you just need a chilldown, I think it gets pretty hectic high season.
am I going back - you bet - cant wait!!

Poor things outweighed good things. I'll be positive and start with good. The animation team worked extremely hard encouraging people to join in the activities, yet never pestered, and were 'not in your face'. Full credit to them all. When the food was good, it was very, very good, but sometimes poor for a 4*. The room was basic but very clean. The bar and seating areas were always clean.The gym was ok for weights and 2 x bikes but shame there was no runner. Now, the bad. The service in the evening was terrible. The staff rarely took orders or delivered to more than one table at a time. Only twice in 11 nights did anybody smile at us! After dinner we sometimes waited up to 30 mins to be served and that was just for coffee. Some staff did not understand English very well, even for straight forward menu orders. (I dont see why on all inclusive you should have to buy water for the room @ £2 per bottle.)One night we ordered the water from one waitress then paid another when it arrived. This caused quite a commotion. Restaurant - service very slow, dirty plates everywhere, we even set our own table on occasion. When food ran out, it took an age to be replaced. Powdered scrambled eggs for breakfast is not 4*. Bread and cakes never covered with gauze and flies crawled happily on them. White wine left out on trays to go warm, red wine was colder than the white. Not advised it was the time of year for mosquitos, 18 bites to arm and face on first night in the room. Bird poo on floor tiles around pool which never seemed to be cleaned up. Children ran in it them jumped in the pool. Any stairwells we used appeared to be filthy, dust down all bannisters and fag ends or bits of litter just left and never cleaned up. Out of sight, out of mind.

Been to louis phaethon beach 3 times and will be going back again.Fantastic staff will go out of their way to help with whatever you need.Food well you will not believe the variety from salad to roast dinner and even chinese for lunch and dinner they cater for everyone.All inclusive is a must as you can eat and drink all day and come home 2 sizes bigger than when you arrived.You could dance the weight off in the disco till the early hours.Entertainment for kids is great with kids club morning and afternoon kaz was great with my daughter every evening there was a disco followed by bingo which is a laught with dido {shaky shaky in the pool in the pool in the pool}don't tell him it's your birthday.Rooms are small but you only wash and sleep in them they are clean and the maids are great.The pool is a great size and clean the floor around the pool is slippy so swimming shoes for the kids is a good idea.Insect repellant is a must as they come with the heat you can't have one without the other.There is something going on all day every day for everyone or just laze around the pool doing the quiz.The beach is not good but coral bay is better which is a bus ride away.Happy holidays
rock the room champions 2008 nobody beat the banana boat,table tennis table,beds,kids club toys,ladders,wheelbarrow,windsurfer,surf board,etc

Returned from this hotel (after 1 week all inclusive) on Sat 29/11/08
We (2 adults, 1 child - 13yo lad) as adults were highly impressed, it's the first week of the winter season, with temperatures in the mid to high 20's, we were able to comfortably walk around in shorts and t-shirt and get a tan!
My son, got a little bored, there were no children of his age to mix with, all children were in the 2yo-10yo range and there were less than 20 of them!!
The room was cleaned to a high standard 6 days a week (not Sundays) although, beds are made and fresh towels are supplied 7 days a week. The room was a little dated, but clean and comfortable.
The food was immense, breakfast, snacks, lunch, more snacks, dinner, sandwiches... EVERY day!
I went with a 34" waist and returned with a 36" one!!!
Free bar every day from 10.00am until midnight which includes beer, wine, cocktails, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, soft drinks.
Waiter service for the bar every evening.
All the staff are friendly, eager to please.
When we went there were lots of activities around for adults but not young teenagers.