Reviews of Louis Ayios Elias Village Apartments, Protaras

When we arrived to the hotel we were amazed about the the surroundings and how the hotel was presented we where then given an okay room close to the front and not far away from the pool. The food was the same sometimes but it was very nice. The pool was clean and nice to relax in and around. The only problem about the pool was all the sun loungers would get taken before 10 in the morning. The taxi transfers where nice people that where very polite and talkative the same woman came to pick us back up it was really nice. And the staff where all amazind especially the man on the bar on a night time.

I can honestly say due to this hotel I have had the best couple of holidays in my life. Came here with my family and I really would love to come back. Staff are all so friendly, especially andreas the bar man and Yuri the entertainer. If anyone has contact details for either of these I would be grateful.



Great standard of accomodation, love the authentic village setting. Restaurant theme nights were absolutley fantastic, and the bar around the swimming pool served great snacks.



My sister loved the santelino club, choosing it over thomsons T club everytime. Anna is great, and she still gets birthday cards from them which is really sweet.



I love this place so muhc and would reccomend it to anyone interested.

Just arrived back having had a fantastic two week holiday on a self catering basis.

The apartments were spacious and very clean we had a huge balcony the pool area was clean safe and not too busy you could always find a sun bed we decided not to eat at the resort but walk into protaros which was only a short walk away.



I would have to say we sampled quite a few restaurants but finally decided to stick to one in particular as it was by far the best and you had to pass it on the way to the main strip its name is shenanigans, run by a very friendly Irish couple the food was fantastic and service was excellent you could ask for anything that was not on the menu and they would do there best to accommodate.



We noticed many people returning a third or even fourth time.

So if you like a nice meal in a quiet friendly restaurant then I strongly advise you sample this restaurant at least once I guarantee you'll return once you have compared it too the others on the strip.

We went on a two week self catering holiday and we had an absolutely fantastic time.



The staff were helpful and the facilities on site were excellent. The two bedroom apartment was spacious and cleaned on a regular basis. All rooms were air conditioned (a blessing as Cyprus can be scorching). There was ample hot water and a powerful shower which doesn't often happen when abroad. Situated on the edge of the village between the square and the pool we were in an ideal spot, with a huge balcony overlooking the Ayios Elias church and the sea.



There are activities galore for the children at the FREE kids club: pottery, donkey riding, t-shirt painting and model making, as well as activities for the older children and the more active adult every day. (This proved a blessing as a single parent with 3 children aged between 9-14 years).



Town is just a short walk away providing lots of shops, bars and restaurants to suit all tastes and pockets. The beaches are beautiful and clean with clear blue water. There are plenty of water sports to keep you entertained and would recommend the glass bottom boat Trips.



A short taxi journey (the taxis are cheap and very reliable) will take you to a nearby small water park which is safe and clean with plenty to do all day. Do go self-catering though as there is so much variety and good value in town, you will regret not having the choice with all-inclusive.



Have heard rumours that the apartments were going to be sold off privately but assumed it was the new builds which have been built further up the road. If it is the holiday village apartments it will be a great shame as it was one of the best holidays me and my children have ever had.

We have just returned from a lovely holiday at this hotel where we stayed for 2 weeks. Our party consisted of 2 adults and 1 teenager aged 16. The hotel is laid out like a village with winding paths shaded by trees connecting the apartments and leading to the village square, swimming pool, bars and restaurant. We had a one bedroom apartment which was kept spotlessly clean and didn't see a single ant in our apartment throughout our entire stay!



We stayed on an all inclusive basis and the food was superb, ranging from freshly carved meats, wonderful casseroles, to chicken nuggets and chips. There was so much choice that we couldn't get through all the options during our 2 weeks. If you didn't fancy a hot meal there was always a wide variety of salads. The food was always being refreshed and the serverys were kept spotless. The restaurant has outdoor or indoor seating, and BBQs are held twice a week, when everyone eats in the village square where the entertainment is held.



The staff at the hotel are lovely - very friendly and helpful. The swimming pool is large and there were generally enough sun beds for everyone, with lots of parasols. As always, there was the normal process of saving sun beds if you wanted a particular spot, but if towels were put out before 7.30 a.m., they were removed by security and piled up on the pool table!



If you have young children, this complex is superb. Because of its village layout, older children have the freedom of moving around the complex safely and the children's club was well attended. The children seemed to really enjoy the activities which ranged from pottery to talent shows, and there is a mini disco for children every night before the evening's entertainment.



Daytime activities are low key (darts, archery, pool), but we enjoyed the daily Aqua Gym and the Water Polo was very popular (and competitive!) with the men and teenagers.



The evening entertainment varied in its quality. Some of the acts were very good, others not so good, but we still enjoyed ourselves each night. My only criticism was that the entertainment finished by 10.00 p.m., which suited those families with young children but was a bit early for us, and meant that you had to go into Protaras if you wanted night time entertainment.



The hotel is on a hill at the edge of Protaras but the hill really isn't that steep to walk up and if you feel lazy you can always catch a taxi back for £4. It takes 5 - 10 minutes to walk down to Protaras, where there are the normal souvenir shops and loads of restaurants.



If you want to go to the beach, catch the courtesy bus which runs to the Louis Nausica Beach Hotel. You are allowed to use their swimming pools and beach, which is accessed from steps leading straight into the sea, and is uncrowned, unlike the public beaches. The water is crystal clear and has a sandy bottom. If you walk to the far side of the hotel there is also a little inlet which is good for snorkelling.



All in all we had a lovely holiday and would recommend this hotel to our friends. Sadly the apartments are being sold off at the end of this season so we won't be able to return. Make the most of it while you can.

I have just returned from a fantastic holiday at the Ayios Elias. A friend and I went out there for a 2 week girlie holiday of relaxing and sunbathing.



The complex itself is lovely and perfect for what we wanted. It is set up as a traditional Cypriot village, with lots of apricot and fig trees growing in entwining paths all leading to different apartments.



We had a studio based at the far end of the complex, which was ideal as it was very private and very quiet... plus, there was a tarmac street just below that we could walk down in our heels as the cobbles in the complex were not easy!!



Some of the rooms had very shaded and overlooked terraces and some had no privacy at all, so I would definitely request that you are located in a quiet location away from the main square.



We both agreed that if we had been in one of these over-looked apartments we would have been pretty fed up; as part of the fun is sitting on the balcony with a drink and watching the sun go down.



The pool was lovely, always clean and plenty of sun beds... although that may have been because we were slightly out of season. The staff were so friendly and could not have done more if they had tried.



There were a dedicated team that also arranged activities for people that wanted to partake... such as archery, water polo etc etc... I was happy to just watch though



We went SC which I would highly recommend. Although the hotel offers All Inclusive, we did meet a couple of other guests who had said the food was good, but not as good as the food that SC guests pay for. However, if you are already booked to go AI, don't let this put you off at all as the food was still very good.



The food we had (from a separate menu) was amazing and very well priced. A very large moussake served with a side of Greek salad was only about £5... and that was our main meal for the day.



I liked the fact that there was a good mixture of guests; British, Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch etc. It never felt like you had just some home-from-home where the complex was flooded with brits! Which I like!



We also loved the location of the apartments. They were just set back from Protaras, which is easily walkable in about 20 minutes. However, we are lazy, so we got a taxi, which reception sorted for us... very cheap and easier than walking.



Protaras is perfect for a couple of quiet drinks and some dinner at a nice restaurant and is mainly a family/couples resort. Again, this may change later in the season, but I doubt it.



However, if you want something livelier then a taxi to Ayia Napa is about 15 minutes away and costs no more than £20 there and back. We did this a few times as we loved Ayia Napa, although I would not have wanted to stay there as it is a bit too crazy for me! But the apartments were ideal for people like us who like to let their hair down a few times on holiday, but also enjoy good food, relaxing and laying in the sun!!



Have fun :)

We had a lovely fortnight’s holiday in this hotel. We travelled with our two children (2 years and 6 months). When we arrived we were a bit disappointed with our accommodation but it grew on us after a few days!



There is a severe lack of storage space so don't take your entire wardrobe like we did because there is nowhere to put it. There was also a shortage of places to put things out of my toddler's reach which was a bit of a pain.



If you leave the tiniest crumb on the work surface you return to your room to find an army of ants marching off with it! I don't mind ants, but if you do, it’s best not to stay here!



The upside is that the setting is absolutely beautiful. Very peaceful and tranquil and a real sense of being surrounded by nature (hence the creepy crawlies!).



The room was spacious and we were located very close to the pool (room 103) which was perfect for nipping backwards and forwards.



The pool area was immaculate and the temperature of the water was fine. We used the Santelino kids club every day. We put our baby in for several hours each day and he was very happy - spent most of the time sleeping. They let him stay beyond the set time because they didn't want to wake him up! The staff there were fantastic.



Our daughter asked to go to kids club every day - if I could take the club home I would so I could return to work!



The food was excellent. It is not 'wall to wall' food like in other places we have stayed, however what is there is well cooked and nutritious. Certainly not for the burger and chips brigade though. Some people were complaining because there wasn't enough in the way of junk food.



The only down side was the entertainment which was virtually non-existent. One night there was bingo (whoopee do!) and we were given beans to put on the numbers so that they could re-use the cards.



We didn't mind the lack of entertainment but if you want somewhere lively then this is not the place to go. During the day staff walk around half-heartedly carrying a basketball and asking people if they want to play.



I would go back there again, however as it is closing down at the end of the season sadly this is unlikely.

We just came back and loved the complex. It is excellent for families with children under 12, as the children’s club was really good. It’s open from 9am-9pm 7 days. There is also a games room.



We went all inclusive and wished we went self catering as we put on too much weight apart from the breakfast lunch and dinner you got the snacks all day up to 530 and even midnight snacks from 10pm-12pm. We hired a car didn’t really need it if you wanted to stay in the resort as the beach is about a 10 minutes walk down. The rooms were clean we stayed in room 114 which I think was a really good 1 bed right opposite the donkeys and rabbits for our kids to feed every day with the best views of the sea.



The only down side is to make sure you don’t book to travel in the last week before it closes down for the winter like we did 26 oct-1 November as in the last few days the staff start the closing down process and even the last day we did not have a proper buffet as there was only a few families left and we were actually the last to leave on the day, but they did invite us to their end of season party. The staff always went out of their way to make our stay happy, they were friendly.



They are due to refurb swimming pool for next year which should be better. We all enjoyed the holiday and it’s thanks to the children’s club which allowed me and my husband to chill out. Will definitely be going back to the hotel.

A really nice place we had a really good holiday, plenty to do through the day for kids by the pool, though the entertainment at night was rubbish, so we went out every night lots of nice restaurants on the main strip and plenty of entertainment lots of Elvis and karaoke bars.



Fig tree beach is one of the nicest beaches I’ve been to and its great for swimming and water sports. The location of these apartments are on a hill and are a 15 minute walk to the resort centre and beaches but a courtesy bus runs through the day.



The walk back up the hill is tiring especially in the searing heat you can take a taxi for about a fiver but doing this every day, the money soon adds up. Cyprus in general is quite pricey but I would say it was worth it.



Overall my wife my nine year old son and I had a great holiday and we would definitely go back.

This apartment village is situated about 10 mins from the main strip which suited us perfectly, although pushing a buggy up that hill was a great way of getting fitter. The apartments were fine (we had a one bedroom one) and it was plenty big enough for our needs. The staff were all very friendly and helpful and very child orientated so that made the experience very relaxing.



My only cause for concern were the umbrella stands around the pool were set into the ground and were left exposed should an umbrella be removed which I feel could a potential danger for any parents with children that are not too steady on their feet. Also some of the paths and steps could do with better lighting, as they can be quite steep.



I would like to say that Thomas Cook both the airline and the reps on site were fantastic and have gone a long way to re-establishing my faith in package holidays.



Having said this I would go back.

The Louis Ayios Elias Village Apartments is situated just under a mile away from Protaras town centre but it’s a nice walk into town although I wouldn't recommend the walk back as its uphill and can be very trying especially for the elderly. Here is my opinion on the accommodation broken down.



Food & Drink; The food in the evening was excellent they seemed to have a different dish for each night of the week and also had chips, chicken nuggets, etc for the kids. I never had a breakfast there but my girlfriend did once and made sure she never went for another as she found it disgusting.



The snacks were pretty poor to as they don’t have much choice. The drinks were good they had all the local beers and the beer you get back home and plenty of cocktails to chose from, although be aware only the local beer, local spirits and cocktails are included in all inclusive.



Rooms; The room was pretty good, we had a one bedroomed apartment for me and my girlfriend and we had plenty of room. The rooms were tidy and had maid service 5 days a week and the other 2 days where the maids never come to clean they still come to empty bins and change towels & toilet rolls.



Entertainment; The entertainment was by far the worse I have ever seen on all the holidays I have been to, the entertainers tried there best so I cant blame them, they need to seriously look into this for next year to improve as the entertainment programme set by the managers was a complete shambles. As we was all inclusive we didn't want to have to go out of the hotel many nights as everything was paid for but we found ourselves out of the premises more than we was in them due to poor entertainment. All the other guests I spoke to agreed that it was very poor and they all said for that reason alone they will not be returning.



Staff; The staff here was excellent, they would always go out of there way to make you feel at ease with them. We got friendly with 2 staff members in particular that was a barmaid called Violleta and a waitress called Gorganna they were both from Bulgaria sent to Cyprus as part of a hotel management course they were studying back home.



We left on 8th September 2006 to come back home and the day before we left the hotel fired 16 members of staff as the hotel was virtually empty. What shocked me most was they sacked one of the barmen for being bald in front of everyone which was disgraceful.

First time in Cyprus and loved it. Protaras is great with its to do and the beach is very nice although I would avoid fig tree bay as it is very crowded and you cant get a sun bed. Protaras nightlife is good but if your looking for a wild night go to Ayia Napa . Sfinx bar is very good with lots of entertainment on different nights e.g.- Tina Turner on Tuesdays and Elton john on other days.



The music is excellent with all up to date songs. If your looking for a good dance head down to boogies disco just by sphinx bar it opens at 1 till 5 and plays old school, r n b and the latest dance songs, don’t go until about 2 ish though as it is quite empty until then. Definitely go to the red Indian restaurant it caters to everyone and the food and service is very good. Also, if you like Mexican food try the Mexican which is next to floras bar ... its very nice.



We stayed in the Ayios Elias in a 1 bed apartment, very nice although they are different from the pictures in the brochure. Maid service was good and overall the place was nice. You have to put towels out early on the sun beds as the pool area gets busy later on.



The only downside of the pool was that blue paint was coming off the edges of the pool onto your skin or lilo's which a few people complained about. Also, none of the staff clean around the pool area or put the sun beds back into place. The Ayios Elias is not good for old people as it is on a steep hill and most of the times we had to get a taxi back up the hill. You must take a visit to the Ayios Elias Church at the top of the hill but make sure you go in the night as it gets to hot to go up there in the day.



Overall we had an excellent holiday with excellent weather.

From the moment we arrived we realised it was exactly what we wanted. The layout of the complex was great. Certainly lived up to its claim of a 'village like atmosphere' with paths, gardens and bridges taking you on a route around the apartments.



We had a one bed roomed apartment for 2 adults and one child. There was plenty of space. The sofa bed for our son was in the lounge/ kitchen area. There was a separate bedroom and bathroom. 2 patio doors, one from the lounge area and one from bedroom, led onto a secluded balcony with beautiful flowers surrounding it. The air conditioning was separately controlled for the 2 rooms. Rooms were always cleaned well and whole complex was kept immaculate.



The food was excellent, plenty of choice and of good quality. Breakfast time was always the busiest, so we often went early to beat the queues.



The service was always excellent and the staff very welcoming and friendly.



The pool area was brilliant and we spent many lazy days there. My son (aged 6) loved the kids club and its many activities kept him amused during the 2 weeks. He even had chance to make his own pot during a pottery workshop.



We used the free bus to Fig Tree Bay on one occasion. It arrived on time to take us there but we didn't manage to find it coming back! The beach was beautiful but very busy, even avoiding the weekend as the rep had advised.



The hillside location meant you had to be prepared for a trek but the views from the complex were worth it. Most things that you need are onsite anyway. We spent most of the time either at the complex or on organised day trips with Thomson.



Can't think of any real downsides - perhaps that some of the facilities needed a bit of a revamp/update - e.g. pool tables/video games not always working right, paint on inside of pool flaking away, but otherwise a brilliant holiday and we would definitely go back.

This was the 2nd time that we had stayed at the Ayios Elias and it was just as good as the first time.



We had a 1 bed roomed downstairs apartment that was quite spacious and the maids kept it spotless - they even come to empty bins on days that there isn't a maid service which is twice a week. The surrounding area (gardens, paths etc) were kept clean and tidy and the gardeners even cut down the grapes that were growing above our terrace and left them in a bag for us on the patio table!



Paco the porter is a lovely guy and he never stops with his trolley full of luggage and leaflet deliveries.



Pubs and restaurants



Pubs - for a 'proper' pub with really lovely staff you can't beat Chris and his staff at Malmia, straight down the hill from Ayios Elias. They have all the sports channels. good pub grub. pool tables and Internet access. For a good fun pub try The Square where you will find one of the many Elvis's (this one's welsh and really funny). The Greenery serves really cheap draught and cocktails all night. Flintstones is okay if you have small kids but the drinks are a lot dearer in there, so beware.



For food you can't go past Astoria (towards the beach opposite ChiChi's Mexican). |They serve a fab steak on a wooden plate! Also high on the list are ChiChis, The Red Indian, the Greek family restaurant opposite this one (name escapes me) and Andama.



Word of warning - Don't go to the Water Park in Pernera/Protaras as it is not safe, get the bus to the one in Ayia Napa.



Have a nice holiday.

Room was very spacious and tidy, had a lovely big balcony swimming pool very clean, our two children loved the wild cats that roamed the grounds they don't pester you to much, breakfast was very good lot's of varying meals to have.



The nightly entertainment was a bit hit and miss but this was probably down to the time of year we went the beach was only a 15 min stroll down hill 20 min stroll back lots of things to do in Protaras the children enjoyed Flintstones pub you must go and see the evening show at dancing waters which is located in Eden square.



One word of advice do not use the cash point in Eden square we did and had our card copied found out when we got home to the tune of 700 euros luckily this was covered by our bank apart from that a wonderful holiday.