An Absolute Gem – Totally Different from Others!

An adults' only hotel, a place full of charm, character and glamour!

Leaving behind the mountains I head to Larnaca for the very last 2 nights before my flight back home .

My choice this time is the Ciao Stelio, a luxurious new hotel, -I could easily call it "Larnaca's Diamond". Totally different from the other eleven I stayed at. 
 
A stay here could be the ideal choice for a midweek break or long weekend. 




 
LOCATION: 

This small luxury hotel is by the sea and at the popular McKenzie Beach area in Larnaca. 

 
I booked here for better proximity of the Airport. 

 
A bus stop is a few metres from the hotel and the fee is €1.50. I called a taxi though for €15.00 the morning I checked-out as it was raining and I was dropped to the Airport 5 minutes later. 
 

A fifteen to twenty minute maximum pleasant walk will take you off to Finikoudes hustle and bustle . 


 

CHECK-IN: 

Arriving late that afternoon I was greeted with the true warm Cypriot way of welcoming guests, by the professional staff. 

Check-in was smooth and swift. I simply had to fill in a form and sign it and in the meantime I sipped on a refreshing welcoming drink before heading to the room to unpack. 

 
STAFF/SERVICE: 

Attentive, discreet and multilingual. I experienced personalized service and true team spirit from the very little time I spent here. 

Both the reception and restaurant team were friendly and ready to help. 

An extra credit goes to the Operations Manager Gregoris who met me in the restaurant that first night to assure if everything was ok before leaving for his weekend off .
 
AMBIENCE: 

An artistic interior of style and luxury with colour explosions and eclectic décor mixes. 

The fine taste and glamour of the ground floor gives out a charm and a relaxing atmosphere.

 
In reality, one has to stay here preferably, or at least dine even for once so as to get the full atmosphere and character of this charming hotel. 

 
Words would fail me if I tried to add more …simply book and leave the rest to the professional team!
 

WI FI: Free and fast only in public areas.

 

ROOM: 

I had the front sea view room #205. Modern and pleasant interior, small in reality but for the two nights and being on my own it was ok. 

Besides, I arrived late afternoon the first day, unpacked and went straight to dinner, while the second day I was out most of the day . 

The time I was in the room though, I could at least relax and enjoy the view. I do believe that one of the two highlights of this specific room is the view anyway.

 
 
The double glazed floor to ceiling windows opened to a small balcony overlooking the beach. 

I attempted to leave the door wide open the first night to hear the sound of the sea but there was noise coming from the street below and the planes. 

It was amazing however how the noise was totally blocked out with the soundproof windows closed, so I did manage to get a good night’s sleep. 
 

It was fun watching the in-coming aircraft approaching from across the sea and flying extremely low over the water, heading towards the airport. 

With lights on it is indeed a fascinating sight that you scarcely come across elsewhere.

In the morning I would wake up early to watch the breathtaking sunrise over the gleaming sea .

Carried away commenting on the view, I missed mentioning the center piece king-size bed with the high quality all-cotton sheets and natural-fiber bedspread. 

It is true, the room was small, -the smallest of all 10 hotels I stayed during my month’s trip to Cyprus, but it was spotless and tastefully furnished and equipped with adequate storage, floor sensor lights, a table top counter with full length mirror and an electronic 'do not disturb/clean room sign. 

An electric kettle for tea or coffee was also provided.  

In general, rooms and suites are exceptionally designed with amenities of the highest standard. In my room there was a feeling of freshness throughout.

Complimentary treat, -a small platter of fruit, two small bottles of wine and bottled water which were highly appreciated.
 

 
BATHROOM: 

Top line at every aspect with chic fittings . Spacious and well lit with an elegant walk-in shower cubicle with its wooden floor for more stability and high pressure water. 

 
The fragrant towels were changed daily. Slippers of excellent quality are provided, bathrobes, a hairdryer and a complete set of toiletries for that extra pampering.



 
 
BREAKFAST: (7:00 – 10:30). The breakfast buffet was a joy –a feast of freshly baked breads and pastries, seasonal fruit and cereals and of course various sliced meats, cheeses and omeletes along with the finest coffee, tea and fresh juices. It was a joy having anything out here in the bright and classy ambience of the restaurant. The service was top notch.


 
TIP: Traditional English Tea is being served in the afternoons with pastries, freshly brewed coffee and a gourmet brunch on the weekends.


RESTAURANT: (18:30pm – 22:00hrs). The Enigma restaurant is dedicated to culinary excellence and Fine International Cuisine. 

In glamorous interior, dining here the first night was truly a gourmet delight. The a la carte restaurant is open from 12:00 -22:00.

 
SERVICE: Customer service was exceptional with professional attitude.




 MENU: (Set Menu choice) - €35 .00 pp.which is reasonable for
what you get!

Amuse-bouche: We had an elegant and flavoursome starter from the Chef Kyriakos Marinou to stimulate our appetite who brought it himself to the table. 

This was a combination of Prawn, Ceviche Salmon & Calamari Head, served on bed of Lemongrass, Kourkouma Gell & Medium Sweet Lemon sauce. 

Nicely presented and tempting! Marinos seemed well aware of food and beverage and helped us choose the pairing wines and he was never missing; he was there when we needed him, discreet and friendly.   

 
SOUP: We had the most delicious Beef Soup with Star Anise & croutons. Rich in texture with a sweet edge.

 
MAIN COURSE: Out of three main courses on the menu, I had the Milefeuile Sea Bass with Cilantro Sauce Red Pumkin Ragout. This was served with Seasonal veggies and Amandine Potatoes. Not only the presentation was impressive but the taste was exquisite too. 
 Another dish for 'meat lovers’ worth trying is the Rack of Lamb . I had a few bites out of curiosity, -the dish my sister had. It was delicious, and nicely presented. The racks had deeply browned exterior and perfectly rosy interiors. The gin flavoring from the berries had a slightly turpentine-like finish and it was super yummy! Portions of both dishes were satisfying big.
 
The third dish was Penne Pasta with Mushroom with a tempting sauce of Six Cheese Sauce.

 
BEVERAGE: We paired our dinner choice with a Rose Lambrusco, a Red Cabernet and a Tsagarides Dry White. (Each at €5.00 per glass) The list encompasses Cypriot and European quality wines.


 
 
DESSERT: The Lava Cake is by now almost a de riqueur inclusion on high-end restaurant dessert menus. 

The presentation was truly artistic, while the cake’s centre was still runny and a bit warm with great taste and texture and we both loved it. It was accompanied by Vanilla Ice cream.     


To sum up, the hotel combines perfectly, warm hospitality with understated luxury . 

I experienced an unparalleled level of excellent service and I cannot think of a single fault that failed to impress. The Ciao Stelio excels at glamour by far compared to other hotels in Larnaca. 
As for the restaurant, -the classy atmosphere makes it the perfect place for an intimate fine dinner or business dining. From the style and ambience, to the delivery of unparalleled service and dedication to detail, every ‘Enigma Dining Experience’ is one to be remembered.