GREECE & CYPRUS WHAT’S NEW? DESTINATIONS In with


Laura French finds out what’s new in old eastern Med favourites


@laurafrench121 N


ew year, new you (or not, as the case may be), but


even if your own makeover isn’t going to plan, you needn’t go without something new to get excited about. The travel industry is fit to


bursting with new hotels, new attractions, new flight routes – you name it – and this year, perennial favourites Greece and Cyprus will be no exception. From highly-anticipated openings and all-out renovations to new tours and family attractions, there’s plenty to look out for in the region over the year ahead, so wise up with our guide to some of the biggest launches,


and use them to sell these ever-popular destinations to first- time or 50th-time visitors alike.


w CYPRIOT STARTERS Among Cyprus’s most hotly-anticipated openings this year is the 274-room Parklane Resort & Spa. Set amid 25 acres of landscaped park and scheduled to open in Limassol in March on the site of the former Le Meridien Hotel, it’s going all out with a floating restaurant which will feature private dining ‘islands’, alongside an enormous spa, three swimming pools, cabanas, seven restaurants, four bars, a nightclub and a


Columbia Beach Resort 18 January 2018 travelweekly.co.uk 75


the new


300-metre volcanic sand beach. In case that’s not quite enough,


there’ll also be a pirate-themed children’s park with waterslides, and a teens’ area featuring a games room, basketball courts and bowling. “It’s my big recommendation


for 2018,” says Lauren Ross, product and commercial manager for Europe at Simply Luxury by Travel 2. “It benefits from a peaceful location while still being close enough to town for those who want to explore, and is a great choice for families.” Elsewhere, Louis Hotels will be opening Paphos Breeze in May, a four-star-plus ultra-all-


inclusive property featuring an extensive spa alongside a dedicated wedding gazebo, two outdoor pools, and 144 suites and studios, with a focus on ‘culinary creativity’ and minimalist, contemporary design. Set in the Chloraka area to the north of Paphos town and overlooking the Med, it’s a stone’s throw from the beach and aims to cater to children as well as adults with a kids’ club, pool and plenty more. Meanwhile, in Larnaca the


island’s first Radisson Blu – 15 minutes’ drive from the airport – will be opening for the summer, to be followed by a second Radisson Blu property in 2019.


TOP TIP Shearings Holidays


now offers Cyprus by air year-round, with flexible durations, room types and departures


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96