We chose this hotel in Larnaca based on a few key factors.
First and foremost, we needed a hotel that allowed payment on arrival without a prepayment, since prepaying for a hotel now is just too unpredictable.Secondly, we were looking for a hotel in a lower price category, but with great reviews.And thirdly, we wanted a hotel with a pool. For Cyprus, having a pool in a hotel is more of a nice-to-have than a must-have – many people don't need it, especially when you've got the sea right there. But for my husband, a pool was non-negotiable.
View of the old hotel buildingSo, Sea N Lake View ticked all our boxes. The only thing that raised some concerns was the complete lack of communication from the hotel. I'm used to hotels responding to customer queries, especially when there were changes to our booking – we initially booked a room for three, then needed to add another person, and then another. Without any communication from the hotel, it was a real challenge. In the end, we booked two rooms – one for my husband, me, and our youngest daughter, and another for our two adult sons. By that point, there were no other options left.
Our room – the one with the brown doorWe arrived late in the evening and walked to the hotel – it took us about 40 minutes. At the reception, we were greeted by an elderly lady who showed us to our room, which was a blessing since we only had hand luggage. Our room was located in the old building and had a separate entrance. Our sons' room was in the new building with a lift. To be honest, I preferred ours – it was way more interesting.
Patio table under an awningI loved sitting on the patio area under the awning, sipping coffee or just relaxing. The old hotel building is made up of a few two- or three-story white cottages in a Greek style, with doors and shutters in different colors. In front of the door, there's a little open patio area where you can sit under the awning, have a coffee, or just chill.
Key to the roomThe heavy key fob on the key was used to turn on the electricity in the room.
Our room was a two-story affair. On the ground floor, there was a bed, a sofa, and a kitchen. Above the bed, there was a small TV with 17 channels – all in Greek, unfortunately. There was no aircon, but a big ceiling fan kept the place cool.
The kitchen was well-equipped with a tiny fridge, a microwave, a toaster, a kettle, and an induction stove. The crockery was a bit of a mixed bag – some for cooking, some for eating. We found everything we needed, though. Under the stairs leading up to the second floor, there was a clothes dryer.
The stairs up to the second floor were pretty steep. On the second floor, there was a bedroom and a combined bathroom.
I was a bit surprised by the single beds in the room – they were a bit flimsy, but the mattresses and pillows were super comfy. The air conditioner in the bedroom worked pretty well, and I could even feel its effects on the first floor.
The bedroom had a few more pieces of furniture, including a dresser, a nightstand, and a closet. No safe, but that wasn't a problem for us. We had some expensive electronics and a decent amount of cash with us, and everything stayed safe and sound. One thing that caught us off guard was the hotel's use of European-style outlets, but they didn't provide any adapters, so we had to buy some.
The bathroom was definitely due for a cleaning, but it was clean.
The sink was tucked away in a niche behind the doorI actually had to look twice to find the sink – it was hidden behind the door, and you had to close the door to get to it. The only toiletries provided in the bathroom were soap.
The room was cleaned every morning, but we usually just asked them to take out the trash. They changed our towels as needed, and our sheets once a week.
Pool view and new buildingI was a bit skeptical about the pool at first, but it turned out to be a real gem. It's a small pool with a maximum depth of 140 cm, but it's spotlessly clean and warm. The temperature was a scorching 38 degrees Celsius during our stay, so it was amazing to dive into the pool after a long walk. I ended up spending a lot of time in the pool, especially after a dip in the ocean. My husband, on the other hand, was a bit too relaxed and spent most of his time lounging around the pool, which was always well-stocked with sunbeds.
There's a shower right next to the pool, which we used before and after swimming. The water's chlorinated, so it's a good idea to rinse off before getting back into the pool.
The hotel is within walking distance to the MacKenzie Beach, which takes around 10 minutes. The nearest restaurant is also a 10-minute walk away, while the supermarket is about 20 minutes away. To be honest, the area around the hotel is still a bit underdeveloped, with many new buildings still being constructed. We ended up buying most of our groceries and cooking in our room, but we did enjoy having breakfast in the hotel bar.
The hotel's breakfast menu offers two options: continental and English. They're simple but delicious.
Continental breakfastI opted for the continental breakfast with my daughter, as it's a bit lighter.
English breakfastMy husband and sons, on the other hand, went for the English breakfast, which was a bit too rich for my taste.
The hotel bar was a lifesaver – we ended up eating there for most of the day, despite the prices being a bit steep. We'd order pizzas, cocktails, or slices of cheesecake with ice cream every now and then.
Our week in Cyprus flew by in what felt like an instant. We had zero regrets about choosing this hotel and left with some amazing memories.