Holidays on the Mediterranean island in the test

For you, my readers, I am always on the lookout for new exotic places. My current trip takes me to a remote place that is probably not at the top of your travel wish list. My flight with the excellent Lufthansa service brings me to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. According to legend, Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty and sensual desires, rose from the waters in this beautiful place.

When I arrive at the black sand beach of Limassol, the port city in the south, I first have to make sure: Have I really landed on the island of Cyprus or on the Black Sea? In any case, I don’t see Aphrodite, but I mostly meet Russian, Ukrainian and Romanian people. The real Greek compatriots of the island’s second largest city are obviously on vacation themselves.

The lively port city of Limassol is home to a magnificent, historic old town. In 1191 Richard the Lionheart crowned his wife Queen of England in the castle. Archaeological sites of ancient kingdoms are in the immediate vicinity of the city, while at the old port also architecturally modern buildings fit into the surroundings.

What will I find in the luxury hotel Amara: modern luxury or divine Greek hospitality? In any case, I’m really looking forward to the luxury of Cyprus.

My landing is bumpy and by that I don’t mean the flight landing. Do you know that? When the trip doesn’t start off smoothly, it’s hard to stay open-minded. A driver was supposed to chauffeur me to the hotel when I arrived. But my shuttle is not waiting at the gate or in front of the airport. Finally, I organize a taxi myself and after a 40-minute drive I reach the Amara Resort, which from the outside looks like a Four Seasons Hotel. Aphrodite would be delighted at the sight.

Check-in, the flagship of every hotel, is professional but sober. A hotel manager greets me politely and refers me to another member of staff. Nobody wants to know how I got there. This time I really had something to tell. A hotel employee accompanies me to my room, communication is extremely professional. But this one such important hospitable spark may not yet jump over, at least at the start.

Luxury for eternity: The Amara equipment has class

“Amara” is derived from the ancient Greek word “Amarantos” and means “forever”. The hotel concept therefore wants the Amara experience to remain in the memory of its guests forever. Well, it definitely is. There are only a few hotels in the world that have better overall equipment in their portfolio: two infinity pools and another with salty sea water invite me to swim every day. A spacious indoor pool is waiting in case it should get below 20 degrees outside.

A well-equipped fitness center and a very well-kept tennis court let every office manager jump into their sports shoes. The four restaurants delight in the evening with culinary delicacies from the region. The hotel’s own beach is very tidy. This cannot be taken for granted, outside of the resort I jog along much less pleasant stretches of beach.

My room is lovingly furnished and I enjoy my 180-degree panoramic view of the sea to the full. Incidentally, each of the 207 rooms has this view. When you choose a lodge, you have direct access to the manicured gardens and your own swimming pool on your doorstep.

In my room, too, I discover the gray-blue colors of the Cypriot landscape projected onto the interior design – a Mediterranean feeling should actually arise. You can tell from my reluctance that this time it is very difficult for me to get involved in the southern culture, despite the fabulous hardware.

Greek hospitality is even on vacation

When staying in a first-class luxury hotel, I wish that as a guest I would be spared the internal processes of the hotel. Everything is well organized at Amara. But there is also too much structure, namely when exceptions don’t stand a chance. I ask the concierge to organize a tennis lesson for me. His answer: “You have to book it at the spa.” I ask him if he can kindly do it for me. No he can’t.

The idea of ​​a “one-stop shop” existed as early as 20 years ago. This has apparently not yet penetrated the island. Shortly after my less pleasant phone call, the Greek gods hear me and send Ingrid to me by phone. I immediately notice a South African accent on the other side of the line. We are moving to Africa because I lived in Paarl, near Cape Town, for a long time. Ingrid is a pearl, the tennis court is booked quickly, as is a tennis instructor, everything is very straightforward. Why not like that right away?

Great locations, but service strictly according to the program in the restaurants

The breakfast buffet in the hotel is world class! Here I notice that several cultures live close together and share their cooking skills and recipes. In any case, the buffet is unparalleled. I only experienced this diverse selection in the same quality at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. I attribute the service chaos to the 100 percent occupancy. I am asked by three different waiters, but four times I don’t get any coffee.

My evening service encounter also diminishes my visit to the well-known Matsuhisa Limassol restaurant. I am familiar with the concept from the Mandarin Oriental in Munich, for example. The menu is great, as usual, and the ambience is excellent. That is, once you’ve found it. Not every employee seems to know the way to the restaurant.

My service odyssey continues. I go to the reception and ask a young Ukrainian lady for directions to the Matsushita restaurant. She offers to accompany me. We drive up to the second floor together, only to find that the restaurant is not here. So we end up back at reception after a ten minute stray.

After half an eternity of searching, I’m finally sitting under palm trees, the sea in front of me and the DJ next to me. It’s just a great evening location. I generously overlook the cats that wait patiently next to my seat and purr at me for food. Rather, I am also concerned with my service experience at Matsushita: The waiter asks me if I would like steamed rice with the main course. I order fried rice. I don’t get this, though, although rice and a wok are available. The guest naturally adapts to the restaurant! My waiter is not unfriendly, he remains professional at a distance and acts within his means. But service excellence offers the employees the freedom to act in the interests of the guest.

After all, I experience personal warmth at the end of my trip in the Plussea restaurant. You can recognize it immediately by the red umbrellas right by the sea. It is owned by the same owner as the Amara, but is run separately from the hotel. Restaurant manager Aggelos Sergiou exudes pure Greek hospitality. With his warmth, he creates a great guest experience. I would like to clone it and send it to the other restaurants. As a dish, I recommend the freshly caught mussels, which are deglazed with herbs and white wine.

Conclusion: on the way to world class

Luxury is more than great materials, fantastic pools and wonderful decorations. Luxury offers space and personality, pays long-term attention to resources and makes every guest feel welcome. In the end I did experience that, namely in the Plussea restaurant.

If the Amara, which could already be among the best in the world today, adds more personality to it, then as promised it will create an experience for the ages, and a thoroughly positive one at that. Processes and hardware are right. Only the warm hospitality and that little bit of Greek ease are missing.

About the author: As a former grand hotelier and operator of a travel platform, Carsten K. Rath is a globetrotter by profession. He travels to all the hotels he writes about for the Handelsblatt on his own account. Rath is the source of ideas for the new ranking “The 101 Best Hotels in Germany”, of which the Handelsblatt is one of the partners.

More: Slowing down with a mountain view: three urban hideaways for a golden autumn