Review: The Grand Resort, Five Star Luxury Resort in Limassol Cyprus

The Grand Resort is a five star resort located in the port city of Limassol on the island of Cyprus. The hotel was formerly known as the Hawaiian Grand, but the name changed following the resort's recent renovation. My family and I had the pleasure of visiting the lovely Mediterranean island, Cyprus and staying at the Grand hotel a few years ago. Here is my review of what you can expect at this five-star Cyprus resort.

Why Visit Cyprus?

The Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been a popular vacation destination for Europeans for many years. Cyprus remains a somewhat out of the way travel destination for most Americans though. Cyprus is known as the crossroads between Europe, Africa and the Middle East. I argue that it is a worthwhile vacation destination for those willing to make the long flight. Cyprus, which is also known as the "Island of Aphrodite" has a rich history and many ancient artifacts that are worth exploring. Highlights from our trip include visits to the Kolossi Castle, which was constructed in the 13^th century. We also visited the Kourion which is located between the Cyprus cities of Limassol and Paphos. The Kourion is one of the greatest archeological attractions on the island of Cyprus. This ancient amphitheatre and temple of Apollo perched on a hilltop overlooking the sea is one of the most fascinating sites I have ever visited. Besides great history, Cyprus has beautiful beaches and wonderful restaurants. The Southern Mediterranean climate makes Cyprus a desirable tourist destination from May through October.

What You Can Expect at the Grand Resort Limassol

The Grand Resort is a five star resort located in the Amathus area of Cyprus. The resort is nestled amongst several other five Star resorts, including Limassol's Le Meridien resort. Limassol's Grand Resort features 231 guest rooms. All rooms have large balconies, many of which provide views of the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. The rooms are large, and it was my experience that they are kept exceptionally clean, which is what you would expect at a five-star hotel. I liked the added touch of having a flower and chocolate placed in the room in the late afternoon, around the time we would return to prepare for dinner after spending the daylight hours lounging at the beach.

Amenities of Limassol's Grand Resort

The Grand Resort has all of the amenities that you would expect of a luxury five-star resort. There is a large free flowing pool, a children's pool with an adjacent playground area. Crest Diving and Water Sports has a location at the resort and offers kayak and jet ski rentals as well as parasailing, which was one of our favorite activities. They also offer beginner diving instruction which my two teenage sons loved. The Grand Resort has a lovely spa and fitness center, though we did not have the opportunity to try any of the spa services.

Dining Options at the Grand Resort

There are six different restaurants at the Grand Resort. They include the Anthea restaurant, which offers a daily breakfast buffet. The buffet is large and has something for everyone. Make sure to try the fried halloumi, the signature cheese of the island of Cyprus. When we stayed at the hotel the daily breakfast buffet was included with the price of our room. The other restaurant that we tried was the "Kyoshi teppan Yaki" which offered live theater Japanese cooking. The food was good and the service entertaining, but the feature we liked best was that we were able to dine outside. We found that there were more affordable and charming dining options if we ventured fifteen minutes into Limassol's "Old Town" where we could dine on the island's lovely signature mesas at one of the many outdoor cafes and restaurants.

Cyprus is a beautiful island to visit and the Grand Resort is a good hotel choice for those staying in the Limassol area of Cyprus. The Grand Resort is not cheap, by any stretch of the imagination, but it is less expensive than the neighboring Le Meriden Resort.