Other places in Limassol

Agios Athanasios Governors Beach Lania Limassol City Pissouri Villages

Wishing away winter

When you ask about winter destinations people often suggest Cyprus for its year-round sunshine and beautiful beaches.
Sitting on the balcony of my lovely room at the five-star Hawaii Grand in , sipping a coffee in the warm sun with the Mediterranean twinkling away in front of me I couldn't help feeling rather smug.

I might have spared a thought or two for those still in London - after a few text messages telling me how cold and wet it was there - but I soon slipped back into smugness.
And staying at the rather gorgeous Hawaii Grand merely added to my no-doubts irritating sense of wellbeing. The five-star hotel aims to please - and manager Demetris Tsangaras has passed his enthusiasm and professionalism onto his multi-cultural members of staff.
Every staff member I ran across went out of their way to ensure my stay was fantastic - little touches like a welcoming hot towel, a fruit basket, roses, complimentary bottle of Cypriot red and a fresh carnation on your freshly-made bed every day make all the difference in the world.
The buffet breakfasts were a lovely start to the day and as the hotel shop over the way sold English newspapers I had time to catch up on lots of day-old tabloid tales.
During the day I spent most of my time lolling on a comfortable sun-lounger in the shade of palm trees looking out over the gently rippling sea. There was so much I could be doing at the hotel - I could have lessons in water-skiing, jet-skiing, windsurfing or diving (and probably much more) but somehow I never seemed to get off the sun-lounger. It was just what I needed - a truly relaxing time with absolutely no need to do anything other than daydream, snooze, eat and read.
As I slipped towards total relaxation I met up with the manager for a drink and was very glad I did. He told me that the hotel was planning to introduce 16 new treatment rooms and 10 suites with Jacuzzis - for the many people who longed to escape the stresses of modern living.
To celebrate this I enjoyed a superb treatment, a Sanshui Aroma Spa aimed at pleasing all five senses, at the hotel's soon-to-be expanded Wellness Centre. It included a consultation to decide on which essential oils to use, a bamboo detox peeling massage, a shower treatment and another Vitarome body massage to restore the body's harmony.
Along with the soothing music, dim lights and lovely-smelling oils, the masseuse made sure it was a comforting environment.
In fact it was so comforting and relaxing I was virtually comatose at the end. I just had the energy to dress and then make it back to my room before falling into a deep sleep.
And so my days passed - but even a sluggard like me felt I had to make some effort to see a bit more of Cyprus so on midday Saturday I caught bus 30 from just out side the hotel to make the trek into - on the search for Cypriot food and a bit of culture.
The 40-minute bus ride emphasised just how entrenched British tourists and institutions are here - the route was lined with English and Irish-style pubs and restaurants. And if that wasn't enough, there are all kinds of chain restaurants like Pizza Express to choose from too.
I got off near to the Old Town, surely my best bet for finding Cypriot food and culture.
Once you're off the main drag you definitely find the culture with an ancient mosque, the Lemesos Castle and Cyprus Mediaeval Museum, oodles of little alleyways and bustling markets.
Standing on the castle's ramparts, I could imagine how the various defenders must have felt as they saw the enemies' sails approaching. It brought the island's vivid and often bloody history to life, as did the many weapons and suites of armour housed in the museum.
Away from the castle there is a lot of touristy tat on sale, but there are also gorgeous shops selling lace goods, silver and lots of local handicrafts.
There are some lovely restaurants around the castle - offering some traditional Cypriot (meze and fish) food.
However I made the mistake of wandering off through the streets - mesmerised by the amounts of tat on sale - and drawn in by the sheer kitschness of some of the goods, When I realised how hungry I was, I looked around and couldn't see anything but British-style pub grub and fast food. Luckily I spotted an entrance to a lovely little courtyard restaurant - with trees, a goldfish aquarium and an aviary of singing birds.
Sadly the closest thing I could find to typical Cypriot food was a grilled halloumi roll.
Laden with my purchases I made my way back to the Hawaii Grand on the slow-moving and extremely popular bus.
Just time for a stroll along the beach and out onto the pier to watch the sunset and then off to another glorious (and in typical Grand Hawaii tradition) Japanese teppanyaki-style dinner served outside.
So yes, Cyprus is an ideal destination to get away from the looming grey and rainy days and get some winter sun. Especially in a lovely, luxurious resort like the Hawaii Grand.
And nothing makes you enjoy the sunshine, sea and spa break more than knowing that everyone else is stressing out in a cold and rainy UK.

• Sky Holidays offers seven nights B&B accommodation at the five-star Hawaii Grand Hotel & Resort from £379pp. The prices are based on two sharing a standard room and includes return flights with Helios Airways and return taxi transfers. To book contact Sky Holidays on 0871 226 8704 or visit skyhols.com.

• For the Hawaii Grand Hotel & Resort visit hawaiigrand.com or call 00 357 2 5 634333.

Read more in our destination guide to Limassol.