The Library Hotel Wellness Retreat in Cyprus - Review
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Here’s my full review of the Library Hotel Wellness Retreat in Kalavasos, Cyprus.
When I was invited to attend a wedding in Cyprus, I knew that I wanted to spend some time exploring the island and venture outside of the usual tourist hotspots.
After a bit of research I stumbled upon the The Library Hotel Wellness Retreat, which is located in the village of Kalavasos, just a short distance from Limassol. With its large library stocked with books, it’s easy to see where the hotel gets its name and I knew that I had to pay it a visit.
We arrived at the hotel for a two night stay after driving from Paphos airport, which took just over an hour.
I was instantly charmed when I arrived in Kalavasos. The village is small, with a cute town square that has a little shop and a few local tavernas. In the evening the residents close the main road that runs through the square and everyone dines outside, with a buzzing atmosphere.
The Library Hotel Wellness Retreat fits in perfectly, and has a rustic vibe with its baby blue doors and windows, gently weathered by the years gone by. It truly feels like a family run establishment that’s based out of a quaint old house in rural Cyprus.
After checking in, a member of staff showed us to our room, which was across a small courtyard and up a flight of stairs behind a small pool.
The rooms here are traditional in style, and I found ours to be clean and comfortable. The aircon was mercifully strong, with the added option of a ceiling fan, and I slept well on the firm mattress.
You can probably tell from these photos that the room did seem a little tired, and could do with a refresh. The furniture was extremely worn, to the point that the wardrobe door started to fall off when we opened it to use the safe.
I did however love the bathroom, which felt more modern and had an enormous jacuzzi bath. It’s hard to show in the photos just how huge it was, with plenty of room to properly stretch out and relax.
My favourite place in the hotel was the courtyard, which was the central point of the hotel and where breakfast was served each day. A canopy can be pulled across to protect diners from the scorching Cypriot sun, and an indoor dining area is also available.
I enjoyed two breakfasts here, where a small spread of hot and cold foods were on offer. It felt like a peaceful place to start my morning, reminding me briefly of the sprawling mansion in Encanto.
One of the hotel’s main amenities is the small swimming pool, which was just outside our door. Unfortunately this is a part of the property that has become quite run down, and it now looks shabby with a number of missing tiles. The sign next to the pool describes a whirlpool feature that appeared to be broken.
An odd quirk of the pool was that it tends to be occupied by a flock of birds for a large portion of the day. This is something that my partner and I found hilarious, and we enjoyed watching them from one of the sun beds close by.
Unfortunately, this has resulted in bird feathers floating in the pool, which we fished out before taking a refreshing dip.
The handbook provided in our room described a variety of wellness services including massages and treatments, but it was unclear whether this was current information and whether those services are still provided.
Food is also served in the restaurant in the evenings, but there wasn’t much information about this, and as we were only staying for two nights, we decided to eat in one of the tavernas in the village square.
Of course, I can’t complete this review without discussing the library, where the hotel gets its name. Although I only stayed for two days, this room didn’t appear to get much use, which made me wonder whether it makes more of a cosy retreat in the colder months.
This is an impressively large space for such an intimate hotel, with a wide range of titles lining the shelves. There’s plenty of seating, and if it wasn’t quite so hot, I could definitely have seen myself spending time in there.
How to find the Library Hotel Wellness Retreat
Located in Kalavasos, a small village close to Limassol, The Library Hotel Wellness Retreat is easiest to reach by car. I’d recommend hiring one and driving from either of the island’s two airports, which are almost an equal distance away and both take more than an hour.
We loved the location and spent some time exploring a nearby town, Lefkara, which specialises in the production of lace. We also stopped by a fantastic olive farm, Oliva Terra, which is just a short drive from the town.
The farm is free to enter with a fantastic viewing point and the opportunity to try lots of different olive oil products - don’t visit on a full stomach!
How much did we pay?
We stayed at the hotel for two nights in June, costing us a total of £223 for a suite (although I’m not 100% sure what the difference is between a suite and an ordinary room). That works out at £56 per person, per night.
This price included breakfast, which was served in the restaurant each morning.
Do I recommend staying at this hotel?
I’ve been quite critical of the Library Hotel Wellness Retreat, but I genuinely enjoyed my experience staying here. The staff were friendly and the overall feeling was charming. It felt like good value for the price, and the location was great for exploring the local area.
I do hope that The Library Hotel Wellness Retreat will receive a bit of a facelift in the years to come. It has so much potential and could be a truly magical place to visit.
Despite this, I did enjoy staying here and would recommend spending a few days at this hotel, particularly if you’re after a more traditional Cypriot experience. You’ll also love this hotel if you’re a book lover like me, and try to seek out literary experiences wherever you go!
You can book and compare prices on the Tripadvisor website here.
Alternatively, you can book a room on the booking.com website here.
Read more about Cyprus
My Full Review of the Queen’s Bay Hotel in Paphos
Where to Stay in Paphos - a Hotel Guide