Weds & Hons: Cyprus fam
Thursday, March 18, 2010 Eight agents had their fill of dream wedding venues on a lovey-dovey Planet Holidays fam trip to Cyprus last October. Here’s what they made of Aphrodite’s island. . .
 Maria Phillips - Future Travel homeworker, Dover“Cyprus is the best short-haul destination for weddings because of the choice of venues and the cost, which is competitive even at the four/five-star end. I liked all the venues we visited for one reason or another; there is somewhere special for all tastes and budgets. I’ve arranged weddings through Planet Holidays before, and made more bookings since we got back! The decked area at Olympic Lagoon Resort in Ayia Napa, with its pond and private pathway, is a picture perfect location for the ceremony that’s inexpensive but feels exclusive. The Royal Wedding package at the Athena complex is ideal for small weddings, although we don’t make any commission on this.” My favourite venue: The St Raphael Resort, Limassol, is best for couples with a family because it’s premium all-inclusive and the new rooms with bunk beds are great. I preferred the gazebo to the church for the ceremony, but I really liked the Sailor’s Rest as a reception venue. My least favourite venue: I thought the gazebo at the Amathus Beach Hotel in Paphos lacked privacy. Andy Tooth - Travel Counsellor, Stoke-on-Trent “The Planet Holidays ground staff gave me real peace of mind about booking weddings in the future as they were very professional. I will recommend the beaches at Ayia Napa and Protraras because they are within easy reach of Larnaca and Paphos airports. The location of the Asterias on Makrisos beach is amazing, but I did think it had a Butlins feel about it. The Annabelle was a highlight; it had plenty of genuine class.” My favourite venue: The Royal Wedding package at the Athena was pretty special in terms of location and providing intimacy. My least favourite venue: I didn’t like the closeness of other large properties at the Four Seasons in Limassol and, in my opinion, the venue looked like a glorified shed.  Melanie Salt - Gates Travel, Cumbria“My clients will be spoilt for choice when it comes to venues! The service at the Alexander the Great Beach Hotel was outstanding, and I loved the Olympic Lagoon venue. In some cases I loved the venue but not the hotel, but it was good to see some properties for clients who are unable to afford top-end.” My favourite venue: I loved everything about Nissi Beach Resort, Ayia Napa; the seafront restaurant, the gardens, the fantastic beach. I can also see some of my clients using the Paralimni restaurant in Protaras for their post-wedding meal. My least favourite venue: The picture of the gazebo at the Mediterranean Hotel is misleading, but the property does have bags of potential. Karen Hobbs - Travel Counsellor, Middlesex “I liked the location of the Coral Beach, Paphos. I also thought the pier at the Elias Beach Hotel in Limassol was a great venue; even though the hotel is not luxury it has a great feeling. The staff members at all the Kanika properties were really good.” My favourite venue: The Columbia Beach Resort in Pissouri was magical. My least favourite venue: Both the Four Seasons and Capo Bay were lovely hotels but there were too many properties nearby. Lorraine Doyle - TD Travel, Cheshire “I was happy I got to see the Almyra, Paphos, because I’ve booked a wedding there for next June. If budget was no problem, though it was certainly not the most expensive, I would book the Columbia Beach. Pissouri is a tiny resort so it has got a real traditional Greek-Cypriot feel and the hotel decor makes you feel as if you are stepping back in time. It was a shame the package at the Elysium was quite inflexible because it’s a real top-end property.” My favourite venue: The Columbia. Staff are excellent and it’s classy without being too expensive. My least favourite venue: The Mediterranean, but I would be interested to revisit when Planet Holidays has ironed out the issues we raised; in comparison to the other hoteliers they didn’t make the effort. Natalie Bennett - Off Broadway Travel, Welwyn “I was surprised how pleasant Protaras was, and the October weather was too good to be true, perfect for a wedding. It was useful seeing so many venues. Now I’m going to book normal holidays to the island with Planet Holidays, not just weddings.” My favourite venue: I loved the Columbia Beach. My least favourite venue: The Elysium in Paphos is a stunning hotel but I found it soulless and unwelcoming. I was disappointed with the registrar, in contrast to others in Protaras.  Julie Addy - Travel Experience, Huddersfield“I visited Paphos 12 years ago and found it unrecognisable. Limassol and Paphos are very built up. I’ve never sold weddings before but have no worries about doing so now, especially with Planet Holidays. All the venues have individual appeal to target different markets and budgets. For clients with a limited budget the all-inclusive package at the Cavo Maris Beach Hotel in Protaras is a good option. Clients often don’t think about it but I found the Four Seasons too busy, it can hold two weddings a day, so if I got married there I wouldn’t feel special.” My favourite venue: My favourite was the Columbia Beach, mainly for the location. The little village is not at all commercialised. It’s definitely one I’d go on holiday to. My least favourite venue: I could not name a bad venue. Maria Foxwell - Travel Counsellor, Bath “The Cyprus fam was so informative, and it was perfect staying in hotels that showed us different locations, star ratings, and food options. Getting to meet the registrars and wedding co-ordinators was brilliant because I got a better idea of how thing are planned in resort. I think that will help us work better together. I wouldn’t dream of booking a wedding to Cyprus with anyone but Planet Holidays – that would be like having fish without the chips!” My favourite venue: The Elias Beach Hotel has a beautiful private gazebo and the bride and groom can walk up to St Elias chapel for photographs. Nissi Beach also had a beautiful walkway and I liked the walled garden at Olympic Lagoon. My least favourite venue: I didn’t like anything about Ayia Napa town hall as a venue. |
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