Overlook, fora minute, the family-friendly fanfare surrounding this Mediterranean pile on the north-west coast of Cyprus: Anassa is so much more than somewhere to keep children happy. There are grown-up suppers to eat beneath lantern-lit olive trees, phenomenally firm massages in the comprehensive spa, clouds of heavily-scented lavender and jasmine in the gardens and thick rolled towels on the day beds. A perennial favourite for spring and autumn sunshine, the hotel recently underwent a gentle nip-and-tuck to the tune of seven figures, resulting in a smartening of the bedrooms, a refreshing of the communal areas and an opening of a boutique that gives Matches a run for its money.
Now the whole place is glowing. Sunlight bounces off the polished marble floors and bougainvillaea erupts from terracotta urns. Fling open the pale-blue shutters for stellar sea views of the gin-clear waters of the Aka mas National Park on one side and the bobbing marina of nearby Latchi on the other. Make no mistake, Anassa is big – the rolling lawns, the different levels of the pools, the winding path down to the wide scoop of pebbly beach – but it is well considered. Everything is muted and understated – a nautical striped chaise longue is as wild as the design gets – but a rotation of visiting artists means there is always something engaging on the walls.
