At a certain age, some kids see holidaying with their parents as hugely uncool. The key then becomes creating the type of holiday that they want – perhaps sacrificing the things you want too. At Amathus, a member of Leading Hotels of the World, no such sacrifices are made. This sprawling resort consists of close to 250 rooms and suites in a wide, semi-high-rise block built in the 70s, which means that rooms and suites are surprisingly large (square footage wasn’t such a premium in the early days of tourism here). It’s a place that’s packed with tween-pleasing entertainment, mostly concentrated around the beach, with its long list of watersports options nearby, and its inflatable overwater obstacle course, where they will lose hours, with padel and tennis courts an option too. If you feel comfortable with them venturing out, it’s a ten-minute taxi or bus to Limassol, where they can pick up souvenirs in the shops or have an ice cream – giving them some of the independence they crave.
Back at the hotel, young kids are extremely well looked after, too – with a kids club for those aged four and up, with soft play and vintage arcade games. When you’re not building sandcastles on the beach you may be leaving them to make friends at the kids pool with its splash pad and waterslides, with plenty of loungers for keeping one eye on the action. Clowns, magicians and jugglers are scattered across the resort for sweet and effort-free (from you) evening entertainment, but it’s worth booking a very affordable babysitter for the night you dine at one of the hotel’s restaurants, Limanaki, one of the best fish tavernas in town, and a place to linger long after the sun sets.
Address: Amathountos 75, Agios Tychon, Lemesos 4532, Cyprus
Price: Rooms from around £290 per night.
City of Dreams Mediterranean, Limassol
A bit of head scratching may go on when you first arrive at City of Dreams Mediterranean. This Las Vegas-style mega resort is also a casino. It’s big, garish and glitzy – potentially not a place you’d have chosen pre-kids. But you did have kids. And in Cyprus, if your kids aren’t the type to happily colour in for hours while you read on the beach, it’s hard to find a better spot for them (especially those aged eight or above).
There’s so much to do here that your biggest problem may be squeezing it all in (give yourself a week minimum to try). To start, there’s Kids City, for ages 4 to 12, with supervised indoor and outdoor play with outdoor crafts, face painting and treasure hunts. Then we get onto the more unusual stuff – a 5,000 square metre Adventure Park with family rope courses, a zipline coaster (the only one in Cyprus) and climbing walls (children will need to be at least 120cm tall to enjoy most elements). Elsewhere, there are 12 tennis courts plus tennis academy), an 18-hole mini golf course, a Game Zone with PlayStations and ping pong tables, Playtopia, the hotel’s very own soft play, and WaveRider Surf Simulator, to practice bodyboarding.
You’re a 10-minute drive from the beach, but with several pools to choose from (with slides and fountains too), plus Fasouria Watermania, the island’s largest waterpark just five minutes away, you may relegate the beach from your holiday itinerary. Happily, interior styling is not what you’d expect from a hotel with its own slot machines and roulette tables – the 500 rooms and suites are serene and stylish, with creams, navy and steel grey, and configurations that suit families of all ages. An underground spa, several adult-only restaurants and of course, that casino, provide plenty of fun for you, too.
Address: Nikou Kavvadia, Limassol, Lemesos 3150, Cyprus
Price: Rooms from £300 per night.