The sun was high in the sky, I clambered on to my sun lounger and closed my eyes. The warmth washed over me, London stress momentarily left far behind. Then an almighty splash. My eight-year-old had jumped into the infinity pool and completely soaked me. It was hard not to laugh.
Five hours earlier we boarded our flight from London and escaped to sunny Cyprus.
We had booked a house at the exclusive Aphrodite Hills Resort booking through Jet2Villas.
Set high above the Mediterranean coastline, just 20 minutes from Paphos, the five-star resort offers an effortless family-friendly break with private pool, kids’ club and more on-site restaurants and activities than you can shake a stick at.
I even invited my parents to come and stay with us – safe in the knowledge that they could spend quality time with their grandchildren while my wife and I escaped for a few precious hours to ourselves.
The exclusive elite villa at Aphrodite Hills that was our home for a week
The kids spent days splashing about in the infinity pool
Views over the Mediterranean from Cyprus’ southern coast
Escape the heat and relax in the shade on the outdoor sofas
There are approximately 150 villas available to rent on the property
The open plan living space and modern stylings
Jet2 had not stopped running flights to Cyprus despite the situation in Iran – so we felt safe to go, bagging a last-minute bargain and enjoying the quieter beaches that the season would not normally afford. We did not regret it.
Our base was a beautifully designed villa, tucked into the hillside just a short walk from the resort’s spa, golf course, tennis and padel courts.
Inside, the villa struck a balance between contemporary comfort and Mediterranean ease: cool stone floors, open-plan spaces and shaded terraces.
Our week was simple. Mornings spent lounging by the pool, long lunches and trips to nearby beaches – including Aphrodite’s rock, the birthplace of the goddess. So the legend goes: swimming around the rock three times brings eternal youth, beauty, and love.
Orange, lemon and olive trees grow in the gardens and on the golf course. Every day I begged with my little ones not to pick the oranges. Every single day they refused to listen. The result? Freshly squeezed orange juice on tap.
We loved the villa. It felt private without being remote – the spa, shops, and restaurants all a few minutes’ stroll. And we had access to the hotel’s indoor pool and outdoor pool.
The resort staff could not have been more helpful and they doted on the kids. We were immediately set up on WhatsApp and everything ran through that.
Gone were the morning walks to reception to book tennis courts or dinner reservations. The staff sorted everything from local advice, booking horse-riding for our five-year-old and a round of golf on the championship PGA National Cyprus for me.
The beautiful PGA National Cyprus golf course
The championship course meanders around the resort
The course is not for the faint-hearted with bunkers aplenty and shots over the canyon
Carved into the dramatic landscape, the course combines immaculate fairways with sweeping views over the sea, making a challenging round feel like a privilege.
It had it all: rolling hills, natural ravines, elevated tees and incredible scenery in every direction.
Average golfers beware. There are several daunting shots across the canyon, including a full 240-yard carry on the 3rd. I watched with a sad acceptance as my ball pathetically failed to stay up and disappeared deep into the gorge below.
After two failed attempts, I trudged off the tee, red-faced and cursing. My brother howled at my failure.
The course meanders around the resort like a river. Infinity pools line the 8th fairway and the par five 18th, with water lurking by the green, provides a stunning finish in front of the clubhouse.
There is also a beautiful par 3 six-hole academy course which is great for children, beginners and anyone intimidated by the championship course. Clearly I should have stuck to that.
While I was off gallivanting, the children spent the day at the free kids club. I’d felt guilty leaving them (within reason) but they loved it, playing in the splash pools, giant sand-pits, and doing creative workshops.
Swimming pools are dotted around the resort and the hotel also offers heated pools
Kids enjoying the splash pool (file photo)
There are an array of restaurants on-site including a kids-themed ice cream parlour
The restaurants offer elegance and are also family-friendly
One of Aphrodite Hills’ main draws is the kids football summer camps. Hosted by ex-Premier League players, the likes of Emile Heskey, Louis Saha, Wes Brown and Jermaine Pennant are all leading coaching camps this summer for children aged 5-16.
There are also tennis camps – four clay and five hard courts – and padel is exploding with pristine new courts popping up.
In the evenings we combined eating by the pool and trying out the array of restaurants – including Italian, Indian and an American-style bar (and of course an ocean of traditional Greek-Cypriot dining options). Our favourite was Pithari, where the kids ran amok and we tucked into giant plates of chicken and pork souvlaki and grilled halloumi.
The girls loved the spa and the kids chased wild cats around the resort – there are more cats than people in Cyprus – and begged to go to the cat feeding station.
In the evenings, while the kids splashed about, we nursed wine and local beers and drank in the last rays of the light on the Mediterranean.
We will definitely be back.
TRAVEL FACTS
The Aphrodite Hills resort can be booked through Jet2Villas, who also handle return flights with Jet2.com. A Jet2Villas package starts from £624 for one-bedroom apartments, based on seven nights self-catering, departing from London Stansted; 22kg baggage allowance and car hire included.
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