Olympic Lagoon Resort – Ayia Napa

This was our daughter’s choice for her wedding, and we wouldn’t have booked the resort ourselves. We found it claustrophobic, and even the adults-only areas weren’t peaceful. There were lots of drunk adults and they weren’t dealt with appropriately. For such an expensive stay, we expected more adult attractions. The buffet food was consistently poor, below average and always cold. We struggled to get into any of the restaurants to find decent food. When we asked reception for fresh milk, they told us we had to buy it from the shop. Given that it was all-inclusive, we were disgusted. The only positive for us was the grounds staff. We definitely wouldn’t return, and we’re extremely disappointed.

We were there from 26th March to 2nd April, booked directly with the hotel. The resort grounds are lush and tropical, and Nissa beach is an easy walk away. Our room was spacious, with a good shower, lovely-smelling toiletries, power and USB sockets, and a quality coffee machine that was great for a sunny balcony coffee before breakfast. The food was good, and the breakfast, lunch and dinner hours worked well. If we missed a meal, the snack building by the pools had a surprisingly broad choice of food and drinks. My daughter was happy with the kids club activities, and it was handy to be able to use it as much or as little as we wanted. Staff were friendly and attentive throughout. The main letdown was the Wi-Fi. It was patchy for six of our seven days. Reception said at checkout that a fault had been fixed, so hopefully it was a one-off. Also, only two restaurants were open when we arrived, and the bookable restaurants didn't start taking bookings until around 31st March. That should be made clear at booking, especially for a family like ours who love food and don't drink. Still, it was a lovely setting and a really good resort.

The pool areas were spotless, and we all loved drifting around the lazy river with music playing. The staff everywhere, from reception and the bar to the waiting and housekeeping teams, were cheerful, polite and so friendly. Mahdy at the bar looked after us brilliantly, with such lovely manners. Jurij, whose name I may not have spelled right, was also a wonderful welcome at the front desk and always greeted us when he saw us. The entertainment team were first class. They worked hard all day, then sang, danced and acted in a great show every night. We especially enjoyed the food at The Greats and Pan Asian. Our one bad meal was at the rock and roll restaurant: my husband's food had to go back twice because it wasn't cooked properly, and by the time he got an alternative, the rest of us had finished eating. We had the best holiday and will absolutely come back. Thanks to all the staff who made it even better.

We had a really good week in the fisherman's village, and the staff there were fantastic. Yevon in particular couldn't do enough for us. We also had lunch at the annex by the beach, a short distance away, and the Barlad and the waitress there gave great service and were lovely to chat with. They spoke highly of the management. The themed restaurants were really good, though you need to book ahead. I wasn't impressed with the buffet restaurant, apart from breakfast, especially if you choose the alacart menu. We've seen reviews going back over six months mentioning cold food, and it's true. The bacon in the morning was like leather. Hot plates would help, since by the time you get back to the table, everything is stone cold. There were lots of cats around, and diners were feeding them. The cats are there for a reason, not to be fed by restaurant visitors. Even with that, we had a very good time and wouldn't mind staying there again.