logo
I went to Vegas-like holiday resort in Europe with glamorous concierges, adventure parks & island's biggest pool complex

I went to Vegas-like holiday resort in Europe with glamorous concierges, adventure parks & island's biggest pool complex

The Irish Sun6 days ago
SLOT machines flash and jingle as I soak up the atmosphere at the City of Dreams Mediterranean in Cyprus.
This vast five-star resort features a super-casino, restaurants, bars entertainment and 500 hotel rooms — and is the first of its kind in Europe allowing guests to roll the dice after a dip in one of its many pools.
Advertisement
3
Test your surfing skills on the resort's Waverider
Credit: Supplied
3
This vast five-star resort features a super-casino, restaurants, bars entertainment and 500 hotel rooms
Credit: Supplied
Insiders tell me it's just the start of ambitions to transform the area into a hybrid of Miami and Vegas within the next five years.
If my two nights at the resort, near Limassol, were any indication, they are well on their way.
Stepping inside, I was struck by the obvious luxury — guests are welcomed into a grand marble lobby lined with designer shops.
Within seconds a glamorous concierge appears with a hot towel for your hands as a bellboy collects your bags.
Advertisement
READ MORE TRAVEL GUIDES
Moments later I was window shopping on my way to my suite, spotting Burberry, Gucci, and Dolce and Gabbana collections.
Decorated in pine tones, my room felt like my very own Nordic spa with a massive tub, separate shower room, and a huge bed with pillows I melted into.
The showstopper was the view from the balcony looking across the resort — the largest pool complex in Cyprus and a mecca for families and big kids like me.
As well as the sparkling multiple pools surrounded by palm trees for shade, water slides and rapids there's a dedicated adventure park that will keep even the fussiest child happy.
Advertisement
Most read in News Travel
It features an 18-hole miniature golf course, zip-line coaster, climbing wall, high ropes obstacle courses and a huge playground.
The resort's Kids' City is open every day from 10am to 8pm with supervised activities for four to 12-year-olds and by night there are movie and theatre evenings with free popcorn.
All the free activities Cyprus has to offer
For those seeking a different type of thrill there is of course the casino. While Mum and Dad enjoy a flutter, a gaming room offers snooker and retro arcade favourites like Pac-Man and table hockey. Large sofas face wall-mounted TVs with gaming consoles on hand to keep the teenagers busy.
A short drive away from the hotel are sandy beaches and the vibrant city of Limassol with its regenerated marina and lavish yachts bobbing in the waters.
Advertisement
Arming myself with a coffee from Paul bakery, I walked along a boulevard of chic cafes and restaurants you would see on any posh British high street — Jamie Oliver's, a Wagamama, and multiple Greek tavernas.
From there it's an easy stroll into the old town along cobbled streets that lead to Kolossi Castle.
In the Middle Ages, Cyprus was a target for Crusader campaigns to the Holy Land, and this 15th-century fortress is filled with treasures from the time.
Exhibits of ancient pottery, oil lamps and coins from Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman eras are on display in the great hall. I found myself marvelling at tombstones bearing intricate carvings of Crusader knights and ancient symbols.
Advertisement
In the belly of the castle is an even older underground chapel which is dark, windowless and quiet. It was here that King Richard I (Richard the Lionheart) married Berengaria of Navarre.
I felt time stop for a moment, and could picture the bride and groom standing next to the very stones of the ancient altar in this peaceful underground grotto.
Stunning frescoes
Amazingly you can taste the oldest wine in the world that was served at King Richard's wedding, called Commandaria, on a visit to the village of Agios Konstantinos.
The excursion can be arranged at the City of Dreams Mediterranean hotel's front desk. Another must-do trip is to the charming village of Omodos, in the heart of the Troodos Mountains.
Advertisement
Renowned for its traditional stone houses, Omodos is a picturesque spot and at its centre lies Timios Stavros Monastery, which dates back to the early 1800s.
The preserved Byzantine church is filled with wood carvings and stunning frescoes.
After a day spent exploring Cyprus's history, or enjoying the adrenalin rush of the casino, the City of Dreams Mediterranean's cave-like spa is the perfect spot to rest weary feet.
This was my favourite place and I could feel my muscles immediately relax in the sauna, before booking myself in for a massage.
Advertisement
With entertainment and relaxation options nailed down at the hotel, I couldn't wait for dinner at one of the four restaurants. As well as a buffet, there are three speciality restaurants serving French, Asian and Mediterranean cuisine.
3
Try your luck on the resort's banks of slot machines
Credit: Supplied
The Amber Dragon, sibling of a two-star Michelin venue in Macau, serves up sushi and sashimi, dim sum and stir-fried classics as well as the best BBQ roasted duck I'd ever tasted.
A chef prepared shreds of the mouthwatering bird in front of us as little baskets of pancakes and dishes of greens were laid out — I was in food heaven.
Advertisement
Next up were the divine Shanghai dumplings that melted into a little soup, while dessert was a golden dumpling treat that resembled an ice-cream Scotch egg.
Afterwards I headed to the casino's roulette table. I was hoping it was my lucky night!
GO: CYPRUS
GETTING/STAYING THERE:
Seven nights' B&B at the 5H City of Dreams Mediterranean is from £1,576pp including flights from Stansted, or £1,613pp with flights from Manchester as well as 22kg baggage, 10kg hand luggage and private transfers.
See
MORE INFO:
For details on the hotel, see
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Flights axed from top UK airport as European airline ditches popular route with 6 trips a week
Flights axed from top UK airport as European airline ditches popular route with 6 trips a week

The Irish Sun

time19 minutes ago

  • The Irish Sun

Flights axed from top UK airport as European airline ditches popular route with 6 trips a week

DIRECT flights between Birmingham and Brussels have been scrapped. 4 Direct flights between Birmingham and Brussels have been scrapped Credit: Alamy 4 Brussels Airlines will stop the service from October Credit: Alamy The airline has been operating six flights a week from A spokesperson for Brussels Airlines told Sun Travel: "As like many airlines, we constantly review our network. At the beginning of every season, some destinations might see higher frequencies and we might decrease capacity to some other markets . "In that light, we have indeed decided not to offer Birmingham anymore as of winter 25. "We remain active on other routes in the United Kingdom, such as Manchester (13 flights weekly) and London Heathrow (20 flights weekly) and Edinburgh." Read More on Summer Breaks The 70-minute route was Currently, Brussels Airlines is the only carrier connecting Birmingham directly with the Belgian capital. Going forward, travellers from Birmingham will have to fly to the likes of Another option is to depart from Birmingham to Most read in News Travel Around 820,000 British tourists visit Brussels every year, to see classic sights like the Grand Place and the Maison du Roi. There's tasty food to be tried there too like moules-frites (mussels and fries) as well as Belgian waffles and of course, Discover the Best of Brussels in 60 Seconds 4 Brussels is a popular city amongst British tourists Credit: Alamy Last year, another Consumer champions Factors included were food and drink, accommodation, cultural sights and attractions and value for money. An overall score was then worked out for each city, based on overall satisfaction and likeliness to recommend other people. Taking a train to Bruges from People surveyed praised Bruges for its chocolate shops and cafes, giving it four out of five stars for its food and drink. Plus, here's more on the And another 4 Brussels Airlines will no longer offer direct services between Brussels and Birmingham Credit: Alamy

Watch: Pierce Brosnan transforms into Brendan Ingle for Prince Naseem biopic
Watch: Pierce Brosnan transforms into Brendan Ingle for Prince Naseem biopic

Extra.ie​

time19 minutes ago

  • Extra.ie​

Watch: Pierce Brosnan transforms into Brendan Ingle for Prince Naseem biopic

The first trailer has been released for the biopic of former world featherweight champion 'Prince' Naseem Hamed, starring Pierce Brosnan and Amir El-Masry. Pierce portrays Dublin-born boxing trainer Brendan Ingle, while Amir takes on the role of Naseem 'Naz' Hamed himself. The film is executive produced by Sylvester Stallone and written and directed by Rowan Athale. Pierce Brosnan as Brendan Ingle and Amir El-Masry as Naseem Hamed in Giant. Pic: True Brit Entertainment The biopic follows the real-life story of Prince Naseem 'Naz' Hamed, a British-Yemeni boxer, and his journey from 'humble beginnings to becoming a world champion'. It also explores his training under Brendan Ingle who played a crucial role in his success. The synopsis reads: 'Charting his inspiring rags-to-riches underdog tale from his humble beginnings in Sheffield to becoming champion of the world and a global sporting icon in the 1990s, the film explores the unlikely and tender relationship between Naz and his Irish boxing trainer Brendan Ingle; and the instrumental role that Ingle played on his road to success.' Pierce Brosnan looks transformed in Giant. Pic: True Brit Entertainment Brendan was one of the Ireland boxing scene's most influential figures during a decorated career in which he trained four world champions, including Naz and Johnny Nelson. The trainer became renowned for getting young lives on the straight and narrow through discipline and fitness. Naseem Hamad and Brendan Ingle during a Press Conference in Dublin in 1996. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile Brendan passed away in 2018 at the age of 77 and the entire boxing world paid tribute to him. Naz said after his death: 'I can honestly say that if it were not for Brendan Ingle, I would not have achieved all I did in the sport of boxing.' Pierce Brosnan takes on the role of Brendan with a transformed look that rids him of his usual full head of hair and sports a pair of Brendan's iconic glasses. Life hits hard. Legends hit harder. Watch the new trailer for GIANT, based on the incredible true story of British sporting icon Prince Naseem Hamed and his trainer Brendan Ingle. Starring Pierce Brosnan and Amir El-Masry, from exec producer Sylvester Stallone. IN CINEMAS SOON. — Giant The Movie (@GiantTheMovie) July 23, 2025 The trailer also gives a first look – or listen – at the Dublin accent that Pierce adopted for the role. A release date is yet to be announced for the film but it is expected to arrive at the end of this year.

Strike action planned for the first weekend of summer holidays across Italian airports – it's set to cause chaos
Strike action planned for the first weekend of summer holidays across Italian airports – it's set to cause chaos

The Irish Sun

timean hour ago

  • The Irish Sun

Strike action planned for the first weekend of summer holidays across Italian airports – it's set to cause chaos

STRIKES across Italian airports are set to cause trouble for British holidaymakers travelling this weekend. Advertisement 4 There's a planned strike across Italian airports this weekend Credit: Alamy 4 Airport workers are set to strike across major terminals Credit: Alamy Lots of Brits will be ditching the UK for a break in sunny The This will impact passengers heading to major terminals at airports including Rome Fiumicino, The Assohandlers group, which represents baggage handlers at dozens of airports across Italy, is set to strike. Advertisement Read More on Holidays The company has Ryanair, While the planned strike is set to last just four hours, it will also have a ripple effect on later services too. To add to the disruption, staff at Spanish budget airline, Strike action in Italy earlier this month ended with 73 flights scheduled to depart from and arrive in the country being cancelled in a single day. Advertisement Most read in News Travel Exclusive The scrapped flights included services from Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate, Naples and Venice Marco Polo - affecting passengers travelling via Darina Kovacheva, Head of Legal at airline compensation specialist Popular Italian holiday hotspot bans walking barefoot, booze & picnics with rules-breaking tourists facing hefty fines 4 Workers for Spanish budget airline Volotea are also planning to strike Credit: Alamy She continued: "We highly recommend that passengers travelling to Italy this weekend monitor the status of their flight before travelling to the airport, as strikes like these can cause last minute cancellations." Advertisement For anyone flying with Volotea, Darina has said that certain passengers could be eligible for compensation if their flight is delayed or cancelled. She added: "Under EU Regulation 261/2004, when disruption to a passenger's journey is caused by an airline's own employees, such as the planned Volotea staff strike, passengers may be eligible for compensation." Several Italian airports have issued early warning on their websites and social media channels encouraging passengers to consider rescheduling flights. Advertisement There's already travel chaos for Brits who have been driving to the port of Dover and have been The RAC estimates that up to 13.9 million journeys could be made between July 21 and July 24. Here's more on Advertisement Flight compensation rules A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs. What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed? Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late. If you're flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight. You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven't used yet. So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded. But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline. When am I not entitled to compensation? The airline doesn't have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather. Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other 'extraordinary circumstances' are not eligible for compensation. Some airlines may stretch the definition of "extraordinary circumstances" but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled? If you can't claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you. Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer. Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof. If your flight is cancelled entirely, you're unlikely to be covered by your insurance. 4 Strikes are planned across Italian airports for this weekend Credit: Alamy

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store