Rose Garden Villa, Peristerona, Polis Chrysochous

We arrived late but the first the that hits you is the charm of the garden and just how clean it is inside. While there is an authentic traditional style all of the appliances are new and work fantastic. Our stay was for two weeks and most nights we slept for between 9 and ten hours. Polis is a short journey in the car which we would recommend you hire from the airport for an easy transfer. Polis beach is close by and while there's a bar and sun loungers we had a very short walk to the right along the beach to a quiet spot with bamboo to shade if like me you need a break from the heat. John came every few days to keep the garden and pool looking good and often bought fruit and local treats. He's a true gentleman and will help or advise with any questions. We really enjoyed our stay.

If you are the more adventurous sort wanting to get off the tourist trail and find a flavour of the real Cyprus rather than just a sun-soaked holiday, there may be no better place to start than John and Angela Kountouriotis's delightful house, Rose Garden Villa, in the hill top village of Peristerona. The village is a 50 minute drive from Paphos Airport and a 7 kilometre drive to the coastal town of Polis where there is an excellent supermarket, fuel stations and many places to eat. John and Angela spend the warm holiday months living on some land outside Peristerona village. They are a delightful couple and extremely eager to please their guests. Nothing is too much trouble and you can have as much contact with them as you wish. It is a good way of learning a lot about Cyprus in a very short time. Our objective was to mix times of relaxation at the villa, garden and pool with expeditions by car to explore the western part of Cyprus. The garden has many places to sit during the day and it is very well lit at night so that you can use the gas BBQ facilities and have you meals outside. There are many places of interest within driving distance and we recommend that you research these in advance. A trip into the Troodos mountains is not to be missed and the road up through Peristerona is one route to reach them. Monasteries and wineries feature significantly throughout this region and there are delightful villages to explore and some stunning views. Rose Garden Villa is very well and thoughtfully equipped and very easy to manage. If you like eating out, however, Polis is the nearest place to go to for a wide selection of restaurants and we very much enjoyed the Herb Garden Restaurant which was excellent value at €20 per head. Nearer at hand is the Watermill / Neromylos Cafe in the village of Steni where you will get a warm welcome and good wholesome home cooking for €16 per head including drinks. If large sandy beaches and a vibrant nightlife are your thing for holidays, Peristerona and probably Western Cyprus generally isn't the place for you. The September and October climate however, is perfect and Rose Garden Villa will definitely not disappoint you and is a lovely relaxing oasis.