Atlantica Sungarden Park

When we arrived at Atlantica Sungarden, we honestly thought we had been dropped off at the wrong hotel, as it didn’t look anything like the pictures we had seen on the website.

The room and accessibility

Our room was in a block to the side of the main entrance, with no lift. I went back to reception to ask whether we could be moved, as my husband struggles with stairs following a stroke. We were told there might be a possibility of moving us in a couple of days, but there was nothing available at the time with the same room type we had booked.

The room itself was nice and clean, but we were surprised to find a note left by housekeeping informing us that our room would not be cleaned at all on one particular day. I have stayed in many hotels and have never experienced this before. I can only assume it was the cleaner’s day off, but surely arrangements should be in place to cover this.

Food and staff – the highlights of our stay

The food was fantastic, with plenty of choice, always hot and regularly replenished. It was definitely one of the best aspects of the hotel.

The staff were some of the best we have ever encountered. Everyone was friendly, welcoming and helpful. A special mention must go to Abishek (Abi) in the à la carte restaurant, who was absolutely amazing. The food and service there were both excellent.

The reception staff also deserve a special mention. It was a friend’s birthday while we were staying, and they could not have been more helpful. They arranged a booking at the à la carte restaurant and organised a birthday cake to be brought to our table at the end of the meal, along with a bottle of champagne. It was a lovely touch and very much appreciated.

Pool towels – an unnecessarily complicated system

The pool towel system on arrival and departure is, quite frankly, a joke. You have to pay a €10 deposit for each towel, and collecting them involves the receptionist spending ages filling in a book and asking you to sign.

Returning the towels on your last day is just as time-consuming, as staff have to find your original entry in the book and then locate the envelope containing your deposit. It is a slow, old-fashioned process that could easily be made much simpler.

Pool bar and evening seating

The pool bar is very nice, and the staff there are great, but there isn’t really a particularly pleasant area to sit in during the evening.

We often ended up sitting in reception, where the furniture was extremely uncomfortable. The sofas were frequently occupied, leaving us with little round tables and hard chairs. For a hotel of this rating, the communal seating areas could certainly be made much more comfortable and inviting.

Evening entertainment and beach

The evening entertainment was dire during our stay. It seemed to consist of bingo or a singer who, unfortunately, wasn’t very good. There was very little to look forward to in the evenings.

The beach was also a disappointment. It was very rocky, and we found it virtually impossible to get into the sea because of all the rocks. If a lovely beach and easy access to the sea are important to you, this is worth bearing in mind.

Overall verdict

If you are looking for a relatively quiet, friendly hotel within easy reach of both Ayia Napa and Nissi Beach, Atlantica Sungarden may suit you.

However, we were three couples staying together, and all six of us were surprised that this hotel has a four-star rating. The wonderful staff and fantastic food were definite positives, but the room allocation, housekeeping arrangements, uncomfortable evening seating, poor entertainment and cumbersome towel system let it down.

We all agreed that, in our opinion, this was more of a three-star experience than a four-star hotel. There are some real positives here, particularly the staff and food, but the overall facilities and experience need improvement to justify the rating.

Just got back after a weeks holiday. We had the absolute best time and miss it already! The staff are so friendly and work SO hard. The entire hotel was spotless all day.

The food and drinks were great - think I sampled all the cocktails lol. I have a severe peanut allergy and its the first time I have been to an all inclusive where all allergens are displayed and I cannot explain how much this helps! First time I have ever had a dessert on holiday because I felt safe to do so. Also highly recommend booking the italain - really lovely food and again took lots of care with my allergy.

Our 2 year old loved the baby pool and the play area - kept her entertained the whole holiday.

We had a family room and it was gorgeous & a cot was provided quicky - the swim up rooms look really nice too!

Area itself is really nice - nice walks, beaches and restaurants/shops etc nearby.

Would definitely return 🥰 thank you for looking after us so well