top of page

Hotel Review: City of Dreams Mediterranean

  • Writer: Emma Elms
    Emma Elms
  • Apr 1
  • 5 min read


Whether you’re looking to relax in the peaceful spa, swim in one of the resort’s five pools, indulge in one of the four restaurants or enjoy the thrill of the large casino, the City of Dreams Mediterranean in Cyprus, which opened in 2023, has something for every luxury-seeking traveller.


The hotel is so vast and well-equipped that there’s enough to keep you entertained and pampered all week. As well as the island’s largest pool complex (open early April-late October), the resort boasts a 5km adventure park with zip lines, rope climbing courses, a trampoline zone, a tennis academy and, if you love surfing, there’s even a waverider you can train on.


But if you do fancy a change of scene, the city of Limassol is a five-minute drive away. Head for the marina or the lively castle area. Packed with restaurants and bars, it’s worth a wander.


Here Emma Elms reviews the resort and surrounding area…


The Hotel

Pulling up outside the City of Dreams, we were greeted by a friendly doorman, who made us feel instantly at home. Upon entering the lobby, I was struck by the sheer scale of the hotel and the lavish gold interior.


Well, hello…


I think I am going to like it here.



The welcome here goes way beyond the reception team, though. In my junior suite, I found a large brightly coloured fruit platter – the array of bright pink dragon fruit, pineapple, melon, kiwi and passionfruit was just what I fancied to freshen up after a day of travel. 


The City of Dreams is far more than just a hotel; it’s also a major concert venue and hosts music awards, weddings, lavish shows and big-name international DJs. Guest performers include stars from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Greece.


Back in my room, there were small touches that I appreciated, such as the citrus toiletry range in the bathrooms and the choice of eight different complementary snacks tucked away in a drawer, including pistachios, cashews and more.


If you can tear yourself away, in summer, the hotel has a shuttle bus to Lady’s Mile beach, which has warm shallow waters ideal for swimming. 


Renu Spa & Fitness



The spa and gym area are elegantly designed, with a light and spacious circular pool and jacuzzi surrounded by sun loungers. The pool is overlooked by a large gym, which my companions enjoyed while I took it easy in the sauna, steam room and cold plunge pool, all housed in a separate women’s changing area, giving me complete privacy. 


I had an amazing ‘Well-Living’ 55-minute massage – so relaxing that I drifted off to sleep. When my therapist gently woke me, she steered me towards a darkened chill-out room, where I was able to stretch out on a day bed and read my book.


Food and Drink

The first thing I noticed about all four restaurants was how attentive the service was, without being intrusive. Amber Dragon, a formal Pan-Asian restaurant fusing Japanese and Chinese fine cuisine stood out the most for me. Inspired by the Michelin-starred Jade Dragon restaurant at the hotel’s sister resort in Macau, China, the open-plan cooking area gave the restaurant a lively, but intimate feel and the sushi bar had a mouth-watering array of dishes on display. 


As a vegetarian, I chose zucchini and basil dumplings, vegetable spring rolls and stir-fried eggplant, but my companions shared a banquet of dishes and enthused over the duck in particular, cooked in the wood-fired Peking duck oven.



We also enjoyed an incredible spread of traditional Cypriot food at the more casual Aura restaurant for lunch, including Greek salad, fresh burrata with divine tomatoes picked from the hotel’s garden and a mezze of crispy salad and dips, with delicious warm rolls on the side.


The French restaurant Anaïs offers classic French food to the gentle background sound of a live DJ on Saturday nights, giving it a younger vibe. The adjoining terrace area houses high-profile DJs in the summer and can host around 2,000 people. 


The restaurant focuses on meat and seafood, but I chose spinach and artichoke salad for my starter, truffle and wild mushroom coquillettes (mini macaroni) for my main and a delicious elaborate dessert of raspberry mille-feuilles, with layers of fruit, cream and puff pastry.



The cocktail menu, with a good choice of mocktails too, was also to die for.


My companions loved the Prime Steakhouse and voted it the hotel’s best restaurant, but being veggie, what really got me excited was the elaborate breakfast buffet. Whether you want a full cooked English, or a lighter Mediterranean-style breakfast with halloumi, pitta, olives etc or muesli with a choice of over 20 toppings, every taste was catered for.


Families


The City of Dreams prides itself on being child-friendly. Kid’s City provides top-quality on-site childcare in an immaculate separate building filled with toys. With long opening hours, from 10am-8pm, Monday-Friday, and 10am-10pm Saturday and Sunday, no advance booking is required so you can book ad hoc, allowing complete flexibility. 


The 5km adventure park will keep the whole family entertained too with eight different attractions including ziplines, a climbing wall, trampolines, rope courses and an 18-hole miniature golf course.




Shopping

The imposing ‘retail street’ in the hotel features brands including Cartier and Zenith watches, Swarovski jewellery and more, with a Movenpick ice-cream bar for treats. For more affordable high street options, My Mall is only a 10-minute walk away with over 200 brand outlets. 


Things to do nearby


The beautiful and traditional Cypriot village of Omodos can be found in the Troodos Mountains. With its narrow, winding, cobbled streets, the oldest monastery in Cyprus (the Timios Stavros Monastery) and the picturesque village square, it feels rich in history and was a pleasure to explore on foot. Day trips with a private driver can be easily booked via the hotel’s reception and they can also arrange mountain-biking, if you’re feeling adventurous.


If you’re looking for a little souvenir, you’ll find plenty of shops selling the famous Cypriot lace, a skill passed down through the generations. The Omodos Centre for the Preservation of Lace was opened in 2004 to ensure the craft continues. 


Omodos is famous for its wine too and we lunched at Katoi restaurant, hidden away down a narrow street and housed in one of the village’s oldest buildings. We were served an impressive array of dishes. Particular stand-outs for me were the Cypriot aubergine and cheese lasagne, the crispy, chargrilled halloumi cheese and the flavoursome humus.


On our way to Omodos, we also visited the Ancient Kourion Amphitheatre which is still used for performances today and has spectacular views over the sea. 


With a hotel complex as vast and comprehensive as this, I don’t think you would want to drag yourself away for longer than a day or two, though. After a week, I left the resort feeling refreshed and thoroughly pampered.


To book City of Dreams Mediterranean, click here. https://www.cityofdreamsmed.com.cy


Comments


For all enquiries, please contact:
contact@thelifeofluxury.co.uk
bottom of page