Riu Cypria Bay Hotel - Paphos, Cyprus 

We have just returned from 1 week at the Cypria Bay Hotel. We are both in our 60's and have travelled extensively and this is our 5th different Riu Hotel. Why this is our 5th hotel is that we have always enjoyed our stay at Riu hotels and would go back to any of them - except this one! We will try not to make our comments personal, but will try and reflect the opinions of ourselves and others we met on holiday. The Cypria Bay is not a 4 star hotel, but is a modest middle of the road establishment. Saying that, if you are going on holiday or getting married there, you will have a reasonable time and you will be satisfied, but do not expect anything more. This hotel is satisfactory and average in every department. The rooms are comfortable and clean, the food is varied and well cooked, which should be expected in a Riu hotel. Although I would have expected when asking if the ham could be taken out of a ham and cheese sandwich before it was toasted could have been done with a polite smile rather than a surly 'not possible'. General maintenance is poor. One lift was out of order the whole week, internet was off line, the toilet seat in our room was broken and the sink did not drain. There was a lot of litter and not enough sunbeds (but several broken ones?) The area where the grounds met the beach was like a waste land. We attribute most of these problems to the staff, who were 'just doing their job' and nothing more. Rooms were obviously cleaned but not regularly inspected for faults. The animation team, with the exception of Craig, should be called the inanimate team. The bar staff, with the exception of Martha and Martin (at the pool bar) were pretty miserable and found it hard to smile or even say good morning or acknowledge you at all! The management team were very, very low key. As for entertainment - well it was Phoenix Nights without the humour. I hope someone from the Riu chain reads this and starts motivating the staff. More smiles and enthusiasm would go a long way to give the hotel a more vibrant and positive atmosphere and make it a memorable holiday for the guests. So we hope you enjoy your holiday, but do not expect the WOW factor because it is just not there.