My usual report format is to try to include as much detail as possible, but know that some people just want a recommendation so I have put this first. Domniki is a perfectly adequate 3* apartment block in an excellent location on the beach and near the centre of town. It is a bit basic, but has everything you need for a good holiday. Domniki is family run and friendly. What lets it down is the ludicrously expensive air conditioning and below average food. If you are prepared to pay the air-con premium and eat elsewhere then you wont go far wrong. We stayed in the Pernera Beach Hotel in 2008 and for us we might be tempted to go back there if/when we go back to Pernera. Overall a premium room there worked out at a similar price to the apartment at Domniki and the Pernera Beach room was better quality and more usable. ACCOMODATION – Domniki has 35 apartments – 25 one-bed and 8 studio - each has a small balcony. The accommodation is in reasonably good condition – especially the public areas – but the furniture in the rooms is a bit dated and there are occasional signs of wear beginning to show. Nothing too serious, and after all this is not claiming to be 5*, but if you are the fussy type you may be a little disappointed. The apartments only take bookings direct, are efficient and their website is fairly accurate : http://www.domniki.com/en The apartments are very large if there are just two of you and even if you have another 2 in the sofa beds there is plenty of space. The wardrobe space might be a bit limited, but hardly the end of the world. The layout of the apartments gives a sea view or an inland view. Those facing the sea get the best views and the sun all day but, that comes at a price – both monetary and usability. The sun comes directly into the rooms all day so that it is almost impossible to have the curtains open at any time to appreciate the view without being blinded and cooked. The balcony is likewise in full sun and an oven. The alternative is a view of the car park of the nearby restaurant which may not be the most attractive but at least it’s cheaper and you can keep the curtains open. Maid Service was 5 days a week whilst we were there. Towels and sheets were replaced once in the week and the towels were of a decent size. The room was kept reasonably clean. Initially the price of the apartments seems quite reasonable, but the killer is the air conditioning supplement on arrival – it is necessary but massively expensive. Domniki charges per room and if you cool the bedroom and the living area expect to be very much poorer. In fairness to Domniki, they do suggest you only cool one room, but it is a compromise based on a hidden charge. The location is pretty near perfect being on Pernera’s lovely small cove and sandy beach, but less than 100 meters from the centre of the town. It manages to pull off being central and on the beach without being too noisy. It is also just a few yards from the start of the recently completed seaside promenade between Pernera and Protaras which is a pleasant and picturesque stroll. Although Pernera is not Aiya Napa, there are plenty of restaurants and cafes within a few minutes walk of the apartments. This is a family run outfit and the staff are friendly and helpful. BAR – The Bar/Reception area is basic but comfortable and well laid out. It caters for the British holidaymaker with larger TVs for the football and British bar staff. The bar staff were friendly, service was swift and prices were comparable. The outside bar seating is much nicer with a good view of the beach. We didn’t use the bar as much as we might have as there are plenty of other bars and cafes both on the waterfront and in the town but it is worth a look. Their Achilles heel is the food – it just isn’t good enough. With so many other places close by to eat breakfast or lunch which provide better quality and better tasting food at similar or lower prices I am surprised that they get so much business. It’s not terrible, just basic and very average. A place to have a drink or coffee certainly, but not really a place to eat. POOL – The pool is a little on the small side, but the apartments are on the beach so a large pool really isn’t needed. There are some sun loungers around the edge and lots more on the grass terrace leading to the beach. On the terrace the view of the cove is pleasant and close enough to wander out to the sea if you don’t fancy the pool. BREAKFAST – The apartments can be booked as self-catering or B&B. We chose self catering so can’t comment on the breakfasts, but if they are similar to the bar food quality, then I would expect too much. ENTERTAINMENT – The apartments do not provide any entertainment, but as you are in the middle of a town, you don’t need it. PERNERA TOWN –We last went to Pernera in 2008 and then my hotel report I said “Pernera is a fairly small resort about 3km from Protaras and 16km from Agia Napa, but one which is undergoing massive development. Hundreds of units are currently under construction and with the limited beach fronts this may overwhelm Pernera which would be a shame. For the moment though, it is close enough to both Protaras (Fig tree Bay) and even Agia Napa not to feel isolated, but far enough away to have kept its charm and personality” and much of that remains true. Some things are changing though and mostly for the better. Yes it has a Pizza Hut and the nightlife is still largely Karaoke, but there are still some great tavernas serving quality Cypriot food and friendly locals. The sea front promenade between Pernera and Protaras is now complete which increases Perneras catchment area. The promenade has been really well executed with regular seating along its length and shade stops. Bars and restaurants are springing up along the waterfront making the walkway attractive and a destination in itself. It is also well lit at night and really lovely after dinner stroll and stop at one of the bars for a nightcap. On the downside the prom seems to have started a slightly schizophrenic feel in Pernera with some newer restaurants heading into the upmarket lifestyle sector and others rooted firmly in the lager and chips arena. As the promenade ages I think Pernera will benefit and cover all the bases. Surprisingly many of the units under construction in 2008 are no closer to completion now. I guess the recession forced the mothballing of these projects, but I suspect with the completion of the promenade that will change. The danger of losing Pernera’s charm to over development hasn’t gone away. Many of the same restaurants still exist with Kartanas Taverna and Noufaro taverna still pretty good. A little further on the main road to Protaras is Apomero a taverna which had a real family feel last time and looked similar (though we didn’t eat there this time). The shining star for us was Ifalos Taverna – excellent Cypriot food, atmosphere and friendly staff, all combine to give a superb meal and evening out. If you want a curry , Mexican, Italian, Chinese, or even Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding they are available in Pernera but we passed them by in favour of Cypriot food, so can’t comment on their quality. BEACH – There are a number of small sandy beaches around Pernera and accessible from the walkway. The main beach is a pleasant crescent of dark white coarse sand sloping gently into clear water. It is properly run with life guards, toilets, loungers and umbrellas for hire. However, in high season, and/or when the numerous developments behind the hotel are complete it could become invisible under a sea of bodies, so you may want to wander to one of the other Pernera beaches or a little further to Protaras (Fig Tree Bay), or even take the bus to Agia Napa (Nissi Bay). FOOD AND DRINK – Of course the key income for the area is tourists and the place is set up for that. If your idea of fun is going on holiday to go to a fake English pub, you can find it here. And there are plenty of places selling Full English in the mornings and full roast on Sundays so if that’s your bag you’re well catered for. Alternatively if you want a curry, Mexican, Italian, or Chinese, they are available in Pernera but we passed them by in favour of Cypriot food, so can’t comment on their quality. Even though Pernera is not massive, there is plenty of good quality food and a multitude of restaurants and bars so you’ll never go hungry or thirsty what-ever cuisine you choose. Many of the same restaurants we saw in 2008 still exist with Kartanas Taverna and Noufaro taverna still worth a look. A little further on the main road to Protaras is Apomero a taverna which had a real family feel last time and looked similar (though we didn’t eat there this time). The shining star for us was Ifalos Taverna – excellent Cypriot food, atmosphere and friendly staff, all combine to give a superb meal and evening out. Some restaurants we ate in this year are given a slightly longer review below. Ifalos Taverna – If you are looking for a charming traditional taverna where you can enjoy authentic Cyprus and Greek dishes served by friendly enthusiastic locals, then this is the ONLY place to go. Giorgos, Nikos, Yanis and the rest of the team will make your meal, evening and probably holiday one to remember – they certainly did that for us. Kartanas – In 2008 Karatanas gave us great food (including the best and largest Meze I have ever had) and service. In 2011 the service was still pretty good and the food OK, but rather than being a proper Greek taverna its charm has been diluted by an over large menu and an Italian style table layout in the side garden. You can still have a good meal here and the prices aren’t bad, but if you want truly authentic then head for Ifalos just down the road. Noufaro Taverna – In 2008 we got served some great food at reasonable prices. The restaurant is still well kept and attractive with a kids fun area so good for families. The menu is extensive however, this year the food was not quite so wonderful – not bad - just average. Quality of food seemed pretty good, but mostly it was a bit too oily and the service – especially considering they weren’t very busy – wasn’t very attentive of friendly. If you want something a little more authentic and better than Pizza Hut with your kids, then this is not a bad choice. But if you want a romantic meal or proper tavern atmosphere – well just walk about 100meters up the road to Ifalos taverna. CLOSE BY – PROTARAS Just 2-3km up the coast is Protaras which is much, much busier and considerably more commercialised. You can get to Protaras from Pernera either by the lovely sea front walkway, bus (only 2E return) or taxi (8E daytime and between 10E and 12E at night). The taxis are often stretched Mercs so you arrive in style. Protaras is the home of the famous Fig Tree Bay, claimed to be one of the best beaches on the island. And we can confirm it is very nice, though very busy - though not really much better than the rest of Protaras beach. The Promenade has had an improving effect on Protaras with a better aspect including better bars on the sea front and improved amenities such as new changing rooms and toilets. The downside is that the walkway has stolen 3 meters of beach which in high season will make it very crowded. Behind the beach there are plenty of great places to eat and drink whilst taking a break from sun worshiping. Antonis Zefkas at Fig Tree Bay and Iliada Beach Hotel are two pretty good choices, with the latter being surprisingly inexpensive. If you are aged 12, really desperate, have lost all your teeth and/or taste buds, there’s even a McDonalds in the main street. It’s not Agia Napa, but at night it really comes alive with plenty of shops restaurants, bars and clubs for the young and young at heart. Like much of this area it is a bit Brit centric and the Karaoke bars have a strong presence. For the more romantic, the beach front restaurants like Yianna Marie which has a massive menu and good food are the place to head. FURTHER AFIELD – Agia Napa A little further afield (though still only 2E return on the bus) is Agia Napa. During the day you can find some really lovely parts around the square, harbour and aquaduct areas. It’s definitely worth the trip for a bit of culture, retail therapy and lazy lunch by the harbor. Café Bar Liquid just by the Tourist info centre is stylish, friendly and reasonably priced. Down by the harbor at lunchtime, the Habour pub serves good food with a smile. Agia Napa’s beaches such as Nissi bay are also on the same bus route so you can fit the town and beach in cheaply if you want. Of course Aiga Napa does have a bit of a reputation, and a walk through the bar area during the day is seriously depressing so avoid it. At night well it is what it is, and if that’s what you like, you’ll love it. If not, get out before sunset and leave the party goers to the pumpin’ bass. It’s worth noting that for Aiga Napa (and in fact Cyprus as a whole) the Russians are coming. Gradually the Brits are being overtaken in numbers by the Russians, and the menus are reflecting that.

Thank goodness for little entertainment, with Cyprus weather who needs to stay in and be entertained? We have now stayed there twice in the last 14 months and we will be going again next year. We have been to Cyprus about 10 times in the last 14 years to different hotels and have never wanted to back to the same one until we discovered Domniki Hotel. Our travel agent stays there so we knew it would be good.

Wow, what can I say about the Domniki Hotel, even though it is only rated a 2.5 it is more like a 3 star. It is situated in the quiet part of Protaras in Penera bay, right on the beach. It is a Cypriot family run hotel, who are very friendly, maid service every day, the hotel is spotless. It is right next door to Poisen diving school which is superb. For 29 Cyprus pounds you can dive in the sea. Protaras is about 10 minutes bus ride away and only costs 80 cents. The bus stop is outside Windmills. Our Holiday rep Ross was very helpful. There is quite a lot of trips to go on and plenty to do. The only down side I had, was a lack of entertainment as they only had a weekly barbecue on a Friday night with Karaoke. However there is plenty of bars and restaurants near by. We found a lovely Taverna on the beach called Blue Bay, who do a lovely Klefteka, which is a Cypriot lamb dish, it is divine. I can't wait to go back next year.