Bohemian Gardens

"Before you think about booking your stay at the Bohemian Gardens Hotel I strongly suggest you read this review. Myself and my wife's stay had several positives, but also a number of issues that affected the overall experience. We stayed for 11 nights on half board. Importantly, to the disappointment of ourselves and other guests, the hotel no longer allows swapping dinner for lunch on half board, with no explanation given other than its just 'the way things are in the hotels in the area'. This wasn't anywhere on any reviews or websites at the time of booking which was inconvenient to say the least. You must pay a deposit of 10 euros per towel for the sunbeds, also you pay for the safe every day however the lady on the front desk was lovely and due to our complaints she gave us the code for free. Service & Staff: The Hotel Staff were generally polite and well-mannered at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. However, communication was often difficult due to limited English, which led to repeated issues with incorrect drink orders and awkward exchanges. Countless times we asked can we pay now for our drinks at Dinner and they say yes but never come back to receive payment and we have to repeat ourselves. One time guests next to us had the exact same situations and asked to pay now and then when the waitress came back later, she said it already was put on the room, to which they awkwardly said okay its fine, then when after she left they were unhappy with the situation. On one occasion even the manager had to step in and translate our request for a specific type of wine they offered on the menu. Reception staff, on the other hand, were very helpful and understood us - especially when we had issues with bugs in our original room, as they quickly moved us to a different one. They also gave us free lunch tickets as compensation. Breakfast: Breakfast was okay, consisting of the typical eggs sausages and beans etc but there were pastries which were extremely poor quality being so tough and almost frozen together being possible to pick up 4 in one. Furthermore, despite signage suggesting pancakes and waffles are always available, it is random on which days they will actually offer certain items, which caused confusion and disappointment for some guests. If you choose to sit outside (which we did every time) small birds reside in the roofing of the nearby apartment rooms which will, and do, eat unattended food rather quickly, so you can’t leave any food at your table or you will be suggested by friendly hotel guests to pass on the plated up food (happens more than you'd think). Lunch: We only experienced it twice however it had a decent selection of food some of which was also the same as Dinner but cant really complain too much here. Dinner: The afternoon dinner selection wise was pretty good consisting of meats, fishes and local Cypriot/Greek dishes. Sometimes myself and my partner tasted breakfast foods such as egg in some dishes which shouldn't of tasted this way at all, almost as if the dishes surfaces were not cleaned well enough which is an allergen issue. The labels on the food were almost always wrong, so if you have allergies be very careful as it might not be chicken or a specific sauce even as its translated wrong. The availability of free water in the hotel is non existent and is really odd that its treated like gold dust. At dinner time and lunch time (for the twice occasions we went to lunch) tap water is not available for free. We tried to fill our water bottle up at the water dispenser in the restaurant but were rudely told no. Even down at the pool bar, if you aren't on full board its impossible to get water for free and must pay 2.80 euros for a 2 litre bottle. When we don't want to pay for drinks every day and night, which they state is compulsory for non All Inclusive guests, the least they can do is offer an alternative. It creates quite a disconnect for half board/BnB guests with the hotel. Even a water fountain in the reception would be a great improvement. Facilities: The gym was awfully ventilated with non-functional air conditioning, making it uncomfortable to use. When we asked, we were advised to come back and ask reception or housekeeping to switch it on each time we want to workout, which was impractical. The gym itself consisted of a bench with a barbell, a cable set alongside a dumbbell rack. Not amazing but was okay for our stay. The hotel has a good pool and some really comfortable sun loungers which are thickly padded. Plenty of sun loungers to choose from too. There is table tennis and a 2 euro billiards table. The rooms have a hairdryer and provide towels and hand soap. The beds were comfy too. Cleanliness Issues: We experienced bad issues with spiders crawling over the top corners of the room and dead beetles under the bedside table, all in the initial room we were put in, although this was quickly resolved after being moved into a clean room. There was also a strong pungent smell of cigarette smoke in the corridor coming from the maître d’ room on multiple occasions and spread into the luggage room areas, which is off putting, lazy and should be addressed. Location The hotel is about a 20-minute walk from centre of Protaras. The surrounding area to the west and south is quite barren, with open land and ongoing development of villas and houses, so it feels somewhat isolated, however there is a nice short walk across to the 'Potami' beach on the east side, which you can easily access by going through the back of the Papantonia Hotel Apartments. There are actually quite a few more beaches along the coast which are well worth checking out, one being Fig Tree Bay which is a popular spot. Overall A stay with some positives, particularly helpful reception staff and decent food, but several operational and policy issues—especially around drinks, communication, and facilities—detracted from the overall experience. Will we come to the BGH again...probably not because we feel we have completed Protaras however there isnt really anything which draws us back to this hotel. Its okay but nothing incredible."

"This was our second stay at Bohemian Gardens, and after such a fantastic experience last year, returning was an easy decision. Upon arrival, we were allocated a room on the first floor, directly opposite the lift and overlooking the car park above reception. Unfortunately, this made our first night quite unpleasant due to the noise. As we arrived late in the evening, we spoke to reception the following morning and they kindly arranged a room change for us, which we greatly appreciated. We were also welcomed back with a complimentary fruit platter and a bottle of wine, which was a lovely touch and made us feel genuinely valued as returning guests. As this was our second visit, we knew what to expect when it came to the food, and once again, we were not disappointed. Breakfast offered plenty of choice to suit all tastes, while the evening meals were varied, fresh, and of excellent quality. There was always something different to try, and the standard remained consistently high throughout our stay. The upgraded sunbeds were another highlight this year. Best of all, there were no sunbed wars! Guests could enjoy a relaxed start to the day without having to reserve loungers at dawn with towels. I'd also like to recognise the incredibly hardworking staff, particularly the bar team. One Nepalese lady stood out for her exceptional service, making the best frappés and mojitos. She seemed to be there from early morning until closing time every day and always had a smile on her face. The only area that fell short for us was the animation team. Unfortunately, there seemed to be a lack of enthusiasm and communication. Activities were often set up without any explanation or encouragement for guests to get involved. For example, games around the pool appeared briefly before being packed away, and aqua aerobics sessions started without guests really knowing what was happening. A little more energy and interaction would have made a big difference. The evening entertainment was also a bit hit-and-miss. Some of the singers were fantastic and created a great atmosphere. However, the karaoke night was disappointing due to poor sound quality, and it ended very quickly as a result. Despite these minor issues, we had another wonderful stay at Bohemian Gardens. The excellent food, friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere, and overall value for money continue to make it a place we would happily return to and recommend to others."

"Lovely hotel with a lot of plus points but some minus they definitely need to work on. Firstly the plus. Clean and new hotel, rooms are adequate and lifts either end of hotel and in middle so never waiting too long, maids are great, very professional and the electronic clean my room or do not disturb buttons are brilliant, we were half board only made breakfast once as like a lie in lol, breakfast was ok, evening meals were standard, draught lager was awful but i do find that in most bars in Cyprus. Pool area awesome never struggled for a sunbed and these are deluxe sunbeds, so comfy, great location with station bar opposite which we spent most nights in, pernera 15 min walk (house of lithos best live music) or protaras 20 min walk which we didn’t bother with much. Staff here are lovely no issues. Ok minus points. Only 2 The animation team (2 young girls) and entertainment i get the animation team are young and probably first time doing this job but its not for them. No get up and go whatsoever, hotel states activities during day but they do not happen, one girl only ever appears in the day, puts stuff out ie goal net, swimming noodles, ball then disappears, doesn’t interact with anyone so no one knows whats happening, then 20 mins later collects equipment in? Then on the evening, quiz/karaoke, music is quiet and only one mic 🎤 so hardly anyone bothers! Only saw one singer on one night for 20 mins she was ok but then again no introduction she just started singing lol. This needs addressing as it would be difference to me coming back or not"