"Sun Palace Waterpark & Hotel, Cyprus – October 2026
Fantastic pools and staff, but room for improvement with food, kids’ facilities and entertainment.
We’ve had a great holiday at Sun Palace and would absolutely return, especially given the price we paid. We visited in October, towards the end of the season, and as the hotel only opened this summer, it’s worth bearing in mind that things may change and improve by next season. The staff are genuinely exceptional: friendly, welcoming and always willing to help. They are a real credit to the hotel. The pools and slides are fantastic, and we had no trouble finding sunbeds for the first four days. It became busier on day five, so finding a bed near the main pools was harder. The pool bar is great, with freshly made cocktails, plenty of choice and ice creams. Some water slides felt quite rough, and my child suffered a burst lip after another child climbed up an enclosed splash park slide in the wrong direction. Better supervision around the children's slides would help prevent accidents. The waterpark bar was initially limited, only offering beer, coffee and juice and no ice although ice became available later in our stay. The food was mixed. There was always something for the children, including nuggets and chips, but as a vegetarian I struggled on several occasions. Some days I ended up eating only potatoes or chips because there wasn't anything else I fancied. More vegetarian options, clearer food labelling and a more reliable vegetarian main every day would make a huge difference. A note about breakfast: omelettes were prepared in the same pans, even when ordered without meat, and cheese was sometimes added without being requested. Anyone with allergies or strict dietary requirements should check ingredients and preparation methods with staff, as cross-contact may be a concern. The snack bar is excellent for a quick bite, with pizza, sandwiches, fruit, nuggets and chips, but it closes between 12pm and 3pm. Breakfast also finishes at 10am, which felt early with tired children. Extending these hours would be helpful. If you're staying seven nights or more, make sure you take advantage of the included à la carte restaurants! The Italian was a real highlight. The pizza was excellent, and the pesto ravioli and truffle risotto were delicious. Service was lovely, portions were generous, and the staff were happy to accommodate dietary requirements. Definitely don't miss it! The Greek restaurant was also enjoyable, with a huge selection of starters, including feta and honey pastry, tzatziki, spicy feta dip, aubergine dip, Greek salad, olives and bread. We had chicken souvlaki and stuffed vegetables for our mains. Unfortunately, the chicken döner kebabs, moussaka and a fish dish were unavailable, leaving limited choices. The desserts were extremely cold, as though they hadn't fully thawed, but overall the food was good and portions were generous. Go hungry! The mini disco is brilliant for toddlers and takes place every evening, but the kids' club was effectively non-existent during our visit. There was little equipment, and the room was small and extremely hot. For a family resort with such fantastic pools, an indoor play area, soft play, a playground and organised activities would make a huge difference, particularly for older children who need a break from the water. There is nothing to do other than the pools so if the weather changes and is poor you and your kids will be very bored. The arcade is expensive small and boring. Waste of space. Evening entertainment was terrible and basic. Some advertised acts, including the saxophonist, didn't take place. The live band was a singer with a backing track, and Mr and Mrs Hotel was a short quiz followed by song requests. Karaoke and free bingo did take place. More professional shows, tribute acts and interactive family entertainment would improve evenings considerably. We arrived after midnight to find only a large bottle of water in the room and no food available. We heard other guests had received sandwiches, but nothing was provided on our arrival.
A welcome information sheet with Wi-Fi details, restaurant times, entertainment and check-out information would be useful. There was no hairdryer in our room, although I understand one may be available to hire. Shampoo and conditioner were also missing, and I wasn't keen on the scent of the shower gel. The musical doorbells on the rooms are a brilliant, quirky touch, and you can change the tune and set it to do not disturb. Housekeeping once missed towels, and the soundproofing could be better. We heard hallway noise early in the morning and late at night, and gaps around the door let corridor light into the room. Our first room overlooked the shops, staff moved us without any problems, and we had no further issues in the new room.
My tip: pay for a pool-view room if you can, as the alternative view is essentially of the shops. Late check-out costs €10 per hour after 12 noon.
We genuinely enjoyed our holiday and would return, especially at the price we paid. The pools are fantastic, the staff are exceptional, and the Italian restaurant was a real highlight.
My main recommendations would be to improve the kids' club and evening entertainment, provide more reliable vegetarian food choices, and make a few relatively simple changes to breakfast and snack bar hours, room information and housekeeping.
As a newly opened hotel visited towards the end of the season, I appreciate that things may still be developing. There's a really good hotel here already, and with some investment in these areas, it could become an excellent family resort. I'll be interested to see how much changes next season!
Main suggestions for improvement:
- Improve the kids’ club and add an indoor play area or playground.
- Provide better evening entertainment, particularly for older children.
- Offer more vegetarian choices daily and clearly label food.
- Use separate, clean pans for omelettes and check dietary requirements before adding ingredients.
- Extend breakfast and snack bar opening hours.
- Improve room soundproofing, housekeeping checks and arrival information.
- Add more colour and child-friendly decoration around the pool areas.
With these relatively simple improvements, Sun Palace could be an even better family resort!"
