Firstly, I'm a tourist!
Secondly, I have always researched prior to going on holiday. Doesn't everybody, to some extent? Even if it is just looking in a holiday brochure, that's still research!

Our 2 centre holiday in Cyprus (Larnaca and Pissouri, 1 week in each) for 2007 will cost us £814.00 Sterling. That's flights, accommodation and a VW Polo for the fortnight.

Eating out - including drinks - and petrol last year cost us (for 2) around CY£300.00.

We eat in 4 or 5 times during the fortnight.We shop for these meals plus essentials - tea, coffee, milk, bread, butter, jam/marmalade and cereals for breakfast, beer, wine etc for drinking in the accommodation - as soon as we arrive. This adds another CY£50.00 ish which will include a top-up within the fortnight.

Total, about £1,300.00 Sterling.

If I were to book this through a travel company (more research) it would cost more than a grand just for flights and accommodation. No meals.
Indeed, you won't find a 2 centre holiday on Cyprus in any brochure.
Larnaca is a 2 bedroomed semi detatched villa. Pissouri is an Apartment.

Much of this saving is down to research. I find this adds to my enjoyment of the holiday, and the satisfaction that it's a job well done on my part, not some commission-hungry sales clerk in a travel agent.

There may well be other expenses; Cyprus Mail, Cyprus Weekly, Cyprus Lion, the odd bottle of water or pop and quite a few frappes. Blimey, another CY£30.00 it soon mounts up.

Mark (Tourist/Holiday Researcher)

Doing your research pays off in the end.

But we didn't stay at the villa all week Wizard - we hired a car and went out & about...but Jimbox was seems to be so certain that we had not seen anything of the island ............???????

you have not seen the place...you will never have that knowledge if you just cant be bothered to look!

just because someone doesn't want to spend their time checking out the cheapest supermarkets doesn't mean they haven't made an attempt to see round the island.
And although we do hire a car in Cyprus I don't want to drive to a restaurant - I don't want to be tea- total on holiday
My experience of Cyprus is that it can be a bit expensive. For those who live there - they have all the time in the world to find the least expensive places. Cyprus is a lovely island but its not cheap- it doesn't stop me going though.

jdbnsn

take a deep breath and step back... for as many of us who research our holidays and make our own arrangements,their are far more holiday makers who look at /trust/book with their T.A,

thats why site such as ours are now becoming more prominent with those who want to know up front, at the end of the day its your choice but there will always be hardened supporters who can do better/cheaper by local knowledge and research and those who feel their favourite country/resort is without fault

wizard

I'm not sure if Marks post is aimed at me. . I do research quite extensively before I go on holiday. The two hotels I fancy, the Alexander Beach resort in Paphos and the Sunrise Beach resort in Protaras both have excellent reviews.

Jim. I have no way of knowing if they are 'stuffy' whatever that may mean, have you stayed at them and experienced 'stuffy"?

Like Kath, having spent 50 weeks of the year looking after a family and working part-time to pay for my holiday, I don't think it is unreasonable to wish to spend 2 weeks in an hotel, where my room will be serviced and I will no doubt come down to a delicious spread at breakfast.

I dont wish to be 'bullied' into staying in a villa which is quite clearly what I do not want.

The Cyprus forum seems to be the most unfriendliest on HT, and does not appear to be able to cope with differing views.
An unhappy Doe.

Hi Doe
Sorry that you are unhappy and that you consider this forum unfriendly, I really don't think the latter is the case
I don't feel that people are ganging up and am sincerely sorry if that is how you see it. Like jdybnsn says, I firmly believe that we are all friends here

Maybe if the title of this thread was something like "Why are the tourist areas of Cyprus so expensive?" then there wouldn't have been so much discussion. To ask a question about the whole island, based on the prices in the tourist areas, is going to evoke discussion, isn't it? Would-be holidaymakers could easily be put off going to the the island by this, unless the whole picture is painted. Some will be put off by the tourist areas being pricey, but that is fine as long as they have had the correct information to make that decision.

Now, onto your holiday. I have just priced up your days for next year at the sunrise beach. Unfortunately next years prices aren't listed yet, but the room rate for a family room this year is CY£104 per night. Multiplied by 14 gives CY£1456 - about £1800 sterling.
You don't say where you are in the UK, but my flights for this year at similar dates in July for two weeks from EMA to Larnaca were £142 sterling each. For 4 this is GBP568. Taxi from Larnaca to Protaras and back CY£58 about GBP75

All added up thats GB£2443 - quite a saving but do please read up on DIY holidays on the DIY Forum.

http://www.sunrise.com.cy/
http://www.grabthatcab.com/prices.htm

Ady

My post was not aimed at you, doepsmc, nor was it meant in a derisory way, just as

jdybnsn wrote:

with out prior internet research of local supermarkets (gosh, do people really do that before they go on holiday)

wasn't meant in a derisory way, even though it was (probably) aimed at me.

Chill! As Wizard said, take a deep breath and step back.

Mark
Chilled, with a Bishop's Finger in him. (It's a beer!!)

Kath as you know I have never liked hotels even some of the more excellent ones in Pafos and beyond, I think they are artificial and up tight, the food is international mostly and as you know I am sure about as Cypriot as a stick of Blackpool rock, now a posh villa that is different, it is private, you have your own pool and you can eat real local food and drink the night away with those that appreciate the Cypriots and there culture, or you can cook that lovely meal and have a little peace and quiet sitting by moonlight by your own pool.

And yes a maid can be arranged, top or bottomless...

You wont see too many Cypriots in the hotels here, anything and everything but, give a private villa a try I am sure you will love the freedom away from regimental hotels regimes, your own piece of paradise if only for week or two, I have tried both and you can guess what I would go for... now back to my little hovel here in Trimi..

And to answer some I have stayed in the best hotels here, and also I do searches for my members who are considering good hotels here, I also take photo's for those who need a decent villa, as I said in a previous post I was a long standing holidaymaker/tourist to Cyprus for twenty years nearly.

Kath see you when you come over..

pubdog

It is very kind of you to go to all the trouble of looking up the price of the Sunrise Beach for me. Are you staying there this summer? If so I would be really grateful if you could put up a review for me. I can travel from any London airport and I am impressed with your flight price. I am DIY ing to the Algarve this year so I am not a novice, but the flights were 55 pounds per person.

I am keen although unfortunately I need two rooms, not one family one , as by then we will be two 51 year olds a 15 and a 13 year old.

I am not put off by Jims statement that "you will not see many Cypriots in the hotels here".
I am not stupid, contrary to what he appears to think and would not expect to see Cypriots in hotels aimed mainly at tourists. I understand there is now a large influx of Russians as well as the usual Brits, Germans, Scandinavians etc.

I wish to go B&B so that I can 'eat real local food & drink the night away with those that appreciate Cypriots and their culture' provided I don't have to drive too far to do it. I just don't want to clear up after 4 of us in a villa for a fortnight having done it for 50 weeks at home!

Doe

Edit: Mark my hubby's fond of Bishops Finger

Hi again Doe
Sorry, we are not staying at the sunrise, we stay in Deryneia which is just a bit further north from Protaras/Pernera (much quieter - oh, apart from the cockerel next door )
Can take a looksee and perhaps pick up a brochure when we are over next week if you like?
With regard to flights, it is best to book early (in my opinion). One example is that we have recently booked for next February for £87 each return including taxes and fees
There are some good deals to be had from Gatwick with http://www.xl.com and also from monarch.

Ady

:oops: I don't want you to go out of your way to pick me up a brochure. You are making me feel awful now especially as this is my 2008 holiday I am speculating about, holiday time is precious and I don't want you doing chores for me. I am very grateful to you for posting the website as I hadn't seen it before and I am sure they will be happy to send me a brochure closer to the time, it would be better if I enquired at the end of this season to get accurate prices etc.
Thanks again. Doe.

Also I am very aware that I have taken this well from discussion on prices in Cyprus so apologies to Mods & Admin.

doe wrote:

Edit: Mark my hubby's fond of Bishops Finger

Well, he should be happy with Cyprus.
It is available out there, along with Spitfire and Whitstable Ale. Carrefour and the supermarket in Pissouri Square.
Not much more expensive than UK supermarket prices.

Mark

Coming into this discussion a bit late, but have to agree with Jim. I'm a pensioner retired out here 9 months ago and living with much better quality of life than I would have endured in UK.

Puzzled re the discussion about supermarkets, and not sure exactly what people have used, but there aren't that many here, and I can say without question that for local produce they are heaps cheaper than UK so difficult to understand the comment that they are more expensive than UK. This simply isn't the case - if it were I would have a problem surviving here!! And there is no need to stray far from the tourist area to find the big supermarkets either! In fact the only one in the tourist area which I am aware of is the Papantonious near the harbour - and I still find this one cheaper than the UK!!! For local produce that is, particularly meat, fish, veg and fruit. Anything imported will always be expensive.

Have to concur with Jim - items such as rates (council tax in UK), petrol, insurance etc DO impact on prices here, even though they may not directly affect tourists. They will affect prices in shops, restaurants, attractions etc.

Those of us who have long-standing relationships with this island [and like Jim I have been visiting for close on 20 years prior to my retirement here,] love it and defend it to the death! Having said that, if I found that it was in fact expensive here I would say so. For me personally it is the reverse and the overriding factor in my decision to retire here - I knew I would be able to live much better here than in the UK on my small pension.

Cheap supermarkets, restaurants, car-hire etc etc can all be found within reasonable distance of the harbour and Poseidonos Avenue, no need to travel miles out of town. As others have said, a little time spent on research will soon suss them out!

Kath - maid service etc is available in Tremi any time!!
Jacs

Three members of my family have holiday homes in Cyprus, both myself and my sister find Cyprus expensive, we do shop in the local market, the local butcher and Papantoniou, ophanides etc. In the UK I can spend For( 1 adult and 1 child) £30-£40 in Aldi and Tesco, this will include all essentials toilet roll, soap powder etc as well as all food goods, fruit, veg meat, dairy and even a couple of bottles of sparkling pinot grigio or similar, I bought just a few basics in Papantoniou and looked for the best prices/deals and it cost me the equivalent of about £60.00 stirling and I didn't even have meat veg or fruit etc!. Both my sister and I find the supermarkets expensive, even things like low energy light bulbs we bring from the UK! What you have to remember also is that for each CYP you must add on about 20% because of the exchange rate. A good deal of Cypriots have two jobs to make ends meet and prices will continue going up as they join the single currency. I agree if you live there the utility bills are indeed very low, as is booze cigarettes and petrol, but I must agree with others that Cyprus is expensive, but none the less a very nice place (provided they stop building on every available piece of land!)

The trick is to buy local produce not look for the products you may buy in the UK..again as posted by us locals it is cheaper to shop in Cyprus, if you know what you are doing, on meat prices Beef is expensive and in my opinion poor quality, you can buy Irish beef but again at a high cost, but Pork is phenomenally cheap and it of great guilty £1.30 a Kilo, as is Lamb, this is why a meze (meat based) is only £7 a head on average and they normally throw in a bottle of wine or two plus fruit at the end, and we never pay over a tenner!!! again try that in any other EU destination, Cyprus is definitely expensive to get here, but it is worth it..

Above comments on building work, I agree, but the reason is us!! and the reason for the huge building boom it is very popular cheap island to retire to..

I am still finding it confusing as to why people keep comparing prices in Cyprus to the UK? As a holidaymaker I and most that I know compare costs to other holiday destinations.

I also find it patronising to suggest that if I went on a self-catering holiday I and others would wander round a supermarket looking for 'heinz' and 'walls" or whatever folk might deem to be British products.

Part of the fun of going abroad is to try the local food and drink, it adds to the experience! To those that have turned their backs on the UK and choose to live in Cyprus good luck to you, I am pleased that you find it so cheap when holiday makers do not, but I have to look at it from the perspective of a holidaymaker with a huge amount of choice in front of me.

Oh and as folk keep bringing UK prices into the equasion. I agree with detori. I can feed four for a week for 80 pounds in Sainsburys (I'm sure if I could find an Aldi anywhere down south I could do it for 60). Before someone suggests to the contrary, that is buying all fresh meat & fish & tons of fruit and veg! Not a load of frozen & tinned stuff.

Doe
WE always compare prices to the UK, not other resorts as it is the only real comparison, we travel all over the med and Europe and it would be unfair to compare say Cyprus to Bulgaria even Turkey or Spain as they are not the same. we go to these if we cant afford Greece or Cyprus but then it's a matter economics, if i was to buy a new car i may fancy a Saab but if i could only afford a Dawoo then provided it suited my requirements i would buy it but you still cant compair as they are not like for like

wizard

I would love to live in Cyprus, but i agree with previous posts, obviously if you live in Cyprus full time, then you will shop were the locals do, and have more time to suss things out. It is different if you are on a two week hoilday, most people will go to the nearest shops, were the shopkeepers know that they can get away charging us brits silly prices. Most resorts in the med are expensive since they have changed to the euro. In a previous post, i mentioned i stayed in Kefalonia last year , and i only spent 100 pounds less than i would in Cyprus, which works out at roughly 7 pounds a day more, which in my eyes isnt much difference. a good meal in the uk would probably cost more than in Cyprus, again as i have stated, i will continue going, and people who say it is costly, then dont go.

Hi Wiz

I think that might well be what's happening to me with Cyprus. I just don't think I will be able to afford it in comparison to the same standads I can get for the money in Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Lagos etc. Still it's early doors to be considering 2008. Perhaps I'll have a windfall and can go for the Sabb rather than the Dawoo afterall ( you're just so posh )

Cheers, Doe