New Helvetia Hotel

I had a wonderful stay at this charming vintage hotel nestled in the mountains of Cyprus. The atmosphere is warm and authentic, with a perfect blend of tradition and comfort that makes you feel instantly at home. The food was excellent—fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care, offering a real taste of the local cuisine. The service was outstanding as well; the staff were attentive, welcoming, and always ready to help with a genuine smile. Whether enjoying a peaceful moment on the terrace or dining by the cozy interior, the experience was truly memorable. A perfect escape for anyone seeking relaxation, great food, and heartfelt hospitality in a beautiful mountain setting.

New Helvetia Forest Hotel is a one-of-a-kind gem in the heart of Platres💖💖💖 The oldest hotel in Cyprus, full of history and soul, where every detail tells a story. The people there are incredibly kind, they make you feel truly at home. Beautiful forest trails just steps away, cozy evenings by the fireplace, and the most comforting food. A true recharge for the mind and heart. Can’t wait to come back! 🌲❤️✨

The hotel is very large, traditionally furnished , with a very steep incline to park the car to go to reception. You can park on a slip road below the hotel |There are two floors but no lift. The stairs are traditionally large and winding |The dining room and lounge areas are all traditionally large, with a fireplace , and traditionally furnished |Our breakfast which we ate on a very pretty balcony next to the dining room was dismal to say the least.|It was all self service , although it could be delivered to your table and collected when you finished |The kitchen did not do evening meals which meant we had to go out into the village of Platrus , during a dark evening and find a resturant .|Our bedroom was a suite with a mezzanine floor above which we had to climb to make tea or coffee |Our bathroom was very much updated with a shower but very little space or shelving to put our bathroom essentials |From all this you will gather that if you are not good with steps or stairs , then avoid this hotel. |The surrounding area is perfect Troodos scenery, The village of Platrus desperately needs some tender loving care to make it as beautiful as it was years ago .|We will not return , but for all people who love walking and seeing the ever changing Troodos mountains, it is a peaceful relaxing area. |I wish I had know what i have just wrote down before I booked

My husband and I live in Paphos and decided to spend a relaxing weekend in Troodos. We booked a room at New Helvetia in Platres a few days in advance. Although we knew the hotel was old, the photos and reviews online made it seem like the rooms had been renovated, so we decided to give it a try for one night. Unfortunately, our experience was far from what we expected. Room Quality – Nothing Like the Photos When we entered the room, we were immediately disappointed. The room looked nothing like the pictures on the website. While the bathroom seemed to have had some updates, the rest of the room was extremely outdated, neglected, and honestly quite depressing especially for the price. Heating Issues – Cold and Uncomfortable Because it’s November and the mountain temperatures are already quite low, a warm room is essential. The radiator in our room was working only a little, but not enough to heat the space. The room remained cold and uncomfortable, and certainly not what you expect from a hotel stay. General Situation – Guests Complaining & No Real Solutions During dinner, we noticed that many other guests were sitting with jackets on because the entire hotel felt cold. We also saw guests complaining directly to the owners especially families with small children, who were understandably upset. The owner mentioned a general electricity problem in Pano and Kato Platres, but this explanation didn’t really make sense in relation to the heating situation. Dinner – Poor Food Quality We tried to still make the evening work by having dinner in the hotel restaurant, but the food was unfortunately another disappointment. The ravioli with spinach I ordered was of poor quality, and I ended up with stomach pain afterward. Our Early Departure & the Owner’s Response In the end, we decided not to ruin our weekend. The room was so uncomfortable that we preferred to leave at night rather than stay there. We collected our luggage and returned to Paphos around 21:00 to sleep in a warm and comfortable environment. We were not offered any money back, but to be fair, we also didn’t ask for it we simply wanted to leave. The owner did offer a complimentary stay in the future as compensation and took my husband’s details so he could follow up. While we appreciate the gesture, we don’t plan to return. Based on our experience, we don’t believe things would be any different. Overall Hotels can be old and still have charm, but they must be comfortable, well-maintained, and accurately presented online. Unfortunately, New Helvetia fell short in several key areas: room quality, heating, food, and overall guest comfort. We truly wanted to enjoy a peaceful mountain weekend, but instead ended up ending our stay early. I hope the management addresses these issues seriously, as the location has potential

Old but clean room. Most of them are quite small. The bed was very hard. No heat on in November so it was a bit chilly. The bar and lounge are “vintage” and cozy. We spent the evening by the fireplace. The restaurant was closed. Having breakfast on the veranda on the morning great.

Such a charming hotel in the mountains. I really liked the ambience of the place and the fact that it has its old character.|The room we were given it must have been one of the old rooms because it had old furniture in it but the bathroom was fully renovated.|The bath is a bit on the small side but it's nice. What they had and I was impressed, is the blue light with the sensor which is really practical for people who get up at night and don't want to fully wake up.|The beds I wouldn't say I liked them but they were just okay. I wish the room had air condition or at least a fan for the hotter days. Also a fridge in the room would be nice.|The good thing is that they have black out curtains. |Also note that there is no elevator so if you have a problem you should mention it so they give you a room that can accommodate you better.|The breakfast is nice with all the basics, you can make your own frappe if you like which is a nice touch. I did not like the fact that the scrambled eggs were cold.|There is a beautiful veranda to enjoy your breakfast or even your lunch or dinner really calming beautiful place. ||In conclusion i am not sure if I would stay here again but I would definitely come and have dinner and enjoy the calming atmosphere the hotel offers. |

I booked direct with the hotel and added half board to save having to leave the hotel for a meal in the evening.i also noted on the hotel website that it prided itself on it's cuisine. There was limited parking outside the hotel so we were told to just leave our car anywhere we could. I am sure this could be improved with a little planning. The reception staff were good and welcoming and carried my suitcase upstairs to our room. Here we had a corner room two balconies and a modern bathroom. So far so good..||There were no complementary bottled water or even glasses in the bedroom for those who get thirsty during the night or have tablets to take. The only Power Point were a block attached to the desk. Lighting was poor and you have to get out of bed to reach the light switch. The doors are so I'll fitting I got up in the night thinking I had left it ajar given the amount of light coming around the frame. No ...they were just badly repaired. |The bathroom looked nice with a morn shower but having a shower was impossible without flooding the bathroom the tiles at the end of the shower sloped away from the tray diverting all water on to the floor. Looking under the washbasin. There were two electric wires going into a hole in the tiles. One splash from the sink and water would run straight down. Def not EU compliant or safe.||Downstairs we went for a drink. Coffee was ok and my Cyprus coffee was made fresh on a camping Gaz stove on the bar counter! Apparently the restaurant was closed so we were offered dinner in the bar. For our half-board dinner we had a bowl of greek salad. This was fine but the bread was very dry on one side indicating it had been left out for a long time. Next the main course was chicken. An air fried chicken breast with the sole seasoning of a wedge of lemon. This was accompanied by chips. Dry and inedible. When asked if we enjoyed them, I said they were horrible and the explanation was they were cooked without oil. The desert was standard fare from a bakery. ||Breakfast was basic... No sauces , dried stale pastries and coffee so bad and bitter I actually made my own from my personal supplies which is saying something. |On checkout the manager asked if we enjoyed our stay. I pointed out some items above and he was unsympathetic and said we should have asked for glasses in our room etc. We should have asked for coffee from the bar in the morning. Surely the hotel should anticipate their guests needs? Especially when our bill came to €200 for a one night stay? This was a historic hotel which has been taken over by folk who have no experience or interest in the hospitality business

The photos show only suites and don’t represent the actual rooms, which are very small and have no heating. We were given a gas heater that smelled strongly, and the room was cold. The balcony was tiny and the space disappointing. Only the breakfast and the location were good — overall, it’s not worth the money.