Columbia Beach Resort voted Leading Spa Resort

The Columbia Beach Resort, the luxury five star hotel in Pissouri Bay Cyprus, has been recognised by the World Travel Awards (WTA), winning Cyprus’ Leading Spa Resort 2008. At a glittering ceremony held in Poprad in Slovakia last night the award was accepted in front of a host of top travel industry professionals.

The WTA is now in its 15th year and aims to promote excellence in the travel and tourism industry. Winners are decided by hundreds of thousands of votes cast by travel agents in over 200 countries around the world, making this the world's most comprehensive travel awards ceremony.

Mr. Stelios Kizis, General Manager of Columbia Hotels & Resorts in Cyprus commented, “We are delighted that our success as a first class spa resort has been recognised by the WTA. The Columbia Spa is at very the heart of the hotel and an important feature of our luxury facilities enjoyed by guests. Our exclusive relationship with Molton Brown spa here in Cyprus has contributed to the spa’s popularity. Next year we will be launching a new and fascinating spa product concept that will further enhance our spa facility and our reputation as a desirable Mediterranean destination.”

The Columbia Beach Resort and other winners from these Europe and Green Awards will be judged with all WTA regional successes at the final ceremony which will take place on the Turks & Caicos Islands in December.

One of only two hotels in the panoramic Pissouri Bay on the south west coast of Cyprus, the Columbia Beach Resort and its sister hotel Columbia Beachotel enjoy an unspoiled location on a 2km Blue Flag beach. Both hotels are owned by the Columbia Hotels & Resorts group.

Distinctive architecture inspired by local Cypriot villages, featuring low rise buildings in local stone, ensures that the Columbia Beach Resort blends in with the stunning landscape. Sloping roofs furnished with reclaimed terracotta tiles and shutters on the windows and abundance of natural wood give the hotel a discreetly aged and traditional look, created so that old and new blend together. An all suite property, the accommodation is arranged in 'villas' clustered around the 80m lagoon style pool and the property features a taverna, ouzeri and chapel arranged to echo a village square.

Renowned for its cuisine, offering a first class version of the Cyprus meze and fine dining at its best in the Dionysos restaurant, the Resort also features a highly-regarded spa located at the heart of the property.

The atmosphere is calm, luxurious, away from every day life. Guests enjoy cool marble floors and quality furnishings in natural colours in harmony with the rugged cliffs and vineyards in the valleys behind. Some suites have their own plunge pools, all boast the latest technology. Bathrooms are large with double sinks, enormous baths and separate showers. This hotel offers the ultimate in discreet opulence.

With six exclusive properties, Columbia Hotels & Resorts group have established their position in the hotel market. The exceptional portfolio includes three properties in Cyprus, four to five star hotels in Germany’s Travemünde, in the Bavarian town of Bad Griesbach and in Rüsselsheim.

The World Travel Awards were established in 1993 to acknowledge and celebrate excellence in the world's travel and tourism industry. With thousands of votes cast by travel professionals from 160,000 travel agencies in over 200 countries across the globe, winning a World Travel Award has become a very desirable endorsement of the success of a travel brand.

For more information, log on to Columbia-hotels.com.