by Vasos Vasou
The Environmental Authority has recently given the green light for additions and modifications to the under-construction luxury hotel complex Palm Beach Hotel and Bungalows, located on the Oroklini beachfront, as well as for its change of use into a mixed tourism development under the name Palm Beach Resort.
According to InBusiness News, the historic Larnaca hotel will be converted into a high-standard resort through a partnership between Premium Access Cyprus and Thanos Hospitality Services, which will take over the management of the property. The goal is to create an ambitious project capable of attracting high-quality tourism.
Among other details, the environmental opinion notes that the original area of the two plots on which the project is being developed was 30,797 m², of which 2,719 m² have already been allocated for the expansion of the public road network and for planning purposes. As a result, the net area of the two plots has been revised to 28,077 m².
According to the Information Report, the layout of internal roads and ground-level parking has been recorded with the aim of creating a single, large outdoor landscaped area, including footpaths, planted zones and small surface-level water features. In the same area, at the points where staircases connect to the underground parking, the Annexes complex will be positioned, consisting of five small single-storey buildings with planted roofs, along with the administration building.
Regarding the main Palm Beach Hotel building, the total number of rooms will be reduced from 188 to 159, as the units will be upgraded to include suites and family rooms. At the same time, a complete replacement of the mechanical and electrical systems, the cooling and heating systems, and the kitchen equipment will take place. To cover part of the resort’s energy needs, photovoltaic panels will be installed on the roof.
In the bungalow area, the initially planned 25 units will ultimately be configured as 21. Only external renovation and reconfiguration are required. The bungalows will not have private pools; instead, they will all be served by a new large shared pool.
It was further disclosed that in the Sea Breeze Tower area, the multi-storey building will undergo only an external redesign, with the addition of greenery planted on its balconies. In the Condos area, modifications will take place only internally, with 20 units to be constructed instead of the 28 mentioned in the previous application. Changes in this zone also include the addition of a roof garden and a rooftop pool.
As for the unified landscaped outdoor area, plans include the operation of enrichment facilities (spa, restaurant, café, outdoor bar and playground) housed in five small single-storey buildings.
In the underground parking area, expansion and unification of the existing spaces will take place, as the above-ground parking area will be removed. New storage areas and support services for the hotel and newly developed residential units will be created underground.
The new luxury resort is expected to operate by late 2026 or early 2027. The last hotel to operate in the Oroklini beachfront area was the Mercure Beach Hotel in 2023, with a capacity of 94 beds.
This article was first published in Politis newspaper.