Header: Creative Photo Room
M Boutique Hotel has just opened its two newly renovated wings and one brand new building on Alkminis Street in Kato Paphos, on the southwest coast of Cyprus. Designed by Varda Studio, this adults-only hotel has since won the “Architectural Design – Hotel – Boutique” category at the LIV Hospitality Design Awards 2025.
The Daphne Hotel
The history of the hotel is directly connected to the Chrysomilos family, who bought the land in 1975 and opened the Daphne Hotel in 1977. This was one of the earliest hotels in the picturesque town, and it functioned for decades as an apartment hotel.
Anthimos Economides, a member of the family and the owner of Kuutio Group, the project’s developer, started remodelling the place in 2021 after deciding to turn it into a hotel for couples. While the name of the hotel changed, with the new one having been inspired by Economides’ late mother, Maria, the spa still carries the name Daphne.
Transforming the old wings
The two wings originally had flat white plaster façades and simple lines, much like the other buildings in the neighbourhood. Wanting to create a more unique look, the architects decided to take that plaster off and leave raw concrete exposed in some places. Not every architectural detail was deemed bland, though, as they decided to keep the circular staircases from the original buildings.
The outside walls were then given a new render of cement plaster in earth colours, with wood having been added to the balconies and to the pergolas that shade the ground-floor terraces.
The new building
The new building was built on the southeast side of the site, and it’s here that guests can find all of the shared amenities. The designers added the reception and the restaurant on the ground level, then a gym, The Daphne Spa and The Roof Bar on the floor above. This latter bar offers guests views over the Mediterranean along with their cocktails.
An outdoor pool complete with sun loungers can be found on street level, surrounded by plants, and it’s just a couple of minutes away from the seafront promenade and a short walk from the harbour and the archaeological park.
The rooms
The 77 rooms can be found in the two wings and are divided into categories inspired by plants: Magnolia for the superior rooms, Mimosa for the junior suites and Moonflower for the executive suites. Rooms on the ground floor open onto terraces with their own plunge pools and loungers, shaded by pergolas of wood, and a few of the other terraces have a hot tub.
Project information
Architecture Company: Varda Studio
Lead Designer: Andreas Vardas
Hospitality: Kuutio Group
Photography: Creative Photo Room
Location: Paphos, Cyprus
Date: September 2024
