The Bakery is one of those rare properties that simply cannot be captured properly in photographs. Hidden behind an unassuming traditional stone façade in the beautiful Cypriot village of Kalavasos, step through the front door and the house seems to unfold in front of you. Guests regularly describe it as a TARDIS – it looks charming and compact from the outside, yet inside is an extraordinary 300m² village home built around a beautiful private courtyard.

Originally three separate village properties, including the village bakery itself, The Bakery has been lovingly restored and joined together to create one remarkable home. We have tried to retain all the character, stonework and history of the original buildings whilst adding the comforts, technology and luxury fittings you would expect from a genuinely high-end holiday home.

Since opening our doors, every guest who has stayed has given us five stars, with several telling us that it is even better than the photographs and one of the best holiday homes they have ever stayed in. Our favourite recent comment was simply: “It feels like home. I don’t want to leave.” That is exactly what we wanted The Bakery to be.

THE HOUSE

The heart of The Bakery is its enormous open-plan kitchen and living space. The kitchen is exceptionally well equipped for a holiday property, with premium appliances including Miele, Smeg, Thermomix and Ninja, and virtually everything you could possibly need whether you’re making breakfast, preparing a family Sunday lunch or spending an evening cooking together.

The adjoining lounge is large, comfortable and designed for actually living in rather than simply looking good in photographs. There is fast Wi-Fi, a large television with Netflix, entertainment system and PlayStation 5, making the house just as enjoyable for a lazy night in as it is for a summer holiday.

BEDROOMS

The Bakery has four individually designed bedrooms and comfortably sleeps up to eight guests.

The beautiful master suite feels almost like its own private apartment, with an en-suite bathroom and its own outdoor balcony/courtyard and breakfast area – a lovely private space for a quiet morning coffee before everybody else wakes up.

The remaining bedrooms are equally comfortable and full of character, combining traditional Cypriot stone architecture with quality beds, linens, air conditioning and ceiling fans.

THE COURTYARD & PLUNGE POOL

At the centre of the house is the completely private, shaded Mediterranean courtyard – probably our favourite part of The Bakery.

The courtyard is designed for long, lazy Cyprus days: breakfast outside in the morning, cooling off in the private salt-water plunge pool during the afternoon and then drinks and dinner under the stars.

The plunge pool includes Jacuzzi-style features and a water fountain and is perfect for cooling down during the hot Cyprus summer.

The courtyard is wonderfully private and shaded, with plenty of places to sit, eat, read, drink or simply do absolutely nothing.

THE ORIGINAL BAKERY & OUTDOOR KITCHEN

Perhaps the most special part of the property is the original village bakery, which has been transformed into an extraordinary outdoor kitchen and entertaining area.

This isn’t simply a barbecue in the corner of a terrace. It is a proper outdoor kitchen created for people who genuinely enjoy cooking and entertaining.

There is a huge Bull six-burner barbecue, a traditional Cypriot foukou and rotisserie, and our hybrid pizza oven for making your own restaurant-quality pizzas. There is also an outdoor television and ceiling fans, so you can spend an entire evening outside cooking, eating, drinking and relaxing without ever needing to move indoors.

And then there is the bar.

THE PAY-IT-FORWARD BAR

The Bakery has its own little private bar, affectionately known as the Holborne Tavern, complete with our “pay it forward” tradition.

Guests are welcome to enjoy something from the bar and, if they wish, replace it or leave something behind for the next guests. Over time it has become part of the personality of the house – and usually results in a rather interesting collection of bottles from around the world!

THE VILLAGE

The Bakery sits in the heart of Kalavasos, one of Cyprus’s most attractive traditional villages.

This isn’t a purpose-built holiday development surrounded by identical villas. You are staying in a real Cypriot village, amongst traditional stone houses, narrow winding streets and little lanes where life still moves at a pleasantly slower pace.

Within walking distance you’ll find the beautiful village square along with traditional tavernas, restaurants, cafés and bars. You can wander out in the evening for dinner and a bottle of wine and stroll home through the village afterwards.

Despite the wonderfully peaceful village setting, you are certainly not isolated.

The beach is only around a three-minute drive away, while large supermarkets, shops and everyday amenities are all within easy reach. The location also makes The Bakery an excellent base for exploring Cyprus, with straightforward access towards Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia and the rest of the island.

A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF HOLIDAY HOME

We created The Bakery primarily as a home, not as a rental property, and we think you can feel the difference as soon as you walk through the door.

It is full of little details, quality appliances, comfortable furniture, beautiful spaces and things that we ourselves would want when staying somewhere special.

It works equally well for families, groups of friends, couples travelling together or simply anyone looking for somewhere considerably more interesting than a conventional villa or hotel.

You can spend the morning exploring Cyprus, be on the beach within minutes, wander to the village for lunch, cool down in your private plunge pool in the afternoon, make pizzas in the original bakery that evening, open a bottle of wine at the bar and finish the night sitting together beneath the stars.

The Bakery is quirky, luxurious, enormous, welcoming and completely unique.

It is very difficult to explain quite what makes this house so special.

Fortunately, our guests seem to do it for us.

Again and again, the first thing they tell us when they arrive is:

“The photographs don’t do it justice.”

We think you’ll understand why the moment you walk through the door.