I am looking at the yellow star ratings for Mt Olympus that people voted on this page and they are ridiculously inaccurate. So I want to give an accurate assessment.
Access. 3 out of 5
Because Cyprus is small, you can get anywhere within an hour or so. However, you could end up being stuck in traffic in the resort area for hours, especially on the weekends. The local authorities do a terrible job of clearing up snow from the roads. They have no way of salting the roads nor do they stock up any salt other than the salt they put on their sunday BBQ. So even days after it last snowed, roads can be dangerous. Especially the last stretch of narrow road leading up to the ski rental place.
Public Transport 0 out of 5
No public transport. No scheduled bus routes or anything like that. You can pay for a taxi if you want to get there, assuming the roads are clean and it hasn't snowed for days. Good luck finding one to get you out of there.
Scenery 4 out of 5
Ok, scenery might be the best attribute of the ski resort. Where as other European resorts lack trees and forests, Mt Olympus is set right in the forest with beautiful views of the coast on a clear day.
Accommodation. 2 out of 5.
There are very few hotels in the area. Most are located in Platres village which is a 20 minute drive away. But if it is snowing, or within a couple of days after a good snowfall, then 20 min could turn into 2 hours easily as the roads are extremely poorly cleaned of snow and traffic is crazy on the weekends.
Cheap rooms. 3 out of 5
Hotels up there are not that expensive, assuming you can find a room on a busy weekend.
Luxury hotels 0 out 5
No such thing in the area
Ski in and out 0 out 5
No such thing in the resort
Childcare 0 out of 5
No such thing in the resort or the surrounding area
Snowsure 1 out of 5
Chances are the snow will be poor with rocks appearing on the piste and with 3 out of 4 pistes closed for the majority of the season
Snowmaking 0 out of 5
There is NO snowmaking in cyprus. They bought 3 or 4 snow canons a few years ago and they have never been used and they will never be used
Snow grooming 1 out of 5
No real expertise when it comes to snow grooming. Poorly groomed resort, poorly maintained, no features, slow to open pistes after snowfall
Shelter 3 out of 5
Weather Conditions are never that terrible up there and two restaurants are easily reached from the slopes.
Nearby options 0 out 5
There is no other ski resort.
Regional rating 1 out of 5
Compared to Lebanon... well... it just can't be compared.
Lift Staff 3 out of 5
No major complaints except for the fact that most speak neither english nor greek
Crowds/queues 3 out of 5
Weekdays are perfect. Sunday after a good snow, don't even think about it. The longest slope is 500 meters. Yep, 500 meters. Half a kilometer. So you can ski that in under a minute while you could wait up to 10 minutes in line to go up.
Ski Schools 3 out 5
For skiing there are many good options.
For snowboarding, not really
Hires and Repairs 2 out of 5
Not much variety, no new stuff, not very well maintained
Variety of Pistes 0 out 5
There are 4 total slopes. The longest is 500 meters. Only two are kind of interconnected: Hera and Dias. For the rest you have to walk or drive to go from the one to the other. 90% of the time only sun valley 1 will be open which is about 150 meters long. For the majority of the time you will have to worry about rocks on any slope. No features, no snow park, no kickers, no rails, no imagination, no good grooming. Could it have been better. Yes, all slopes are possible to be connected, there are routes that can be opened to make runs longer than a kilometer, they could make some artificial features etc. Could have but won't.
Beginners. 2 out of 5
Ok, there is confusion about this. Everyone thinks that since the resort is small (no black runs) that it is suitable for beginners. Not quite. Beginners need two things. A long slope to keep trying what they are trying and for the slope to be mellow too. Sun valley 1, which is supposed to be a super beginner slope, has neither of these two attributes
Intermediates 3 out of 5
Some intermediate terrain and possibly tree runs, but from top to bottom takes seconds..
Advanced 1 out of 5
No such thing. There is a route on Dias slope that is advanced, but it is never opened.
Snow park 0 out 5
No such thing, not even close, not even remote, not at all. A 2 feet small kicker on Hera may be found if built by a snowboarder or something.
Off Piste 2 out 5
There are some options, but not adjacent to the slopes.
Cross country ?
I know there is but don't know much about it to rate it.
Luge Tobogan 2 out of 5
In pure Cypriot fashion, they have taken up a part of the slope and you can see kids with nylon bags sliding 10 meters down the slope.
Mountain Dining 2 out of 5
Good luck finding something open at night.
Eating 2 out 5
Two restaurants on two different slopes. One on each. Mainly sandwiches and refreshments. Expensive.
Apres ski 0 out 5
Apres what?
Other sports 1 out 5
I guess if you have a big imagination, you can come up with something.
Entertainment 1 out of 5
See immediately above
Winter walks 3 out 5
Not bad
Ski pass value 2 out of 5
Taking into account the dangerous roads to get there, the traffic on weekends, the poorly maintained slopes, the lack of options, short pistes, featureless pistes, lift lines the price may sound alright, but relative to other resorts and what they offer for double the price, then it is super expensive.
Value 2 out of 5
It is the only resort in Cyprus. Globally speaking, our resort is like a back yard contraption.
Final thoughts. Some say we are lucky to have it and that we shouldn't complain. Sure, sure of course if our ancestors didn't complain about the caves they were living in or the trees they were hanging from, then we wouldn't be here today talking online. So, yes, it is something that we have a resort in sunny Cyprus. We are grateful for the British who built it decades ago and since then we still use the same ski rental "building" that is ready to fall down, the same exact pistes, etc. Could it be better: yes, easily. If there were people who cared in the government or if they privatized it, it could easily be better. They could widen the road easily. they could clean the road of snow better. they could create more parking. they could widen the slopes, make them longer, connect them (yes even dias can be connected to sun valley 1. They were 50 year plans to make some features, etc, etc. Do you build it and hope they will come or do you wait until they come and then build it. In cyprus we prefer option 2. Show us the money first, come even if there is nothing to see or do and if you come often enough, in great masses for no reason at all, then maybe we will build it for you, hahahahaha.
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