Have you ever found yourself in a state where you feel unwell and stressed, and being at home just seems to make it worse? Well, that was me. So I escaped for a few days to the Capital Coast Resort & Spa.

I’ve been feeling poorly on-and-off for the last week. A stomach bug has been going round Goobie’s school that I just couldn’t seem to shake off. I’d feel fine for a bit, then unwell again. I also suspect that the dog situation and the cat situation weren’t helping me get better.  Three months of relentless animal rescues had left me feeling wound up and anxious.  And then four puppies were found in a box on my street, just after saying a heart-wrenching goodbye to my foster kitten Talia. And that was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

I needed a breather; space to calm down, unwind – and kick this bug properly. I needed to get away. But when? The weekends ahead were full.

There’s no time like the present.

I wanted somewhere nice but affordable, with self-catering options, TV, spa and swimming pool. By the sea. Somewhere I didn’t have to leave while I was there. We searched online and found a good deal with the Capital Coast Resort & Spa in Paphos for €60 a night (usually €99). I got out the suitcases and literally chucked things in them. I picked Goobie up from school, collected Matt from work and we drove straight to the hotel. This is extremely out of character for a number of reasons:

1. I’m never usually quite that impulsive
2. I never book hotels without doing a thorough search first
3. I never, ever, EVER chuck clothes in suitcases
4. I don’t do resorts

But I didn’t care. I just needed to get away. I just needed to do NOTHING for a few days.

And that’s exactly what I did. I did nothing.

The Capital Coast Resort & Spa has been perfect for doing nothing in. We booked a suite so we had plenty of space. The suite has a small kitchen and lounge with a big TV on the wall. Goobie sleeps on the sofa bed and Matt and I are in the bedroom next door. The bathroom is massive, with his and hers basins, a bath and a shower cubicle. The rooms are spotless and the décor has a modern, simplistic Ikea feel to it.  I usually prefer hotels that have a bit more soul, but I really don’t care this time. The simplistic atmosphere is just what I need.

As I write this, I can see the sea just outside the open balcony door. The waves are really big and look like they are going to break on the hotel. They aren’t; there’s a rocky coastline down there that the waves are breaking on. You just can’t see it because it’s at the bottom of a slope.

The balcony stretches the length of the suite and faces two big swimming pools that are enclosed on three sides by the C-shaped layout of the resort. The water is a bit cold for me to venture into, but they’d be perfect in the height of summer. From my room I can hear the waves and the water fountain in the pool – it’s very soothing.

Opposite the sea and pool area is a large restaurant and bar. I’ve enjoyed some extremely gluttonous breakfasts in that restaurant. There’s a huge breakfast buffet that includes cooked breakfast options, pancakes, croissants, muffins, cereals, yoghurts, fruit salad, cheese, cold meats, teas, fruit juices and coffee. I’ve spent hours down there, eating, writing, looking out at the sea, and covertly feeding sausages to the hotel cats.

I’ve been on my own for breakfast because Matt and Goobie have to go to work and school. It’s a slightly longer commute than they usually have, but Paphos isn’t too far from where we live.

I felt really poorly the first full day here, so I just mooched around the suite, drinking herbal teas, reading Harry Potter and sleeping. I spent some time in the hotel spa Anemones for a relaxing foot massage and pedicure. After what my feet went through doing the Cyprus Walkdown, it was the least I could do for them. Anemones isn’t the most extravagant spa I’ve been too, and the nail polish they used (classic not Shellac) started coming off after a day, but the staff were friendly and the atmosphere suitably relaxing. I nearly fell asleep in their candle-lit relaxation room.

Day two and I was really unwinding and feeling much better. After spending most of the previous day sitting and lying down, I needed some activity. So I went down to the hotel’s gym and did a gentle run on a treadmill. I don’t usually do gyms, but this one seemed pretty well kitted-out.

After getting sweaty on the treadmill, I went for a very refreshing swim in the indoor pool. Matt and Goobie went in this pool the day before and thought it was colder than the outside ones. It was almost too cold for the first minute, but then the refreshing tingle crept in and it was great.

Matt and Goobie returned from work/school early afternoons and we had lunch together and went for a walk by the sea. There’s a pathway that runs along the coast, past Tomb of the Kings (next door-but-one) and perhaps all the way to Kato Paphos. It looks great for running along. There isn’t a sandy beach in front of the hotel, but it looks like there’s one next door. There are loads of rock pools for jumping over and looking in. Goobie wasn’t fussed about beaches – he just wanted to play Volley Shoe, which involves chucking a flip-flop over a volleyball net.

We spent both evenings by the sea, playing and watching the sun set. As it’s now autumn, clouds have crept into the sky, creating spectacular sunsets. We took a bottle of wine down to the sea and soaked it all up.

I’m going back home soon, much calmer, more relaxed and feeling much better than when I arrived. I’ll miss this place. It gave me exactly what I needed. A place to escape, get better and re-centre myself. The perfect Retreat.