Secondary keywords: St. Raphael Resort, private marina Cyprus, berthing Limassol
Long-tail queries: What services do you offer at St. Raphael Marina, Is the marina open to non-resort guests, Can I charter a yacht from St. Raphael
Most people who ask me about St. Raphael have already decided they do not want Limassol Marina. That is a legitimate choice, and this page is about whether the alternative fits.
What it is
A small private marina on the coast east of Limassol, in the Amathus hotel district, built as part of the St. Raphael Resort. It sits behind its own breakwater with the resort's beach and facilities alongside. It is not a town marina with a promenade of shops and restaurants; it is a quiet basin attached to a hotel.
The scale is the point. Where Limassol Marina is a district, St. Raphael is a harbour. Fewer boats, fewer people walking the pontoons, a shorter list of services on site — and for a certain kind of owner that is exactly the trade they want to make.
Who it suits
- Owners who value discretion. No promenade, no crowds photographing the boats, no marina nightlife. You come to the boat and go.
- Owners who use the resort. If the family is staying at the hotel or you live nearby on the east side of town, having the boat a short walk from the pool has obvious appeal.
- Boats of modest to medium size. The basin is not built for large yachts. If you are unsure whether your vessel fits, that is the first question to ask the marina, not the last.
Who it does not suit: anyone who wants a full range of yard services, chandlery and trades on the doorstep, or who wants the boat in the middle of the city's social life. For that, Limassol Marina is a short drive west and a different proposition.
What to confirm before berthing
I am deliberately not stating the marina's rules here, because they are the marina's to set and they change. Before committing to a berth, confirm directly with them:
- whether a berth is available for your length and draft, and for how long;
- the fees and what they include — water, power, security, use of resort facilities;
- access arrangements for owners who are not staying at the resort;
- what services can be arranged on site and what has to come from outside.
A small private marina answers these questions quickly and personally. That is one of its advantages.
Brokerage and charters from St. Raphael
A boat kept at St. Raphael is sold the same way as any other: valuation, listing, viewings, survey, closing. The quiet setting is good for viewings — a buyer sees the boat without distraction — and the vessel is shown to buyers from across the island, because the market is island-wide. The selling guide covers the process.
Charters from here are possible and pleasant: you step from the resort onto the boat and are out past the breakwater in minutes, with the coast east towards Amathus and Governor's Beach or west along the city front. Capacity is the limit — this is a place to leave from with a group of friends or family, not to stage a large event. For anything bigger, Limassol Marina is the base.
Frequently asked
What services do you offer at St. Raphael? Brokerage, charters and management coordination for boats kept there — the same work I do anywhere on the island, with the viewings and handovers done on the pontoon.
Is the marina open to non-resort guests? Ask the marina directly. Arrangements exist for berth holders; the specifics are theirs to state.
What are the berthing fees? Set by the marina and not published here. Confirm with them for your vessel.
Can I charter a yacht from here? Yes, for a family or a small group. Larger charters leave from Limassol.
Ask me
If you are choosing between St. Raphael and Limassol Marina for a boat you own or are about to buy, tell me what the boat is and how you use it. The right answer is usually clear in one conversation, and it is not always the marina with more services.
