Cleopatra
Florinis 8, 1065 Nicosia, Cyprus
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expert-rated hotels in Nicosia- Recommended for:
- Business travellers, First-time travellers, Mature travellers, Seasoned travellers, Sporty types, Art, Shopping, Sightseeing
Expert review of Cleopatra
Comfortable new-town hotel being incrementally upgraded
The Cleopatra pitches itself primarily at Cypriots and foreign businessmen, but with its range of facilities it’s equally suitable for tourist visits to Nicosia, especially in your own car. Since I stayed here on a press trip a few years back, there have been significant improvements.
Location:
In a relatively quiet, sleaze-free corner of the new city, with street parking just possible nearby, but still within easy walking distance to most museums and the old town.
Bedrooms:
About a third of the 89 rooms were redone in 2010 to bring them up to 4-star standard, which means flat-screen TVs, veneer floors, neutral-tone wallpaper, salt-and-pepper bedspreads (contrasting with glossy headboards), and big balconies behind the black velour-print blackout curtains. New bathrooms are top-notch, with butler sinks, marble tiling throughout, rain showers and glass tub screens. Unrefurbished rooms, distinctly 3-star, tend to lack double beds and show their early-1990s vintage. There’s WiFi throughout (not free); the hotel is fully non-smoking.
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Public areas:
The entry lobby is dark and unwelcoming, in contrast to the adjacent, sunwashed bistro with its Second-Empire-on-Mind-Altering-Substance furniture and breakfast hall. There are also several conference/events rooms, and limited basement parking.
Eating and drinking:
Buffet breakfast, served only indoors, is better than average, but the highlight for me is the Baroque Bistro, worth stopping in off the street to eat at. Its stock in trade is heaping salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, crepes and desserts, many in a choice of small or medium portions, which won’t set you back more than about 15 euros for two courses, (plus plenty of quality Greek wines for under 20 euros a bottle). In summer by the pool, a meze-format restaurant works out of the old house originally on the property, with a fuller menu – for which allow over 20 euros per person, plus drink.
Leisure facilities:
The large, outdoor (and unheated) pool is a rarity in Nicosia; behind this is a particularly well-equipped gym, though the adjacent sauna and jacuzzi pool are modern and sterile.
Service:
Polite and efficient – I got a free loaner ethernet cable for use in the bistro, though I suspect this may no longer be the case.
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Who stays there:
Foreign businessmen and conference delegates, Cypriot wedding parties, car-bound tourists.
Price advice:
The management is coy about quoting rack rates. My guess is that a double room nailed for under 140 euros is doing well.
Pros:
Good-value food on site
Large outdoor pool
Well-equipped gym
Private parking
Cons:
Charge for often slow WiFi
The older rooms
More information on Cleopatra:
- Type:
- Hotel
- Address:
- Florinis 8, 1065 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Amenities:
- Business Centre, Fitness Centre, High-Speed Internet, Parking, Restaurant, Room Service, Swimming Pool
