Cleopatra Hotel

Rooms and decor

Picture a classic 4-star in the middle of Nicosia that has been standing for decades — Cleopatra Hotel is a name Cypriots know well. It sits on Florinis Street in the capital's centre, in a building that carries itself with quiet authority. The lobby leans into warm browns, wood furniture and leather sofas, the feel of a classic European hotel that has been kept up with care. The 89 rooms follow the same warm, classic line — earthy tones, thick soft curtains, a big comfortable bed, and more floor space than a lot of the city's newer rooms. The selling point in every room is the wide balcony, which opens onto the Nicosia skyline, old tiled roofs running north toward the Pentadaktylos mountains. Stepping out in the morning with a hot Cypriot coffee while the city wakes up is the moment reviews keep calling great value for this price. This is not slick modern boutique — it is the comfortable feel of an old hotel that treats every guest like a regular.

Food and amenities

Cleopatra runs 2 restaurants. The main room does a Mediterranean breakfast buffet with eggs cooked to order, fresh-baked bread, proper Cypriot halloumi, several kinds of olives and seasonal fruit — many reviews say the breakfast is done well and carries more local options than the big chains. The second restaurant focuses on local Cypriot food: small meze plates, kleftiko (slow-roasted lamb) and homestyle sweets like loukoumades, in a warm setting that suits an easy dinner. The hotel's large ballroom hosts conferences, banquets and weddings from a few dozen to several hundred guests, which has long made Cleopatra a go-to for Nicosia's corporate and celebration crowd. There is a small gym with standard equipment, and an outdoor pool in the garden behind the building, open May to October — a cool corner for days when Cyprus heat climbs toward 35°C, with sun loungers and a small drinks spot around it.

Location and getting there

Location is Cleopatra's real ace. On Florinis Street in central Nicosia, it is a 6-minute walk to the Venetian Walls — the 16th-century star fort that is the city's finest piece of architecture. A few minutes more brings you to Eleftheria Square, redesigned by architect Zaha Hadid into a landmark of the capital. Ledra Street, the main pedestrian strip packed with restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops, is about an 8-minute walk, and from there it is only a few steps to the Green Line crossing into northern Nicosia (under Turkish administration) — free to cross, just bring your passport. That makes Cleopatra a near-perfect base for both halves of this divided capital. For arrivals, Cyprus's main airport is Larnaca (LCA), about 45 minutes by car on the A2 motorway, or you can take the Kapnos Airport Shuttle bus. Paphos (PFO) is farther, roughly 1.5 hours away. The Solomos Square bus station is about an 8-minute walk for onward trips to Limassol or Paphos.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. The most common gripe is the traditional decor — open for decades, the interiors run classic and dark, with curtains, wood and thick carpets that look dignified but are not the minimalist modern style in fashion right now; if you want a fresh boutique room, this may feel dated. Second is upkeep: the age shows in some bathrooms and showers, and a few reviews say taps or tiling could use updating. If something is off, flag it — the team here responds well and tries to fix it. Third, Wi-Fi is inconsistent on some floors, especially the higher ones, so remote workers may end up in the lobby where the signal is stronger. And rooms on the lower floors facing Florinis Street can catch rush-hour traffic noise — light sleepers should ask for a higher floor facing the back or the mountains. One more: the pool runs summer only (generally May to October), so a winter stay misses it.

Our take

Pulling the real reviews together, Cleopatra Hotel is a classic 4-star that sells central location, easygoing staff, a wide balcony in every room, and genuine value. If your trip is about using a hotel as a base to walk the old town, cross the Green Line to the north, explore the Venetian Walls and Eleftheria Square, then come back to a glass of Cypriot wine on a balcony over the evening skyline — Cleopatra delivers, and for the money it delivers a lot. If you are expecting a sleek modern boutique or full five-star facilities, it is not your first pick. We give it 7.9/10 — best for mid-budget couples, culture-first travelers, business visitors in town for meetings, and small families who want a central hotel with the warm service of a classic European neighbour.