The Rebirth of the Berengaria Hotel
The Berengaria Hotel in the Troodos Mountains has been abandoned for nearly 40 years. Now though, it is being reborn. I was lucky enough to be given a guided tour of the site by BBF, the company who is responsible for the renovation. There will be a full film of the tour along soon, but in this article I summarise what I found and provide links for people seeking further information.
A Brief Recap
The Berengaria Hotel opened its doors in the 1930s. It was the dream of Greek Cypriot Ioannis G. Ioannidis Kokkalos. Located in Prodromos, at the top of the Troodos Mountains, it soon became a favourite for both Royalty and the Rich and Famous. Guests included King Farouk of Egypt, Archbishop Makarios of Cyprus, and Winston Churchill.
Fall From Grace
The Turkish invasion of 1974 had a drastic effect on Tourism in Cyprus, and in 1984, the hotel was forced to close its doors. Since then it was abandoned to nature, visited only by Urban Explorers and Graffiti Artists. the once great building seemed in terminal decline.
Rebirth
Now though, it is reawakening. And recently, I was given a guided tour of the site, so I could witness the amazing transformation which is being undertaken. The film of the tour can be seen on Youtube using the link. This article attempts to summarise the points raised during the interview, and enable the curious to have easy access to further information. As such, I won’t reproduce the tour word for word. Instead I shall cover various issues one at a time. At the end of the article there will be links to relevant websites etc.
Meet bbf
First then, who is doing the restoration, and what is their plan? Well, that QR code will give you a big clue, but don’t jump to another article just yet! I include all the relevant links at the end, so read this first.
The company in question is BBF. And this is them in their own words:
“BBF is a leading developer of world-class residential and commercial properties in Cyprus and Greece, offering seamless, all-inclusive development processes—sourcing land, designing, developing, and building to ensure the smooth delivery of high-quality properties. Our commitment is to create the best living and working spaces and enhance them with sustainable and community-focused best- practices, resulting in better future environments for our clients.”
And if you were wondering, it stands for Build Better Future.
Project Manager
So, let’s meet the people who will be showing me around the site. First up, we have the Project Manager: Andronikos Spyrou.
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Almost 100 years ago a magnificent hotel open in the heart of the Troodos Mountains, at Prodromos. After an illustrious life it eventually closed in 1984 and has laid dormant ever since. The only inhabitants now aside from the local flora and fauna are a number of ghosts, if you believe local legends. However, it was announced a while ago that there was a cast iron project to open the hotel again. Indeed, when I visited a year ago there was definite activity on the restoration front. I recently went back for another look, and they have ramped it up a notch. The renovation work is now in full swing...Related Pages
MapThe Rebirth of the Berengaria Hotel
The Berengaria Hotel in the Troodos Mountains has been abandoned for nearly 40 years. Now though, it is being reborn. I was lucky enough to be given a guided tour of the site by BBF, the company who is responsible for the renovation. There will be a full film of the tour along soon, but in this article I summarise what I found and provide links for people seeking further information.
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eBookCyprus Road Trip 01: the Kathikas - Panagia Loop
Let me take you on a journey around the region of Paphos, Cyprus. Starting at Paphos itself, we travel to Akoursos, then Kathikas, Kritou Terra and Simou. We continue past Lasa and Kannaviou, before taking in the delights of Panagia. Getting a bit more adventurous, we visit the abandoned villages of Statos and Agios Fotios, before passing through Choulou, Letymbou and Polemi, and rejoining the main Paphos - Polis road.
The route is suitable for all types of vehicle, and requires no off-roading. The guide contains about 130 photographs including shots of all the road signs you need to pay attention to, as well as some of the highlights you may experience along the way.
There are also several maps which will help you keep your bearings.
You can do this journey in a day, or you can break it up into chunks. You can also do it in reverse, to get some completely different views. It is entirely up to you.
