Saray Hotel

North Nicosia (Lefkoşa)


Fancy a trip back to the early '80s, when swirling patterned carpets, gold braid-trimmed lobby sofas and black lacquered bathroom sinks were all the rage in hotel decor? Saray has nailed it. To be fair, the rooms with their bland but serviceable pine and beige furnishings aren't that bad; but the gold-wallpapered corridors leading to them reek of stale cigarettes.

The central location is a bonus. Plus – or minus, depending on your outlook – there's a ’70s-style casino in the basement to add to the retro atmosphere. Breakfast is on the 8th floor, accompanied by stunning panoramic views.

Interestingly, the hotel was the first ever Turkish Cypriot hotel, built in 1962 by members of the Vakif, an ancient Ottoman religious order.