The “Hotel of Kings” in the mountains of Cyprus: Berengaria is being revived after 40 years of abandonment

In the mountain village of Prodromos (at an altitude of 1,400 meters above sea level), the final stage of the large-scale restoration of the historic Berengaria hotel has begun. The iconic heritage site, abandoned for almost half a century, is being transformed into a five-star boutique hotel. The total investment in the project amounts to 35 million euros, and completion of the work is scheduled for 2029. The renovated complex will be operated by Thanos Hotels & Resorts.

Historical context and reasons for decline:
Berengaria was built in 1931 by Cypriot entrepreneur Ioannis G. Ioannides Kokkalos to a design by British architect Walter Henry Clarke. Named after the wife of Richard the Lionheart, the hotel quickly gained the status of a “royal resort.” Over the years, its halls hosted King Farouk of Egypt, Winston Churchill, Archbishop Makarios III, and other world-famous figures.

The period of prosperity ended after the geopolitical crisis of 1974, when foreign tourist flows shifted to the island’s coastal areas. In 1984, the hotel finally closed, turning into a popular art object for lovers of abandoned places, covered in graffiti and surrounded by urban legends.

Features of the architectural restoration:
In 2020, the property was acquired by the Cypriot development group bbf:. Demolition of the building was ruled out, as Berengaria is the largest state-protected historic building in Cyprus, originally designed as a hotel.

Architects Marios Economidis and Maria Akkelidou, along with project manager Andronikos Spirou, identified three of the most technically challenging stages:
— Restoring the original stone masonry in a “fortress” style and eliminating deep cracks in the load-bearing walls.
— Reinforcing the foundation by laying new grillage beams under the existing structures without damaging them.
— Completely replacing the roof and installing a new metal frame based on archival photographs.

Inside the building, meticulous work is underway: specialists have restored five authentic fireplaces in the grand hall (some of them had been bricked up), are recreating wooden floors from old drawings, and are integrating modern engineering systems (climate control, ventilation, electricity) without disturbing the historical appearance.

Project infrastructure by 2029:
After the modernization is completed, Berengaria will offer guests:
— Around 30 exclusive rooms, a premium spa complex, a fitness area, outdoor and indoor pools, restaurants, and bars.
— On the adjacent territory (near the protected Natura 2000 nature zone), residential apartments, townhouses, and detached private villas will be built.

The project management expects the revived Berengaria to become a powerful year-round tourist magnet for the entire Troodos region (including the neighboring villages of Pedoulas and Kalopanayiotis), which will create new jobs and give impetus to the development of local small businesses.