Thanks to my son Chrysantho Konstantinou for his drone footage 29/12/2019 Cyprus
Verengaria is a mysterious and mythical hotel in Prodromos village. It is a landmark, a true gem of the area, a “villa” of the local and foreign high society, and a hotel for the kings.
The abandoned hotel of Verengaria is found in Prodromos village, at the foothills of Troodos Mountains. The hotel stands as the landmark of the area and it is undoubtedly an example of high-level architecture and aesthetics.
The hotel was built by the British architect Walter Henry Clarke, and its construction took about four years, from 1927 till 1931. The inauguration of the building was on the 10th of June in 1931.
The hotel was named differently before the final name was given. The final name of the hotel comes from princess of Navarre, Berengaria, who later became the Queen of England as the wife of Richard the Lionheart. Ioannis Kokkalou was the owner of the hotel. He was a member of Cyprus Hotel Association and deeply involved in the hotel business of that time.
Fairly acknowledged as a hotel for the royals, the stone-built hotel had an elegant decorative design. Wealthy locals, super rich Egyptians and Arabs, and aristocrats luxuriated in the rooms of the spectacular opulence of that time. A sports centre with a tennis court and a football pitch was offered as well as horse-riding facilities and playground for kids. Of course, bars and billiards were also provided for the guest’ entertainment. In addition, events like dance competitions, beauty contests, concerts and theatrical performances used to be held in this hotel.
Unfortunately, after five decades of business, the hotel began declining and losing its charm and reputation. Consequently, the Cyprus Tourism Organisation closed it down and eventually terminating any operation in 1984.
Today, various legends call the hotel haunted. Some of these legends mention unexpected deaths, others mention drownings while others refer to fires. However, the inhabitants of the area refuse all of these assumptions. In fact, none of them were proven true, but in contrast, they are products of pranks that occurred at times. Although fictional, the stories about the hotel attracted many visitors and enhanced the reputation of this now-abandoned hotel.
Strolling around the Troodos Mountains, it would be a great idea to walkthrough the legendary hotel of Verengaria. Arriving there, you may feel unease and spooky even if you know that the tales are fictional. At the same time, you would witness the charm of this stunning resort on the hillside of the village that would trigger a sensation of a mystical magic.
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