Hotel Bellapais Gardens Review - 1 of 15 Reviews

The hotel is perched in the Five Finger Mountains, so it has amazing views down to the coast beyond. Its about a 5 minutes taxi ride to the outskirts of Kyrenia, so I didn't feel cut off either.

Inside, it feels a weird combination of holiday villa and ski resort, with a stone-walled lounge with log fire, yet rattan furniture and windows without heavy drapes. Although the restaurant sliding doors/windows stayed firmly shut against what could be a chilly wind, the sunshine poured in and the views were superb. Breakfast was good, and the two evening meals I had excellent. I also ate at a coupe of other Bellapais restaurants and some on the coast and in Kyrenia (not all restaurants in Kyrenia are open during the winter, especially smaller ones in resort areas).

My room/mini-villa (as it had two floors) was clean, comfortable and warm, and enjoyed a clear view. (Not all do.) Bedroom was downstairs, living area upstairs, and the bathroom only had a shower, pretty much the norm for Mediterranean hotels I find. The tv (small by most people's standards) was mainly Turkish channels, but I did find BBC World, for what it was worth.

I very much liked the laid back atmosphere and relaxing style of service - you can check out when you like - but it's probably not for everyone. I didn't realise until I had booked that the hotel has a no children policy, but which would certainly help keep the place more tranquil in summer.

A good hotel, a restful time, and an interesting country to explore in a hire car, especially for a keen photographer like myself. My suggestion is to upgrade to a decent car or 4x4 rather than the usual tin can coastal runaround - the mountain roads are remarkably steep in places and not always in the best condition...

Liked — Bellapais location
Disliked — not much to do in evening - dvd player would ahve helped!

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