Meryem's Hotel — Hotel in Çatalköy-Esentepe Belediyesi

I will only be rating the restaurant here - it is set in a chic and cozy setting, and the owner and her daughter are friendly and warm people. We were welcomed well and taken to our table. They tried to create a nice atmosphere with live guitar music and roses for each of the ladies because we went for Valentine’s Day.

We were welcomed with a glass of “champagne” ( it was not, probably sparkling wine). They had wine from the local st Hilarion winery which was a nice surprise.

They had advertised a gold medal lover chefs creative menu so we expected a bit more from the food and from the claims. We were offered canapés, and falafel starters, they were both good but the falafel was a bit hard. The chestnut soup was quite delicious but I found it to be too thin and the portion on the small side. The dinner was short rib with mushroom stuffing rice, it tasted good but mushrooms were difficult to spot in there. Both of the items were quite fatty so a fresh condiment or a salad would have helped balance the grease, surprisingly it was served as just meat and rice which made the meal feel heavy. The desert was with nori cheese and honey and it was good. Presentation was weak. The food tasted good in general but it wasn’t something special. It was 100 liras per person.

The service was the worst aspect - we were not offered any water, I even asked the waiter to not insult him by doing his job but he watched me pour my own water. both of the staff serving us didn’t know what food they were serving or what wine to suggest.

The owner’s daughter later explained to us that this is their soft opening, they were employing students and apologized for any shortcomings. The chefs were also students apparently. Suddenly things became clear. We offered to give feedback for improvements for their official opening and she said she’d welcome it but then we weren’t asked our opinion.

I understand that they’re a boutique hotel and if they want to employ students, but then I wish they managed our expectations better. For north Cyprus the food is ok and the menu more interesting but for those of us who’ve been around the world it leaves something to be missed from the “fine dining experience”. The setting is fine dining but the food and service is not there yet. I found 100 liras (excluding the drinks) too much for what we got.

The place and the owners are charming so it has potential to become a fine dining joint like claimed if the food and service are improved. I really hope this happens as we need it in...

What a fabulous little gem this boutique hotel in North Cyprus is, far enough out of Kyrenia (Gerni in Turkish) for a relaxing location with nearby shops, beaches, restaurants and bars but close enough to drive or get a taxi to visit the amazing town centre, harbour and castle! A stunning building, originally a private home has a sweeping marble staircase and lovely lounge and inside or outside dining. Plus superb gardens and pool! Try to book a pool facing room if possible! The restaurant served a generous cold buffet or cooked breakfast and has a selection of tasty snacks and wholesome meals at very reasonable prices so we stayed for three nights and ate there for two. Very enjoyable and excellent bar service too! The staff were delightful, nothing was too much trouble! Thank you to Uger, Zaheed, and Romero for their consummate attention and attention to detail. We will be back very soon! Tips: if driving or taking a taxi to Kyrenia from the hotel it is well sign posted and takes about 10 minutes. Try to avoid rush hours though as traffic gets very heavy until 10am and then again between 3.30 and 6.30! Costs roughly €10 or 350 lire. We used euros predominantly for purchases, petrol (very cheap!) and eating out but took lire for tips, taxi’s and small purchases. Definitely visit Bellapais Abbey, 20 minutes away, try and get there early before the coaches! Harbour side restaurants are a lovely setting for lunch but if you venture back towards the outskirts then there is an amazing place called The Grapevine, not easy to see from the road but next door to a garage and it has huge grapes sculptures outside and a path leading to the bar...

We had a great stay at this small nice hotel. Very familiar atmosphere. Very cozy and very personalized service. We had a direct contat with the owner, too, and he changed our room for a better locted one when we mentioned to him the initial one was too noisy. Great service, thanks for it. The breakfast is nice and sufficient in choice, the surroundings and garden nice attended. The hotel will need a small up-date within some points in the room and furniture, as well painting and in some public parts, but all small details which is normal for a hotel operation, and which should not iinfluence your stay negatively. All in all was a great stay within the hotel and perfect for us to reach Kyrenia and other areas at the Northern part of Cyprus. Many Thanks to Ugur and his team for the hospitality and caring, wishing you a lot of success and great guests to stay with you. All best, Matthias & Maya...