Valide Hanım Konak — Hotel in Lefkoşa Türk Belediyesi

Excellent homely atmospheric hotel in the Turkish-Cypriot part of the walled town of Nicosia/Lefkoşa

N35°10′50″ E33°21′41″ Hotel Valide Hanim Konak is a hotel renovated in 2019 with a newly opened steak restaurant in 2020 on Girne Caddesi near the northern Kyrenia gate in Turkish-Cypriot part of the old Venetian walled city of Nicosia/Lefkoşa, about 5-minute walking from the Ledra pedestrian border crossing. The streets in northern Nicosia are not well lit, but we found our way easily at night.

From Larnaca airport, we took the Kapnos airport shuttle (€8 one way) in 40 minutes to the outskirts of Nicosia. To reach the old town, you need to walk to the city bus stop number 37 named Police Headquarters, across a pedestrian bridge (they drive on the left here). Use Google Maps to find this city bus stop for the city busses 158 and 160 to the final stop at Dionysios Solomos Square. Walk to the hotel in 17 minutes past the Ledra pedestrian border crossing. Although we visited Nicosia during the fourth wave of the coronavirus outbreak in November 2021, we had no problems crossing the border. Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cyriot border guards accepted the CyprusFlyPass as proof of vaccination, until, on the fifth day, Turkish-Cypriot border guards suddenly and without any prior warning demanded a valid PCR-test from fully vaccinated visitors. The border crossing became a deserted place, with empty bars and restaurants on the Turkish site.

From the hotel website, the floor plan of the hotel rooms is unclear. Our room 3, the best room according to staff, is in an annexe on the first floor (2F). Room 4 is next to room 3. Room 2 is windowless on the ground floor (1F) below room 3. The coronavirus epidemic forced the owners to start a restaurant in the hotel, with room 1 on the ground floor (1F) converted to a kitchen. Rooms 5 and 6 are on the first floor (2F) in the main building. The green door on the wall of the courtyard is fake. There is no room behind this door.

Due to the opening of a restaurant in the hotel, which is not really suitable for a restaurant, dining guests produce noise, especially in the courtyard. For the early sleepers, between 10 and 11pm it becomes quiet again in the hotel, except for Chico, the resident ringtone-imitating parrot. In the middle of the night, a rubbish truck empties two rubbish containers under our window.

Room 3 in November 2021 had a large comfortable double bed (200×180cm), television, air conditioner, two windows for fresh air, Wi-Fi, free non-alcoholic minibar, hairdryer, shower with electrical water heater and clean towels every day. We missed enough storage space for our cloths, a safe and facial tissues and glasses in the bathroom. Breakfast is served in the courtyard and is sufficient for a good day start.

Service was extremely friendly and attentive. We felt really cared for and welcome in the hotel. The staff took pity on our PCR-test ordeal and offered comforting food and drinks. Staff are lovely people.

We paid €60 per night. Tip: pay cash in euros to avoid unfavourable exchange rates to Turkish lira.

Hotel Valide Hanim Konak is a good, homely and atmospheric accommodation in the Turkish-Cypriot part of the old town with good value for money and super friendly staff. Highly...

N35°10′50″ E33°21′41″ Hotel Valide Hanim Konak is a hotel renovated in 2019 with a newly opened steak restaurant in 2020 on Girne Caddesi near the northern Kyrenia gate in Turkish-Cypriot part of the old Venetian walled city of Nicosia/Lefkoşa, about 5-minute walking from the Ledra pedestrian border crossing. The streets in northern Nicosia are not well lit, but we found our way easily at night.||||From Larnaca airport, we took the Kapnos airport shuttle (€8 one way) in 40 minutes to the outskirts of Nicosia. To reach the old town, you need to walk to the city bus stop number 37 named Police Headquarters, across a pedestrian bridge (they drive on the left here). Use Google Maps to find this city bus stop for the city busses 158 and 160 to the final stop at Dionysios Solomos Square. Walk to the hotel in 17 minutes past the Ledra pedestrian border crossing. Although we visited Nicosia during the fourth wave of the coronavirus outbreak in November 2021, we had no problems crossing the border. Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cyriot border guards accepted the CyprusFlyPass as proof of vaccination, until, on the fifth day, Turkish-Cypriot border guards suddenly and without any prior warning demanded a valid PCR-test from fully vaccinated visitors. The border crossing became a deserted place, with empty bars and restaurants on the Turkish site. ||||From the hotel website, the floor plan of the hotel rooms is unclear. Our room 3, the best room according to staff, is in an annexe on the first floor (2F). Room 4 is next to room 3. Room 2 is windowless on the ground floor (1F) below room 3. The coronavirus epidemic forced the owners to start a restaurant in the hotel, with room 1 on the ground floor (1F) converted to a kitchen. Rooms 5 and 6 are on the first floor (2F) in the main building. The green door on the wall of the courtyard is fake. There is no room behind this door. ||||Due to the opening of a restaurant in the hotel, which is not really suitable for a restaurant, dining guests produce noise, especially in the courtyard. For the early sleepers, between 10 and 11pm it becomes quiet again in the hotel, except for Chico, the resident ringtone-imitating parrot. In the middle of the night, a rubbish truck empties two rubbish containers under our window. ||||Room 3 in November 2021 had a large comfortable double bed (200×180cm), television, air conditioner, two windows for fresh air, Wi-Fi, free non-alcoholic minibar, hairdryer, shower with electrical water heater and clean towels every day. We missed enough storage space for our cloths, and facial tissues and glasses in the bathroom. Breakfast is served in the courtyard and is sufficient for a good day start. ||||Service was extremely friendly and attentive. We felt really cared for and welcome in the hotel. The staff took pity on our PCR-test ordeal and offered comforting food and drinks. Staff are lovely people. ||||We paid €60 per night. Tip: pay cash in euros to avoid unfavourable exchange rates to Turkish lira. ||||Hotel Valide Hanim Konak is a good, homely and atmospheric accommodation in the Turkish-Cypriot part of the old town with good value for money and super friendly staff. Highly...

A charming boutique hotel in the heart of the old town of Lefkoşa!

I loved the charm of the place as soon as we walked in. The restaurant seemed excellent, but me being a vegetarian and them specialising in meat, well... unfortunately, I had to pass. If the breakfast is any testament to the quality of the restaurant, though, I would recommend it blindfolded — simply the best breakfast I had in Cyprus (and many were had!), and the hosts were rather gracious to accommodate my diet and prepare something out of the regular menu.

The room (room #2, with the antique iron bed) was smallish but lovely: a tall and charming comfortable bed, the whole room smelled nice and faced the atrium. The bathroom left some to be desired, as we had trouble with the shower (it was fixed, but the system is not very intuitive and I just didn't enjoy the water pressure) and the tap placement was terribly inconvenient, poking you all over as you turned around under the water, since the support for the shower head is fixed to the wall and doesn't allow for adjustments. We also had to request a second pair of towels, as only one was initially provided, and it'd be nice if that was already accounted for when two people are checking in, but that's not a huge deal. Sadly, the shower was the big downside of our night, but we still enjoyed all the rest. The slippers were also the most flimsy and uncomfy ones I've ever had offered on any hotel stay, extremely thin and basically useless.

I was pleased to learn that bottled water was complimentary, as hotel minibars are usually incredible rip-offs. The location was great and right in the middle of the old town, within walking distance of various attractions, shops and restaurants — we went to the nearby The İskemleci (which got a glowing review all of its own) for dinner and then later to Kumda for some late night coffee.

It was an enjoyable stay, and despite some inconveniences (such as the very transparent curtains that let lots of light through and the aforementioned shower) I would be glad to go back and try another room....