Berengaria Hotel is an abandoned hotel located in Prodomos, the highest village in Cyprus. The hotel was named after Queen Berengaria, wife of Richard the Lionheart, who were married there.
In 1930, on realizing that holidaying in the mountains was gaining popularity among tourists, Mr Kokkalos, a resident of Prodomos village built the hotel. In 1931, the Berengaria Hotel opened its doors. The Hotel is also known as “The Hotel of The Kings” because it used to be famous for attracting famous guests which some of them were Pharouk, The King of Egypt, and the president of Israel, Ezer Vaisman.
There are numerous stories that circle the Berengaria Hotel. It was said that the three brothers all died under mysterious and suspicious circumstances, which provoked interest in the story of the hotel. As a result, the hotel is thought to be haunted.
There is another story about hotel manager who killed himself and now his ghost wanders the halls looking for new victims emerged. Some people say that the spirits of the deceased still haunt the hotel. Shadows, screams, crying, have been reported by visitors and some locals.
Another myth says that inside the hotel there was a fresco, depicting the dance of hell and that, whoever saw it, would be doomed for the rest of his life. All these stories have made the Berengaria hotel a place sought after adventurers and ghost hunters.
Unfortunately, by the mid-1980s, growing debts forced the hotel to shut down, following the death of its original owner, Ioannis Kokkalos. Its abandonment resulted in its eventual looting by people who invaded the area.
Closed since 1984, the property was abandoned to the elements with little to no interest from investors to take on what is considered one of the most demanding and risky projects in Cyprus. Today, parts of its inner and outer walls have collapsed, and its image is a far cry from what people remember from its glory days.
In 2020 the abandoned building was bought by Limassol-based Prime Property Group for a reported €2.2 mln with the new owners confirming their plans to breathe new life into the property. There are plans to use the most of the surrounding land with luxury villas and auxiliary buildings which will facilitate the hotel’s operation
