The Landmark Nicosia: A hotel with an illustrious past

Autograph Collection Hotel enters a new and ambitious chapter

I arrived at The Landmark Nicosia Hotel on a bright afternoon, the sunlight catching the pale stone of its facade and spilling across the entrance. The building’s sense of authority is immediate, for this is a hotel that has been inhabited by history long before it encountered me.

A discreet porter offered a small nod of recognition as I stepped forward, and upon entering, I became acutely aware that the hotel is fully aware of its illustrious past.

This is a venue that has hosted figures whose decisions have left their mark far beyond Cyprus. That history is present in the air, in the weight of the marble, and in the cadence of its stately corridors.

Across the lobby, the iconic grand glass elevator rises through the foyer. Mid-century modern principles govern the rooms themselves and a subtle nod to classical Greek forms is visible in fluting motifs, and the careful proportions of terrazzo, glass and teak.

I made my way to the lobby and its library, a bold assertion of mid-century modern taste, its electric blue carpeting a vivid undercurrent. The collection is eclectic, as naval magazines sit beside travel guides, volumes on art, design and architecture lean against tomes of Greek mythology, and glossy coffee-table books are invitingly scattered across tables.

Furniture is retro yet functional, with clean lines, warm wood finishes and carefully considered proportions that invite lingering. Here, conversation is optional, for the library accommodates both contemplation and quiet social exchange.

The Incognito Bar offers a different kind of intimacy, with its cool cream veined surfaces. I ordered an Aegean Slip, a cocktail of vermouth, ouzo and mandarin soda. The vermouth was sharp, the ouzo bracing but controlled, the mandarin soda providing a crisp complexity.

Around me, voices were low, clinking ice punctuating murmurs of high society’s deliberations.

I imagined the walls remembering similar evenings, decades of negotiation, diplomacy conducted in low tones, agreements reached and withheld in equal measure.

Adjacent to the bar lies the Artion gallery, housing works by acclaimed artists where clients may peruse and acquire during their stay.

Beyond its interiors, the complex now includes a selection of luxury retail boutiques, where watchmakers and designer houses, such as CARA and Michalis Diamond Gallery, sit comfortably alongside one another, creating a promenade of high-end commerce that complements the hotel’s cultivated atmosphere.

For the more active guest, the hotel grounds extend into beautifully maintained and discreetly positioned tennis and padel courts.

These facilities lend the property a leisurely rhythm during the day, where guests may exchange a rally before returning to the calm of the pool or the shade of the terraces.

Outside, by the pool area, palm trees frame the water, their shadows flickering across the geometric neo-byzantine tiling. The space is inviting for swimming, sunbathing, or simply lounging.

Heritage is present throughout the hotel, and the curated burgundy wall of fame commemorates those who have stayed here. Names are etched in relief; old newspaper clippings acting as a subtle reminder of the hotel’s significance.

A jewel of the hotel’s assets must be its indoor pool, with terrazzo tiles arranged in cubist mid-century patterns. Nearby, the wellness area, a sauna, steam bath, salt wall, indoor pool, cold tub and experiential showers, offer a holistic wellness experience on the same floor as a gym & studio.

The Sole Spa stands as a sanctuary dedicated to an extensive programme of treatments ranging from therapeutic massages to rejuvenating body rituals, all delivered within serene, softly lit treatment suites designed to calm both mind and body.

The newly opened Vetrina, a distinctly South-Eastern Mediterranean inspired restaurant, occupies a corner of the building where the interior conveys a quiet warmth, mahogany, crimson walls, and careful lighting create a sense of proportion and calm.

The waiters move with orchestrated precision, dressed in wonderfully nostalgic crisp white blazers.

The hotel’s legacy restaurant, The Orangery has also undergone a meticulous renovation and now sets its graceful tables beneath an imposing fresco that stretches across the ceiling, created by the celebrated visual artist Agata Leszczynska.

Within this warmly elegant setting, guests gather for breakfast, lunch and dinner, enjoying an abundant buffet whose variety and quality satisfy even the most particular palate.

Food, space, and attention converged in a manner that reinforced the overall ethos of the hotel. The breakfast here was a true delight; generous, yet restrained, allowing one to compose a meal as one wished, rather than being guided by sheer gluttony.

I felt rather attended to throughout, as waiters gracefully circulated noting requests for coffee and adjusting courses without intrusion.

The hotel’s story, however, does not end with its restored interiors. The Landmark Nicosia now stands at the centre of what is arguably the most ambitious development in the modern capital.

Rising alongside the hotel are two striking towers that will soon complete the broader vision of the complex: The Landmark Residences and The Landmark Offices.

The residential tower stretches across 17 floors and will house 54 apartments, alongside three villas complete with private pools and lush rooftop gardens.

Although these towers are approaching completion, their presence already signals the scale of what is unfolding here.

The Landmark Nicosia is no longer simply a hotel but the nucleus of a wider urban transformation, introducing a new benchmark for luxury living and high-end real estate in the capital.

There is further anticipation still, for soon the hotel will welcome the first Sumosan restaurant in Cyprus, bringing its internationally acclaimed Japanese fusion cuisine to Nicosia.

Yet for all the ambition surrounding the project, what lingers most in memory is the human element of the place.

Throughout my stay the staff demonstrated a warmth and attentiveness that felt entirely genuine.

From the gentle humour of the waiters to the careful courtesy of the front desk team, every interaction carried a sense of ease and hospitality.

When the time came to depart, the process unfolded with the same calm professionalism that had defined my arrival.

My luggage appeared promptly, documents were prepared without delay, and fond farewells were exchanged

Leaving the hotel behind, one carries the impression of a place that has not merely preserved its past but is confidently shaping its future.

It remains a hotel steeped in history, yet one that is clearly entering a new and ambitious chapter in the life of the city.