Merit Cyprus Gardens Hotel

on the Turkish side of Cyprus Famagusta HOTEL GROUNDS AND ROOMS UNDER SOME REVAMP . GARDENS VERY NICE PLESENT SOME ABANDEND BUILDINGS PHOTOS ON WEB SITE ARE ABOUT 15 YEARS OUT OF DATE. WAS VERY QUIET WE WENT SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER TEMP 29 TO 30 + STAFF VERY HELP FULL,NOT MUCH ENGLIS SPOKEN, VERY NICE PEOPLE HOTEL ROOMS CEPT CLEAN ( NO USB SOCKETS) TVS 15 TO 20 YEARS OLD NO ENGLISH CHANELS NO HDMI SOCKETS. WE TRIDE TO BOOK EXCURSIONS TO THE TRUDOS MOUNTAINS , WINARY, BOATING TRIPS TO SEE NORTH SIDE COUND NOT BE DONE FOR BRITISH TURISTS , WAS TRIPS FOR EVERONE ELSE GERMAN, RUSSIAN, ITALIAN, FOOD VERY GOOD LOTS TO CHOSE FROM IF YOU LIKE BEEF THICK SLICES LARGE , FISH SOME WITH HEADS STILL ON NOT FILLETED CARFULL ABOUT THE BONES ALSO THICK SLABS OF FILLETED CHUNA FISH BUT ALL FOOD VERY NICE. WE DO NOT SMOKE WE WHENT TO A BEACH IN NOW PART OPEND GOST CITY YOU CAN WALK TO THE BEACH ON THAT SIDE LOOKS LIKE BARBADOS BUT FULL SAND AND WARM SEA WE WERE DISOPOINTED TO FIND 80 CENT SAND REST CIGARTTE BUTS THROWN EVERY WERE BINS EMPTY EVERY WERE YOU GO CIGARETTES ON THE FLOOR WE HIRED A CAR A £35 A DAY OVER 3 DAYS VISETED A ROMAN SPAR AND AMPHITHEATRE I WAS THRILED TO BE THERE YOU CAN WALK IN TO AND ARROUND THE ANCIANT CITE NO RESTRICTIONS BUT LOADS OF CIGARETTS BUTS ON THE MOSAIK FLOOR PEOPLE JUST DO NOT CARE. MUCH CHEEPER THAN THE GREERK SIDE 2 DRINKS MEAL ABOUT 15 TO 18 EURO . DRIVING IS A NIGHTMARE POPLE WILL JUST WALK IN FRONT OF CAR ALSO CARS WILL PULL OUT IN FRONT OF YOU IF YOU INDICATE THAT YOU ARE TURNING AGAIN THAY WILL PULL OUT IN FRUNT OF YOU MOST POPLE DRIVING DT INICATE WILL JUST STOP ON A ROUNDABOUT AND THE SAME VAN BUS DRIVERS WILL JUST STOP AND GET TO BUY FROM ROAD SIDE VENDERS. SO OVER ALL CANNOT RECOMEND NORTH SIDE OF CYPRUS TURKISH. FOR GOT SO WE HIRED A CAR TO GO TO ACROSS THE BORDER ON TO GREERK SIDE YOU NEED PASPOPRTS SO WEE BOOKED TICKETS TO WATER WORLD AT AYIA NAPA BUT HAD TO DRIVE TO THE BORDER AT NICOSIA TO GET INSRANCE REGISTAR CAR TO DRIVE ON THAT SIDE 25 EUROS FOR 4 WEEKS AND ONCE YOU HAVE PAID YOU CAN DRIVE THROUGH ANY BORDER CROSSING SO THE MORNING WE SET OF AT 10 AM IN IT TOOK 2 HOURES TO GET TO NICOSIA THEN HAD DRIVE 2 HOURES TO AYIA NAPA SO ON THE WAY WIFE WANTED THE TOILET SEEN A SIGHN FOR SERVICES ON THE 3 SIGHNS WE HAD SEEN TURNED OF MOTERWAY COULD NOT FIND THEM LUCKLY FOUND A CAFFEY GOT TO WATER PARK AT 3PM CLOSED AT 4.30PM THE PARK STAFF GAVE US A TICKET FOR A NOTHER DAY SO FROM WATER WORLD BACK TO THE MERIT CYPRUS GARDENS 20 MINUETS ITS JUST NOT WORTH DRI VING ALL THAT WAY. PPS SORRY ABOUT SPELLING

The rooms and the grounds are in urgent need of maintenance. There is a significant difference between parts of the hotel which are cared for eg the pool and the rest of the environment. I had to change rooms as the first one (301)was damp, TV didn't work, no light in the hallway, shower tray wouldn't drain away, to room 305 which was a bit better. Towels are clean but very old and dingy looking. Staff are pleasant except I did not like being addressed as 'yes, lady' when at the bar or requesting other assistance. Food was plentiful and varied. Very stingy with the drinks. Minimal service in the restaurant and not especially efficient. The sun loungers are old and worn out - many falling to pieces and there are no lounger cushions so very uncomfortable. Beach towels also old and faded.