Acropole Hotel, Khartoum's Old Downtown. From the 1960s to early 1980s, the old downtown area was a renowned vibrant area with both a Sudanese and international community. The area included many nightclubs, shops and services. Here, one could find live music, imported goods, Sudan’s oldest bookshop and what was Khartoum’s only optician. The Greek owned Acropole Hotel is one of the few surviving businesses from this time.