Beirut : Sleep
Beirut is a city that has once again become geared towards high-end tourism. As opposed to the city’s restaurant culture, however, efficiency and luxury in hotel accommodation are more important than style or design. So while the selection is plentiful, few hotels are boutique or original. Owing to the influx of Gulf tourists in the summer months, the look and feel of the hotel environment is much more Middle Eastern than European chic. Because of the speediness with which the city has rebuilt itself since the mid-’90s, the emphasis has fallen on facilities, expense and convenience of location.Of the 25 hotels included here, at least five suffered severe damage in the February 2005 bomb blast that killed former prime minister Rafic Hariri, but all of these have since reopened after complete refurbishment.
Beirut is not large, so wherever you’re staying, the chances are your hotel will be close to major shopping, nightlife and tourist attractions.
The majority of the hotels are modern, some only a few years old. As the city has begun to attract increasing numbers of visitors, so the hotels have had to adapt and many have been renovated to extremely high standards. New hotels have been constructed in recent years and big name brands The Four Seasons and Hilton are building impressive edifices near the seafront to cope with the continued increase in demand that’s anticipated.
Yet what Beirut lacks is individually designed boutique hotels, so don’t expect to lounge around in wonderfully renovated colonial villas or Arabic mansions. The Albergo, Intercontinental Le Vendôme and the Monroe all offer an escape from the predictability of chain hotels but don’t have the same emphasis on uniqueness and design that has become the fashion in the West. Service, however, is something that most of Beirut’s hoteliers pride themselves on, and hospitality is second-to-none. Most hotel employees are fluent in French, English and Arabic.
A couple of hotels have been included on the outskirts of the city because they have something unique to offer, be it the mountain air and panoramic views of the Al-Bustan or the opulent Arabian luxury of the Metropolitan Palace.
Room rates vary but most are fairly expensive. There’s little of substance below $150 except in low season (Jan–May and Oct–Nov). In summer (May–Oct), finding a room can prove a challenge, so book in advance.
All the hotels included here have been chosen for their style, location and service and all include the basic mod-cons. Prices quoted are per room, per night, and range between the cost for a double room in low season to an executive suite in high season.
