The Phoenicia Hotel was a dream for Najib Salha – a
prominent Lebanese businessman – who in the year 1953, during Lebanon’s Golden
Era, envisioned to build a world class hotel on the shores of Beirut. With a
group of investors, Mr. Salha founded “La Société des Grands Hotels du Liban”
and invited leading American architect Edward Durell Stone to fulfill this
dream.
Combining a unique elegant exterior with a fabulous
majestic interior, the hotel became in the blink of an eye, a reference in the
world of hospitality: 446 luxurious rooms and suites, a wide choice of
restaurants, shops and two swimming pools, indoor and outdoor, made the
Phoenicia everybody's elite destination. Its reputation for class and luxurious
living echoed around the globe.
Kings, queens, world leaders, celebrities, businessmen
and the jet set alike, made Phoenicia Hotel their home away from home,
contributing to the country’s golden age, an upswing period during which
Lebanon was known as the “Switzerland of the Middle East”.
After years of closure due to Lebanon’s tragic war,
Mazen and Marwan Salha, Chairman and Member of the Board of Directors of “La
Société des Grands Hotels du Liban” respectively, decided to rebuild Beirut’s
gracious
“Grand Dame”.
“Grand Dame”.
As a Phoenix rising from the ashes, the hotel reopened
its doors in March 2000. Again attracting the rich and famous from the world
over, Phoenicia effortlessly retook its position as the region’s top-notch
hotel.
Beirut
is once again the destination of choice for world travellers. Hotels in the
city have seen an exciting burst of activity over the past few years. New
hotels with international standards have blossomed throughout, much to the satisfaction
of selective tourists and business people. With higher expectations and rising
competition, the world famous Phoenicia Hotel has remained a bastion of the
city, a landmark for locals and visitors, thanks to its iconic heritage and
endless dedication in defining the hotel scene in the region.
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