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InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut
Beirut, Lebanon · InterContinental · High Luxury
Edward Durell Stone's Phoenicia Intercontinental opened 23 December 1961 for Najib Salha on Minet El Hosn, with interiors by Neal Prince and a 1962 gala starring Dorothy Dandridge. Joseph Philippe Karam's 1968 tower pushed the house to 600 rooms before the Battle of the Hotels left it a burnt shell for nearly twenty-five years. A $100 million HOK rebuild reopened it in 2000; after the 2020 port blast it returned on 3 October 2022 as InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut.
- 446 rooms
- Opened 1961
- Neighborhood: Minet El Hosn
- Architect: Edward Durell Stone
- Interiors: Neal Prince
About InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut
- Designed by Edward Durell Stone with Neal Prince interiors; opened 23 December 1961 as Phoenicia Intercontinental.
- Prime Minister Rashid Karami cut the ribbon on 31 March 1962 while Dorothy Dandridge headlined Le Paon Rouge.
- Joseph Philippe Karam's 22-story addition opened 19 April 1968, raising capacity to about 600 rooms.
- Gutted in the 1975-76 Battle of the Hotels and left abandoned until a $100 million restoration reopened it on 22 March 2000.
- Closed after the 4 August 2020 Beirut explosion and reopened 3 October 2022; the Salha brothers received the National Order of the Cedar.
History
Opened in 1961 as the Phoenicia Intercontinental, the hotel became an emblem of Beirut's golden age before being bombed and occupied during the Lebanese Civil War. Following multiple restorations and reopenings after regional conflicts and the 2020 Beirut port explosion, it continues to serve as a historic landmark of resilience. Today, it stands as a premier luxury destination overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and Zaitunay Bay.
The setting
10 km from Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport.
Restaurants and bars
- InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut by IHG — Restaurant
Amenities
- Indoor and outdoor swimming pools
- Full-service spa (Spa Phoenicia) with 21 treatment rooms
- 24-hour fitness center and gym
- Three on-site restaurants including Mosaic Restaurant
- Extensive meeting and banquet facilities including a Grand Ballroom
- Concierge service and luxury on-site shopping
Awards
- Lebanon's Leading Business Hotel 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
- Lebanon's Leading Hotel 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
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