Phoenicia Hotel Beirut
A landmark five-star luxury hotel on Beirut's seafront, known for its architecture, history, hospitality, and repeated post-conflict restorations.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Phoenicia Hotel Beirut is a historic five-star luxury hotel in the Minet El Hosn neighborhood of Beirut, Lebanon. It stands on Rue Fakhreddine, close to the Corniche Beirut promenade and the central business and cultural districts, and within a short drive of Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport. The property is one of the city's best-known hotels and has long been associated with Beirut's international character, diplomatic activity, entertainment scene, and postwar reconstruction. The hotel was developed by Lebanese businessman Najib Salha, who established La Société des Grands Hotels du Liban in 1953. The original building was designed by American architect Edward Durell Stone with Joseph Salerno and Lebanese architects Ferdinand Dagher and Rodolphe Elias. Its design combined a modern international hotel format with Levantine references, including tall ceilings, monumental columns, broad staircases, and formal public rooms. Interior design and furnishings were commissioned from the New York firm William M. Ballard and designed by Neal Prince, who also worked on other InterContinental properties. The hotel opened on 23 December 1961 as the Phoenicia Intercontinental under the management of the Intercontinental Hotels chain. Its formal inauguration took place on 31 March 1962, with Lebanese Prime Minister Rashid Karami presiding and performer Dorothy Dandridge appearing at the Le Paon Rouge nightclub. At opening, the hotel offered 310 rooms and suites together with restaurants, shops, a swimming pool, and a pool bar. Strong demand led the developer to acquire an adjacent property in 1963. A 22-storey, 270-room addition designed by Joseph Philippe Karam opened in April 1968, bringing the combined room count to approximately 600. The Lebanese Civil War transformed the property's history. During the 1975–1976 Battle of the Hotels, the Phoenicia became a strategic position in fighting between rival Lebanese factions. The building was severely damaged and remained abandoned for almost a quarter century. In the late 1990s, Najib Salha's sons Mazen and Marwan Salha, who served on the board of the hotel-owning company, initiated a major restoration. Architects Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum led the project, which reportedly cost approximately US$100 million. The hotel reopened on 22 March 2000. The property subsequently passed through several identity and operational changes. Following the creation of InterContinental Hotels Group in 2003, the hotel used the name Phoenicia InterContinental Beirut. A 35-apartment Phoenicia Residence tower opened in 2003. The hotel sustained damage in the 2005 assassination bombing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, which occurred on the street outside, and closed for about three months for repairs. A further approximately US$50 million renovation was undertaken in 2011, around the hotel's fiftieth anniversary. In 2012, the property adopted the Phoenicia Hotel Beirut name in public branding while remaining connected to the worldwide InterContinental network. The Beirut port explosion of 4 August 2020 caused additional damage, forcing the hotel to close on 5 August. The residential tower reopened in July 2022, followed by the main hotel on 3 October 2022 under the name InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut. The reopened hotel included 193 rooms in the original 1961 tower, restaurants, and banquet facilities. The 1968 Roman Tower reopened in June 2023 with 253 rooms. At the grand reopening, Mazen and Marwan Salha received Lebanon's National Order of the Cedar from Prime Minister Najib Mikati. The property also has a contemporary art collection featuring works associated with artists including Howard Hodgkin, Sam Francis, Jan Dibbets, Andy Goldsworthy, Paul Morrison, and Richard Long. Its architectural and historical visibility has led to appearances in films such as 24 Hours to Kill, Agent 505: Death Trap in Beirut, Circle of Deceit, and Je veux voir.
History
The Phoenicia was conceived during Beirut's postwar and pre-Civil War expansion as an internationally styled luxury hotel capable of serving foreign visitors, business travelers, diplomats, and Lebanon's growing social elite. Lebanese businessman Najib Salha created La Société des Grands Hotels du Liban in 1953 and commissioned a design team led by American architect Edward Durell Stone. Joseph Salerno collaborated on the project, while Ferdinand Dagher and Rodolphe Elias contributed local architectural expertise. The result combined the monumental scale expected of a grand international hotel with visual references to the Levant, including high ceilings, sweeping staircases, large columns, and formal ceremonial spaces. Interior work was assigned to William M. Ballard of New York, with Neal Prince responsible for the decoration. The first hotel opened on 23 December 1961 as the Phoenicia Intercontinental. Its ceremonial inauguration followed on 31 March 1962, when Prime Minister Rashid Karami cut the ribbon and Dorothy Dandridge performed at the Le Paon Rouge nightclub. The original complex contained 310 rooms and suites, shops, restaurants, and a swimming pool with a bar. High demand quickly encouraged expansion. After an adjoining property was acquired in 1963, architect Joseph Philippe Karam designed a 22-storey addition. The new 270-room building opened on 19 April 1968, raising the overall capacity to about 600 rooms and establishing the hotel as one of Beirut's largest and most prominent hospitality properties. The Lebanese Civil War brought an abrupt end to this period of growth. In 1975 and 1976, the Phoenicia was drawn into the Battle of the Hotels, a series of strategically important clashes between forces associated with the Lebanese National Movement and the Lebanese Front. The property was heavily damaged and became a burnt-out shell. It stayed closed for nearly twenty-five years, reflecting both the physical destruction of Beirut and the difficulty of restoring major commercial landmarks after the conflict. Restoration planning resumed in the late 1990s under Mazen and Marwan Salha, sons of the original developer and members of the board of La Société des Grands Hotels du Liban. Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum worked on the reconstruction, which was reported to have cost about US$100 million. The hotel reopened on 22 March 2000, returning to the Beirut market as a rebuilt landmark rather than simply a preserved historical structure. In 2003, after the reorganization of Intercontinental Hotels into InterContinental Hotels Group, the property's naming and network affiliation were adjusted. A separate 35-unit luxury residential tower, Phoenicia Residence, opened in July of that year. The hotel continued to experience the consequences of Lebanon's instability. It was damaged in the 2005 bombing assassination of Rafik Hariri, which took place on the road outside the property, and closed for roughly three months while repairs were completed. A further major refurbishment, reported at approximately US$50 million, took place in 2011 for the hotel's fiftieth anniversary. The property briefly used the Phoenicia Hotel Beirut name from 2012, although its association with the InterContinental system continued. The next major interruption came with the Beirut port explosion on 4 August 2020. Damage forced the hotel to close the following day. Recovery was staged rather than immediate: Phoenicia Residence reopened in July 2022, while the principal hotel reopened on 3 October 2022 as InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut. The initial reopening restored 193 rooms in the 1961 Phoenician tower, in addition to dining and banquet operations. Mazen and Marwan Salha were recognized with the National Order of the Cedar during this reopening period. The 1968 Roman Tower, which had remained part of the wider complex, reopened in June 2023 with 253 rooms. Beyond accommodation, the hotel has cultivated a cultural identity. Its fiftieth-anniversary contemporary art collection included works linked to Howard Hodgkin, Sam Francis, Jan Dibbets, Andy Goldsworthy, Paul Morrison, and Richard Long. Its architecture and wartime history have also made it a recurring film location and cinematic symbol of Beirut. The property appears in or is referenced through films including 24 Hours to Kill, Agent 505: Death Trap in Beirut, Circle of Deceit, and Je veux voir.
- 2023
Roman Tower reopens
[1]The 1968 tower returned to operation in June with 253 rooms.
- 2022
Main hotel reopens
[1]The property reopened on 3 October as InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut with 193 rooms in the original tower.
- 2020
Closure after Beirut port explosion
[1]Damage from the 4 August explosion forced the hotel to close on 5 August.
- 2012
Phoenicia Hotel Beirut branding adopted
[1]The hotel dropped InterContinental from its public name while remaining connected to the international hotel network.
- 2011
Major fiftieth-anniversary refurbishment
[1]The property underwent a substantial renovation reported at approximately US$50 million and presented a contemporary art collection.
- 2005
Property damaged in Rafik Hariri assassination bombing
[1]The hotel was damaged by the bombing on the street outside and closed temporarily for repairs.
- 2003
Phoenicia Residence opens
[1]A 35-apartment luxury residential tower opened in July.
- 2000
Hotel reopens after long restoration
[1]Following an extensive reconstruction, the hotel reopened on 22 March.
- 1975
Hotel becomes a Civil War battlefield
[1]The property was caught in the Battle of the Hotels and subsequently became a severely damaged ruin.
- 1968
22-storey expansion opens
[1]A 270-room addition opened on 19 April, expanding the property to roughly 600 rooms.
Products and positioning
Historic, internationally oriented five-star luxury hospitality with a strong connection to Beirut's architectural, cultural, and political history.
Hotel accommodation · 1961
Luxury guest rooms and suites
The hotel's principal offering is five-star accommodation across its historic tower buildings. The original 1961 Phoenician tower reopened with 193 rooms after the 2020 explosion, while the 1968 Roman Tower later returned with 253 rooms. The rooms and suites are positioned around the property's landmark architecture, central Beirut location, and full-service hospitality proposition.
Luxury serviced residences · 2003
Phoenicia Residence
Phoenicia Residence is a separate residential component consisting of 35 luxury apartments. It opened in 2003 and reopened in July 2022 after damage associated with the Beirut port explosion. The residence extends the brand beyond short hotel stays into long-stay and apartment-based luxury accommodation.
Food and beverage · 1961
Restaurants and bars
Dining and nightlife have been part of the Phoenicia proposition since its first opening, when the property included restaurants, a pool bar, and the Le Paon Rouge nightclub. The reopened hotel continues to operate restaurants and hospitality venues as part of its full-service luxury positioning.
Meetings and events · 1961
Banquet and event facilities
The hotel provides banquet and event facilities serving social functions, business gatherings, and formal hospitality occasions. These facilities were included in the 2022 reopening program alongside the guest rooms and restaurants.
Leisure amenities · 1961
Swimming pool and leisure facilities
The original hotel included a swimming pool with a bar, reflecting the resort-like amenities expected of a major international hotel in 1960s Beirut. Pool and leisure features remain part of the property's historical and hospitality identity, although the supplied sources do not provide a current facilities inventory.
Brand decisions
2022
Phased reopening after the Beirut port explosionStrategyBackground
Damage from the August 2020 Beirut port explosion required a prolonged closure and reconstruction program.
Action taken
The residence reopened in July, followed by the main hotel on 3 October under the InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut name.
Aftermath
The initial hotel reopening restored 193 rooms, restaurants, and banquet facilities; the Roman Tower followed in June 2023.
2012
Public brand-name changeStrategyBackground
The hotel adjusted its market-facing identity after operating under several Phoenicia and InterContinental name variants.
Action taken
It adopted the Phoenicia Hotel Beirut name and dropped InterContinental from the public-facing name, while remaining part of the worldwide chain.
Aftermath
The property retained its international hotel-network relationship despite the local branding change.
2011
Fiftieth-anniversary renovationOtherBackground
The hotel undertook a major renewal program around the fiftieth anniversary of its 1961 opening.
Action taken
The property completed a substantial refurbishment and introduced a contemporary art collection.
Aftermath
The renovation reinforced the hotel's luxury positioning and cultural identity.
Renovation cost. US$50 million (2011)
1990
Decision to restore the war-damaged hotelStrategyBackground
After the hotel had remained a burnt-out ruin for nearly twenty-five years following the Lebanese Civil War, the Salha family's next generation pursued its recovery.
Action taken
Mazen and Marwan Salha led a major restoration program with Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum.
Aftermath
The restored hotel reopened in March 2000 as a major luxury property in postwar Beirut.
Restoration project cost. US$100 million (Late 1990s restoration, completed 2000)
1963
Expansion through adjacent property acquisitionStrategyBackground
The hotel's initial success and reported near-continuous full occupancy created demand for additional rooms.
Action taken
La Société des Grands Hotels du Liban acquired an adjoining property and commissioned a 22-storey, 270-room expansion.
Aftermath
The addition opened in 1968 and increased the complex's total capacity to approximately 600 rooms.
Sources2 sources
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