An executive says one of Lebanon’s landmark hotels that survived the country’s bloody 15-year civil war and various other bouts of fighting has closed its doors.
A car drives past Le Bristol hotel in Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, April 18, 2020. One of the country's landmark hotels that has survived the country's bloody 15-year civil war is closing its doors due to a combination of an economic crisis and the global health threat of the COVID-19 coronavirus, one of its executives said Saturday.
Once a place where the country’s socialites mixed with royalty, the grand hotel was famous for its ballroom parties and distinguished cuisine. It also boasted the country's first ice skating ring. The hotel’s original design mixed eastern and modern styles preserved in a two-year renovation that added a contemporary touch. It is owned by the Doumet family, one of Lebanon’s richest.
In February, the head of the hotel owners association said occupancy has fallen to between 10-15% in Beirut and much lower outside the capital. With the spread of the coronavirus, the country’s only airport was shut down and the government ordered Lebanon’s famous night clubs and restaurants to close, a major blow to the already staggering hospitality industry.
It was the only two years the hotel shut its doors, with management resisting a shutdown during the country’s 1975 civil war, which lasted 15 years.
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