Intercontinental Phoenicia Gives New Meaning to 'Political Hotel'
Some of us would be more than happy to oblige our employer's request to live in a five-star luxury hotel for a while ... but the unfortunate parliamentarians of Lebanon who are currently holed up in the lovely Intercontinental Phoenicia are definitely not in that category.
For the last month, 40 members of the Lebanese parliament have been living at this Intercontinental in Beirut in a quest to choose the next president of Lebanon. Four members of the parliament have been killed since the assassination of the former prime minister in 2005, so they're playing it safe, and aren't even allowed near the hotel windows (which overlook the Mediterranean Sea) for fear of a sniper.
Fortunately the government is not footing the $575 per suite, per night bill: a supporter group called March 14 are paying up. The hotel's made some adjustments, turning one lobby area into a dining room and meeting area that's safe for the long-term visitors, who do hope to go home soon.
[Photo: TripAdvisorMember]
Related Stories:
· Holed Up in a Beirut Hotel [Washington Post]
· Hotels in Beirut [HotelChatter]
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by amandak
