Mövenpick Hotel & Resort in Beirut, Lebanon Offers Luxury Coastline Yacht Cruise
After a few days navigating Beirut’s crazed traffic, the idea of a yacht and open coastline is incredibly alluring. Fortunately my hotel, Mövenpick , has both the yacht and the coastline.
Beirut’s coastline looms long and large from the 40-foot Italian Cranchi yacht. Maybe it’s the champagne, but the city seems to stretch forever as we speed past the lighthouse to the furthest reaches. Rising from the coastline is the Four Seasons newest skyscraper.
I spot the infamous Holiday Inn, yet standing beside that grand old lady, the Phoenicia, built in 1961 and now restored far beyond its original glory. The buildings were at the center of the Battle of the Hotels when factions used the properties as hide-outs, launching artillery fire during the civil war in the mid 1970s.
“Are they ever going to tear that thing down?” asks a companion about the Holiday Inn which was heavily damaged. Actually, I hope they don’t. The hulking tower, torn with gaping holes, seems to stand as the common man’s war memorial now. It was blasted by mortar shells within four days after its opening.
The five star Mövenpick has fared much better. Spread with 90,000 square meters of landscaping, the resort harbors three outdoor pools, a private beach and marina, along with tennis and squash courts. The property has 292 newly renovated guestrooms and suites, including two dedicated club floors.
The hotel pairs nicely with the Beirut that’s largely been reborn - driven by the Solidere development company, founded by former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. In short, Beirut is downright beautiful.
The yacht takes us in and around Pigeons’ Rock, found on Beirut’s western-most tip. The two rock formations tower above us like looming, striated sentinels. The eye level view is fantastic. Far above us on the corniche (Beirut’s popular seaside promenade) locals snap our photo. We wave like movie stars.
After the cruise, Mövenpick ’s Square Lounge on the hotel’s rooftop is an optimal pre-evening starter. Fresh from the cruise and plied with a drink, I’m ready to hit the Hamra again.
Mövenpick Hotel & Resort Beirut: www.moevenpick-beirut.com
