Bab el Saray

Beirut Central District - Beirut, Lebanon


A seven-storey ‘design suite hotel’ with interiors by famed UK designer Gordon Campbell Gray (of One Aldwych fame) and managed by his company Campbell Gray Hotels


Status: Under Construction




http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/4280/babelsaray2us.jpg

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/3679/babelsarayannahar2fu.png

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/7366/2u927gobw8.jpg

http://img476.imageshack.us/img476/3548/358o0wiso7.jpg



Location
http://img469.imageshack.us/img469/3779/babelsarayloc7yw.jpg
On Martyrs Square, next to UFA Insurances, and Weygand Street



http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/9430/dscn1052zd6.jpg

Construction pics as of 04 June, 2006.

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Nice thread Nareg, its looking good

yeah,i like the building.thanx nareg.

Thanks for this thread Nareg!

I'm glad this project is beginning to take shape... it will be a great addition to the BCD and I especially like how the top of the building will look.

Here is another construction pic (from the back-side) posted by Nadini:


http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/7460/174139195cec0140395b7nw.jpg

here's one:

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h118/arzliban/img06014kz.jpg

^^ Wow, this is a really nice angle. You can see how large Bab el Saray is in relation to surrounding buildings and you can also see how deep the Bank of Kuwait digging is.

I'm not sure when was this pic taken,but i'm sure it's later than june 4th when nareg took the pics above.

u find "bab al saray" on the left.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/713/newlk8.jpg

On 03/11/2006

Pretty much changed as you will see in the pics.

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/5360/dscn1050bx6.jpg

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/6849/dscn1048ts5.jpg

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/1448/dscn1059ig4.jpg

INDEED
OMG :eek2: :eek2: :eek2:
Now that's what i call construction :)

Pretty fast...

UPDATE: I added the billboard in the introductory post.

MORE RENDERS For this lovely hotel.

http://i14.tinypic.com/358o0wi.jpg

http://i14.tinypic.com/435xjk7.jpg

http://i14.tinypic.com/2u927go.jpg

http://i13.tinypic.com/2cnyybq.jpg

http://i14.tinypic.com/2yoq2z4.jpg

http://i14.tinypic.com/4hjmyxu.jpg

http://i14.tinypic.com/47wc6k5.jpg

http://i13.tinypic.com/2vjx5lf.jpg

http://i13.tinypic.com/35a3j7n.jpg

http://img470.imageshack.us/img470/8900/saray10nr7.jpg

http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/200/saray11gd9.jpg

http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/1215/saray12zo7.jpg

http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/8939/saray13pe5.jpg

http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/2526/saray14gw8.jpg

http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/4122/saray15hb2.jpg

^^ Really nice! Thanks for posting this I really love this hotel now.

The rooftop is just amazing and I love how this is also kind of a rendering for the GOF.

But why does this seem more like a shopping center than a hotel???

Beirut!,
the project consists of six basements comprising parking, a shopping center and a night club. A ground floor that includes restaurants and seven floors that contain hotel suites, lobbies, shopes, swimming pool restaurant and a Piano Bar.

^^Where did you get those renderings from?

wowww totally love it!

ok,lol :D
i had to search for it again,koz i couldn't remember it,anyway,here's the website http://www.manenterprise.com/templates/controls/index.aspx

Stunning! It's one of a kind!

thanx hassoun for the renders. before i just hated this building but now i love it - it's one of my favorites

awesome project, prob one of the best so far, any news on its completion date???

Wow.. so cool and elegant..

ok,lol :D
i had to search for it again,koz i couldn't remember it,anyway,here's the website http://www.manenterprise.com/templates/controls/index.aspx

Thanks Hassoun. I think anytime we post pictures of renderings or real photos, it's a good idea to post the website link for credibility purposes and also to allow others to explore the subject further.

Construction is pretty fast for this building. At least 4 floors have been finished.

this is gr8.I hope by next summer this hotel receives guests.

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/7577/3901387316f8793f74eouq6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/5800/390137035795a5d4d0eolm1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Cooooooooooooooool,Hope it's Done by Summer and open for Guests.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

01/04/2007

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/8480/dscn1402ax7.jpg

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/2227/dscn1378fl7.jpg

^^ WOW

Hope Completion of the Building won't take long time :)

Thanx Nareg. :)

Courtesy of LucD47
http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/953/454502597b6b903ef61ohq6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

nice to see this area of Martyrs square is filled :)

Is it just me, or does the UFA building look closed down?

^^ True. It seems it has closed down.

what is UFA ?
to bad to closed down ...
the Hotel looking good

it might have been closed for the Easter Holiday dont you guys think??? Well I hope, I know over here banks and insurance/government companies were closed from thursday until tuesday so...

^^ Well judging by the way the windows and doors are boarded up I dont think they were just closed for the weekend.

Is the UFA building linked in anyway to the hotel (other than the obvious attachment of the buildings)?

+++++++++++++++++++place.

According to a report shown on LBC news, Bab el Saray will open its doors during March 2008.

^^ This is surprising considering the rapid progress that has been made, I was thinking doors would open in the winter of this year. Maybe they are just being cautious, anticipating delays.

^^ actually March 2008 is good enough, its less then a year considering toping off the building, putting the facade and work on the inside, remember its a luxurious boutique so it must be special and im sure inside will be amazing.

^^yes,You r right,it will take time to finish the interior.although i expected it to open this summer:S like in August :D lol

aloha.

this place is looking fantastic, and i'm positive that it's gonna be something special.

i found an interview with Gordon Campbell Gray, the designer and founder of the chain that the hotel's a part of. basically, this hotel will open in spring 2008 as Le Gray Beirut. classy.

the article also has some details of the interior. feel free to visualize as need be.

bon appetit.

kuwaiti_patriot

***

My other great project is in Beirut in Lebanon. I was excited to be asked to consider opening a property in the city: I'd visited before and thought it was a spectacular, fun, edgy and utterly sexy place with the added advantage of being both coastal and urban.

I am dazzled by the Lebanese. Every man, woman and child is gorgeous - and they know it. I love their joie de vivre. Beirut oozes glitz and glamour. I travelled there with Mary to consider designs. On the way back I asked her what she thought I should do. Mary, who is not only a wonderful friend but is also older and wiser, said that if I woke up in the morning wanting to fly back to Beirut then I should definitely say yes. I did. I knew it was commercially feasible, so it was all systems go from that point.

I'd was also excited by the quality of the restoration work I'd seen in Beirut following previous wars. I don't think any other city has ever brought together so many leading architects from around the world to get it right. Our 85-room hotel, Le Gray, is in Solidere, next to the Gardens of Remembrance, which is the area that was destroyed and completely rebuilt. The façades of the shell-damaged buildings were stunningly restored and the city was re-created down to the last detail, including the street furniture.

I was devastated when the recent war broke out. But I never wavered about continuing with the project, even when the bombs were dropping. Our resolve can only be seen as a very positive thing and has been well received by the Lebanese, who are delighted that we are forging ahead. Beirut has been through too much to hold it back. Le Gray was due to be open by now, but we think that spring 2008 is a more realistic date. The building is completely new; it was designed by Kevin Dash who did an amazing building in Beirut called Bank Audi. It will be eight storeys tall and made of beautiful yellow stone, with a restaurant, piano bar and an amber-coloured swimming pool on the roof.

The piano bar will be housed under a huge glass dome that will change colour - you'll be able to see it for miles around. The pièce de résistance will be a refrigerated wall displaying violet peppermint cream chocolates that will co-ordinate with the slashes of violet on the chairs. (We will be serving only violet creams with coffee.) And there's a huge bronze wall in the lobby. The bedrooms will be very calm and sophisticated with an Islamic design, walnut ceilings and mosaics in the bathroom. It's one of our most exciting and sexiest designs yet.

***

^^ Thank you for this great article!

So the hotel's name will now be "Le Gray"?

I love 'Le Gray' more than Bab El Saray.and i just Can't wait till it's OPEN to Guests.

I just cant wait till we have guests again period :) Lets hope this will be a success...its very cool..Ide like to stay there next summer..In shallah

Okay, the official name of the hotel has been changed for this thread and the Project Index.

Courtesy of Ủ Ш 7
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/6880/13881010911c0e0bdd0doqb6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

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I love How they completed 'Le Gray' So fast,i mean they r almost there.

I went to Virgin DT this summer and we were like maximum 8 in the whole megastore. NIce update thought

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/960/legrayqe2.jpg

It is sad what the sit-in has done to the Virgin Megastore, but the opening of Le Gray can only help...I mean I am sure at least all the hotel guests will visit the store.

But yes this is another nice update, I like how they erected the huge billboard and its nice knowing that they are set to open in 2008 and are pushing ahead confidently.

I still can't see how this hotel is 7 storeys. i mean.. when you look at it, it's maximum 5! besides, it's one floors taller than the UFA building?!

^^ It is counted as follows:
1 for the ground floor
1 for the mezzanine
4 storeys as seen in the rendering (http://i14.tinypic.com/2yoq2z4.jpg)
1 floor near the swimming pool [at the roof]

If you add them up, it makes 7.

OK

That's the Website

www.legrayhotel.com

I have been looking forward to this hotel for quite some time. It's certainly a unique hotel.

It's a shame it will be opening during such bad times for Lebanon...

far right
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd61/beirutguy/1681874517_3ad1bb9f6f_b.jpg

Thats an awesome picture of the Phoenician wall or "glacis" that will soon be a part of an archaeology museum on site

I like the mosque!!!!

During the Marathon
November 18th

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd61/beirutguy/untitled-1.jpg

Picture courtesy of Tabouleh
September
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd12/estephan_e/DSC02034.jpg

Courtesy of Tom.laurenza

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2039/2074897073_dfb52949cb_o.jpg

Le Gray from begining of Weygand Street :cheers:
http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/272/dscn1498vl5.jpg

Courtesy of 7sn

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2414/2133862014_0a2d3a6038_o.jpg

11 february 2008
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd61/beirutguy/souks.jpg

Notice the cladding..

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/6812/2424856900048871983neztdc9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

March 21 2008
Courtesy of Cranberry
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3169/2377149212_7a86dd6490_o.jpg

Its a shame what the tent sity has done...parks and gardens destroyed...Look at Martyrs square and the statue look like crap not maintained etc...I hope they can finnish this abnormal situation and fix up the area again.

They should make the opposition pay and provide manpower to fix what they destroyed

May 24 2008

Courtesy of Luciana

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3034/2518540487_608f1ef479_o.jpg

"Renting the retail!"

courtesy of Luciana
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/1545/stillrebuildingbythatchew0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/6107/lebanon424largega6.jpg

June 21 2008

Courtesy of Luciana

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3059/2599166923_74f1f226d7_o.jpg

I took this pic a couple weeks ago, but still looks the same today:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/rhmud/P6160131.jpg

Exterior looks almost done..i think this will be on of the hottest hotels and trendy

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk7/mohamadm/IMG_2301-1.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk7/mohamadm/IMG_2319.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk7/mohamadm/gray1.jpg

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http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk7/mohamadm/gray3finale.jpg

I raced to take it from this angle lol, the roof is awesome
August 19, 2008
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/3686/p1050712zd4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1313/p1050727vn0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I raced to take it from this angle lol, the roof is awesome
August 19, 2008
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/3686/p1050712zd4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1313/p1050727vn0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Beautiful pictures, Nadini.

I wonder if anyone has news of when the newly rebuilt Nouriyeh chapel (in the foreground) will be reinaugurated/reconsecrated? Are they waiting for the Garden to be finished, or is the icon not fully restored?

According to their website, this should open by early next year...we'll see though, they appear to be taking their time.

I don't think its that far off...The facade should be almost done. They work simultaeously on the interior.

taken: 20/10/2008

http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/8416/85032845nz0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/85032845nz0.jpg/1/w853.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img373/85032845nz0.jpg/1/)

Green tents are being removed, small steel balconies are being installed, the roof top is almost finished. Hope somebody will post some recent pictures.

courtesy of Luciana luciana
http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo305/Nadini23/luc.jpg

Nov 30, 2008 (Picasa)

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/843/beirut920bwl0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/5391/beirut921bde6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Opening early 2009

Courtesy of Luciana
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3079/3107163838_0493845a0a_o.jpg

Construction Update Today :
http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh447/Ali-Khodor/25122008104.jpg
http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh447/Ali-Khodor/25122008105.jpg
http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh447/Ali-Khodor/25122008111.jpg

Still column work to do..but looking great!

Looks good.

I think it's a little bit dull in the front .. but the roof seems great

Courtesy of mariannaF
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/239/3163774146_180f9a09ba_b.jpg

courtesy of constantine
http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo305/Nadini23/IMG_7751.jpg

Hotel's website:
http://www.legrayhotel.com/mainpage%20final.swf

Just an observation the facade matches the surrounding buildings..but the modernity of the roof transitions that side with the modern glass of the An nahar building and the upcoming Beirut Gardens and Phonecian village..

The facade itself is very modern. It's really the color, which reminds us of traditional building material, that binds it to the buildings near it. I think the ground floor will really define the look of this building, from the renderings, it looks like something that would come out of London.

Gordon Campbell Gray | Hotelier
By ALEX HAWGOOD
Published: September 23, 2007

He may own some of the world's most lauded hotels -- One Aldwych in London, Antigua's Carlisle Bay -- but Gordon Campbell Gray doesn't always find five-star service tasteful. ''One place offered to clean my sunglasses while I lay on the beach,'' recalls the Scottish globe-trotter. ''I found that disturbing.'' For a man who never travels without his Savile Row suits (even to the beach), his approach to luxury is more laid-back: ''I aim to create the ultimate snob-free, chilled-out experience.'' Now he's taking that philosophy global. In addition to planned properties in Morocco, Scotland and the Falkland Islands, next year he'll open Le Gray, in battle-scarred Beirut. ''It never even dawned on me to stop the project. Beirut is amazing, and it needs something sexy.''

:applause:

The facade itself is very modern. It's really the color, which reminds us of traditional building material, that binds it to the buildings near it. I think the ground floor will really define the look of this building, from the renderings, it looks like something that would come out of London.

You mean with the awnings if they put them?

Courtesy of Luciana
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3441/3202120764_0055663449_o.jpg

^^ would anyone know what are those red metal frames on the left of that picture posted by Beirut_Guy??

courtesy of tim
http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo305/Nadini23/Tim.jpg

^^ would anyone know what are those red metal frames on the left of that picture posted by Beirut_Guy??

Those frames are part of the decorative roof designed by the architects.

This rendering shows how they will look like eventually.

http://i14.tinypic.com/2u927go.jpg

January 23

courtesy of emilabirascid

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3356/3238690407_0ccf2e6cba_o.jpg

courtesy of stcados
http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo305/Nadini23/stcadaos.jpg

for another thread, but:
Has anyone heard anything about progress on the Garden of Forgiveness? Imagine what this view of Le Gray, the Virgin building and the Nourieh chapel would be if the GoF were finally completed.

Architects didn't give any reply. Anyone heard anything from Solidere?

^^ Not to mention the view from Beirut Gardens.

This is one of the biggest mysteries of the BCD... no one seems to know that status of this project or the whereabouts of the roman ruins that were taken from here.

courtesy of gas
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courtesy of patricelugan33

Feb.1st.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3421/3275197144_6526fddfb1_b.jpg

courtesy of kaylawebley
http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo305/Nadini23/kaylawebley.jpg

February 22 2009

Courtesy of raphaelgeiger

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3415/3308654437_2c1833447a_b.jpg

This hotel is opening in a few months. They just started hiring.

Courtesy of Jayme:

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g240/Jamie_Y/Lebanon1154.jpg

The hotel must be opening soon, on the way to the airport I saw a large banner at the front adveristering jobs positions.

This is one of the most exciting projects in Beirut. Don't let its short height and simple design turn you away, it's been getting a lot of international publicity having been recently mentioned in the New York Times and The Times of London.

There is a lot of anticipation for it because the guy behind it is an English individual who made a strong name for himself after he opened a boutique hotel in London.

Does anyone agree that Hariri's burial site is completely inappropriate in the middle of the city?? Couldn't have they burried him somewhere else?

^^I agree! They can leave it their but those white tents are hideous!

Does anyone agree that Hariri's burial site is completely inappropriate in the middle of the city?? Couldn't have they burried him somewhere else?

Actually I think it is very appropriate. It is one of the most visited sites in the BCD and always visited by high-profile dignitaries, etc. Not to mention that it is located right beside the mosque he built (not like its right in Nijmeh Square) and if it werent for him there would be no downtown, so yeah it's appropriate. I dont want to go on too much about this because it isnt really related to this particular project.

But yes, the tents need to be replaced with something much nicer, and I also hope that the back of the site opens to a terrace overlooking the Garden of Forgiveness. Then it would be even more appropriate.

Does anyone agree that Hariri's burial site is completely inappropriate in the middle of the city?? Couldn't have they burried him somewhere else?

The land where he was buried was donated by Solidere which he helped found back in 1994. I don't see how it's inappropriate???

^^I agree! They can leave it their but those white tents are hideous!

The tents are just temporary. They are going to build a proper memorial along with a small museum on the site. I once saw simple renderings of a proposed design, but I don't remember where.

^^ That's great news - it's exactly what I was hoping for. Please look for those renderings!

^^I'll try to find them. I think they were on a Solidere quarterly or annual report from 2005 or 2006. They were pretty basic sketches, but they give you an idea at least.

Hotelier Gordon Campbell Gray to open a hotel in Beirut Hotelier Gordon Campbell Gray is closer to his long-held ambition to open a hotel in Beirut. The outbreak of hostilities in the city during 2006 delayed the project, but he decided to stick with his development plans, and now the 86-room luxury-tier Le Gray Hotel will open in late spring this year. It is a new build, designed by architect Kevin Dash, and featuring a top-floor piano and rooftop pool.


Article from March 12, 2009

^^ I wonder if the top floor will become a hotspot for local nightlifers?

No doubt...The bar is up there and hot views with pool..they can have some really hot parties in summer

Arabian Travel Market 2009
First CampbellGray Hotel property to open in Middle East - Le Gray - in Beirut at end of June/beginning of July.

http://hoteliermiddleeast.com/article-4173-its_a_wrap_atm_day_two_highlights/

coutesy of myself
Today
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/5776/img8885y.jpg

^^ looks like they r done with the rooftop , still working on the reception.but can they still open it to guests late June , early July ???

They are practically done in the ground floor as well... they should be cleaning up really soon!

the name is up and it looks beautiful
Taken May 30, 2009
http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu287/Nadini234/P1130653.jpg

looks nice, but would of been nicer with 2-4 more floors.

^^ Yup , just 2 extra floors and it would have been PERFECT!!!!!
this is definitely going to be one of Beirut's hotspots.

courtesy of babu
http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu287/Nadini234/babu-1.jpg

courtesy of babu
http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu287/Nadini234/babu-1.jpg

Does anyone know of any dispute holding back the development of the Garden? Why do you think Solidere, which is to develop it, has not moved forward at all since the invasion of the center? It's been more than a year since it's ended, and nothing seems to be happening...

Sorry to keep harping on it, but it's a significant element of the plan for the center, and it is bewildering that it gets no press anywhere. Really can't imagine that the owners and operator of the Gray is happy with the view.

guys check out the updated website

www.legray.com

i love threesixty bar already :banana:

Opening in July with $390 per night "opening rates" :)

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=902268

Opening in July with $390 per night "opening rates" :)

normals rates will be well over 400 per night ! uff. Its a great hotel very classy. I love the fact there is so very few of them around the world.

Can anybody confirm the exact opening date?
previous news said that it should be opening by end of June/beginning of July ..

^^ no one knows yet, but many sources are saying just like you said in early July, so we'll see

http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu65/MA_MOOD/Legrayclose.jpg

Looks nice. Is it open yet?

no not yet, they are still working on the last touches, I still walk by there and see people hanging off the roof, and the ground floor is still closed off.

The rooftop is looking amazing.. i took some pictures from virgin's rooftop resto.. ill upload the pictures asap :)

Taken July 11.

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/6412/img1301o.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/8734/img1302c.jpg

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http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/4794/img1344t.jpg

http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/3029/img1345.jpg

^^ I don't think they are going to finish it this month.

I dont know...it looks just cosmetic...take the scaffolding dwn..paint that garage entrance..etc

Btw the reception is looking AMAZING.. All the walls are full of small lit pieces of glass!

courtesy of a.frechet
http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu287/Nadini234/P1040312.jpg

It's the last week of July,and they r already missing alot for not openning yet,i wonder why it's taking so much time,they can hire more people to finish what they are doing now.

I am friends with one of the employees there...they are are still in the training phase but they should be ready to open soon. She said the detail to the interior of the hotel is just amazing and took a lot of work to reach perfection.

courtesy of pascii
http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu287/Nadini234/3757613509_1332a9718a_o.jpg

July 30, 2009

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/3526/lg2o.jpg (http://img504.imageshack.us/i/lg2o.jpg/)

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http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/2527/lg3b.jpg (http://img504.imageshack.us/i/lg3b.jpg/)

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/3424/lg5p.jpg (http://img21.imageshack.us/i/lg5p.jpg/)

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/6172/lg4p.jpg (http://img16.imageshack.us/i/lg4p.jpg/)

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/1677/lg6h.jpg (http://img136.imageshack.us/i/lg6h.jpg/)

^^ Nice!!!!

getting ready for the grand opening??? but it's not till September as it was mentioned by one of the forumers before.

HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Taken Monday Aug 3
courtersy of Myself

(Sorry for the quality, took it with my phone)

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^^ Love the lighting in the windows - great effect.

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The flags weren't there last week, right...

I heard its supposed to be a 7 star hotel... Has anyone heard that too?

^^ They are prepping for the grand opening. As for 7 stars - I dont think thats possible given its small size.

^^ Officially there is no designation for 7 Stars. This concept was developed by dubai to describe the Burj Al Arab (which i stayed in and fabulous)

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courtesy of storyofourcity
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This hotel is opening in October.

^^ really beutiful!

Courtesy of me:

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^^What are those stones on the side of the sidewalk? What is that little fenced in area also?

^^What are those stones on the side of the sidewalk? What is that little fenced in area also?

Those looked like ancient rocks that were unearthed. The area that is fenced in looks like a "preservation area" of something old that was also unearthed.

Those looked like ancient rocks that were unearthed. The area that is fenced in looks like a "preservation area" of something old that was also unearthed.

hmmm they should fence in that area also

Le Gray, Beirut set to open in October

CampbellGray hotels open its highly-anticipated first hotel in the Middle East this autumn in the exciting city of Beirut.

Le Gray, Beirut set to open in October.


Le Gray promises to deliver the same iconic CampbellGray style ever-present at its famous sisters, the Caribbean bolthole Carlisle Bay, London institutions One Aldwych and Dukes.

Located in the smart Solidere area, facing Martyrs' Square and Weygand Street in Beirut's fashionable Downtown, the hotel is all set to become the city's chicest hotel and meeting place located right in the centre of the newly rejuvenated shopping and entertainment district.

Commenting on the location for Le Gray, CampbellGray Hotels chairman Gordon Campbell Gray, said:


'Beirut was chosen as a destination because first of all I love the city and have felt for many years that its renaissance was imminent. It is an exciting place to live and an exciting place to visit and I feel strongly that its time has come again to be one of the most sought after and visited capitals in the world.'


Le Gray embodies an exhilarating, stylish and contemporary design symbolic of its city of residence. For the interior CampbellGray collaborated once again with renowned interior designer Mary Fox Linton, creating a cool, sleek and modern look from its Deluxe Rooms through to two Presidential Suites.

There are 87 spacious rooms and suites, some with balconies and terraces; the fifth floor, the highest floor for accommodation, is suites only and each has its own terrace.

Le Gray has many special features including a stunning sixth-floor roof-top restaurant, Indigo on the Roof, with spectacular panoramic views out to the Mediterranean Sea and the hills of Mount Lebanon; a late-night hangout Bar ThreeSixty on the seventh floor, which is set to become the city's ultimate place to see and be seen in, a 17m long roof top chlorine-free swimming pool with sundeck and Pool Lounge, the Cigar Lounge offering a great selection of Cuban Cigars and Gordon's cafe, a vibrant all day long café.

There is also a state-of-the-art gym and Pure Gray Spa offering an extensive variety of treatments and massages using Natura Bissé natural and innovative products.

Beirut is affectionately known as Paris of the East and is a meeting point of cultures, at the western edge of the Arab world and eastern edge of Europe. Culture, history, archaeology (Phoenician and Roman ruins of Baalbek, Tyre, Sidon and Byblos), mountains (ski slopes of Faraya and the Cedars), Mediterranean beaches stretching from the North to the South, gourmet cuisine, shopping and nightlife collide to make Beirut a fantastically vibrant place to visit for leisure or business.

http://www.ameinfo.com/208804.html

September 2009

Courtesy of me:

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I was wondering. Since this is a resort, will it have a nightclub or any retail shops? I hope it does, so this hotel can get more attention.

Courtesy of Me:

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btw Rabih nice pics, what kind of camera do you use? (mine just look bad because i used a mobile phone)

I was wondering. Since this is a resort, will it have a nightclub or any retail shops? I hope it does, so this hotel can get more attention.

Yes,there's a nightclub, called 360 . visit the Hotel's website :)

btw Rabih nice pics, what kind of camera do you use? (mine just look bad because i used a mobile phone)

I thought no one's gonna ever ask!!
I use a Canon EOS :cheers:

I thought no one's gonna ever ask!!
I use a Canon EOS :cheers:

Canon EOS Rebel XSI or Cannon EOS Rebel T1I? because my older brother has the Canon EOS Rebel XSI, I have a Samsung Sl820 (12.4MP)

It's an EOS 20D 8.2-megapixel

Any news about the big opening day?

^^ What is the date?

Its OPEN!!!! Looking super chic!
Part of it at least.. reception was up and running.. i think guests are in! a restaurant was opened too (though it was empty)
the part facing kuwait bank is still under work (fountain and interior)

People post pictures! I want pictures of the lobby, pool, restaurants, rooms, beds, bathrooms! I really want to stay here next summer and I need reviews!

Hey guys.. took some pictures just earlier tonight with my phone. Enjoy

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OH WOW..... imagine that at Christmas next to busy martyrs square. This is actually genuinely impressive

Luxurious boutique hotel brings flair for art to Downtown Beirut
By Dana Halawi
Daily Star staff
Tuesday, October 27, 2009

http://www.dailystar.com.lb//admin/storage/articles/200910262344360.4-hotel.jpg

BEIRUT: Beirut became the first Middle Eastern capital to boast a Campbell Gray contemporary luxury hotel which, as the owner puts it, is as stylish as the city itself. “I came to Beirut four-and-half-years-ago when Solidere was restored and I couldn’t believe it is the same city I visited 12 years ago when it was bombed out,” hotelier Gordon Gray told The Daily Star.
“I love the city and I believe it is ready for renaissance, so I thought let’s give Beirut a real sexy hotel.”
Gray is also the owner of the luxurious One Aldwych and Dukes hotels in London, and Carlisle Bay in Antigua.
Le Gray is located in the historic heart of Downtown Beirut, a 15-minute drive from Rafik Hariri International Airport, in the smart Beirut Central District. It offers cool, modern interiors, with 87 wonderfully spacious rooms and sensational suites, exciting restaurants, all accompanied by warm and highly professional service.
“When I got involved in the project the building was being designed but not yet built and I thought it was a great area. When, as a visitor, you arrive to a city I think the key is to be able to walk and reach everything easily and not always take a taxi,” he said.
The hotel is characterized by its collection of 500 works of contemporary abstract art, which Gray spent four years collecting from Cuba, Beirut, Damascus, Paris and London.
“I think most hotels don’t pay much attention to art but this is one of my passions,” Gray said, adding: “People have been stopping me in the lobby to tell me it is a masterpiece and I am overwhelmed.”
Gray feels very optimistic about his new boutique hotel and believes that it will draw many visitors to Beirut.


“Internationally we’re quite famous and there is a lot more press interested in this hotel than any other project I’ve done,” he added.
“When I said four years ago that I was doing a hotel in Beirut they used to be surprised, but the perception now has changed. My friends think that Beirut is dangerous but I believe that Beirut is the safest place in the world,” he said.
He added that tourists will feel safer to come to Lebanon when foreigners and not only Lebanese invest in the country.
Gray expects a high occupancy rate in his hotel even with the room rates ranging between $380 and $1,650 per night.
“I don’t think that our rates are high at all because I was paying a huge amount in other hotels in Beirut,” he said.
Hotel occupancy in Beirut improved considerably this year: a mirror image of the lively tourism activity witnessed in the country this summer. The occupancy rates in Lebanon’s hotels reached an average of 90 percent during the first six months of 2009, said head of Lebanon’s hoteliers’ association Pierre Ashkar.
Le Gray is the first in a brace of hotels preparing to open in the Lebanese capital: the Four Seasons Hotel is expected to open before the end of the year; the Summerland Kempinski hotel and resort is under construction at the location of the old Summerland Hotel at a cost of $200 million; and excavation has begun at the site of the new Grand Hyatt hotel which is to open in two years.
“We’re planning to construct two more hotels by the sea in Lebanon very soon but we still want to confirm the land. We’re also keen on doing something in the mountains,” said Gray.

on their page... it says now open...so i think that means it's finally COMPLETED

^^ we already know that :colgate:

[SIZE="6"][COLOR="Green"]“We’re planning to construct two more hotels by the sea in Lebanon very soon but we still want to confirm the land. We’re also keen on doing something in the mountains,” said Gray.

WOW!:banana::banana::banana:

courtesy of francesco
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go lebanon go ;) another beautiful project.

go lebanon go ;) another beautiful project.

I'm sorry, but i dont know why you need to update and bring 10 projects to the top of the thread with no updates whatsoever.
Everyone talked about this countless times, and yet ppl still do it!

^^

I dont know how much more we can stress Rule #8!

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/announcement.php?f=710&a=632

I'm going to try getting you guys pictures of the lobby today :)
Wish me luck!

Pictures taken today
The Hotel was Packed! Everyone was extremely nice!

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Gordon's Cafe
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(Sorry about the quality)

courtesy of Paulo Foerster
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courtesy of Mike
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courtesy of Mike
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Wow I just love that picture! I'm so happy this is finally open!

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Le Gray’s Cigar Lounge terrace




Early Sunday morning, some time before seven, I was roused from sleep by a cacophony. First came a peal of bells from the Maronite cathedral of St George that my room at Le Gray, the newest, swishest hotel in Beirut, faced. Then, within minutes, the call of the muezzin from the vast cobalt-domed Al-Amin mosque next door, a sort of 21st-century take on Istanbul’s Blue Mosque. Then more bells – from the Orthodox and Catholic cathedrals – and other calls to prayer .

It had been a very late night, though, and I was going nowhere. Until 4am, a group of us (Beirut is not a city for couples or single travellers; go with friends) had been at Music Hall, an old cinema turned cabaret where a dozen acts – from minxy Lebanese popstrels and a discernibly pregnant chanteuse in a manteau to an improbable heavy metal tribute band and a pair of Palestinian mandolin-playing brothers – perform 10-minute sets, all backed by a virtuosic house band. The audience behaves sedately at first, sitting, smoking (what a Proustian nostalgia that evokes), drinking, even dining. But by midnight people are dancing between the tables, and by 3am they’re dancing on them.

It was as fun and as funny a night out as I can remember, and that the hotel – or more specifically its vastly informed head concierge, Oliver Naufal – had thought to suggest it to us, was a credit to it.

Open since November 1, Le Gray is the fourth property in the Campbell Gray Hotels portfolio, which also includes One Aldwych and Dukes in London, and Carlisle Bay in Antigua. It occupies a site on Martyrs’ Square, on the edge of the area known as Solidère (a conflation of Société Libanaise pour le Développement et la Reconstruction of downtown Beirut). It’s also just west of Saifi, the redeveloped “quartier des arts” that sits on what was the Green Line, which divided Muslim west Beirut from the Christian east during the 15-year civil war that ended in 1990.

Decriers of the development complain that it’s too sanitised, too international. Certainly the Souks de Beyrouth, which opened in October, are rather like a mall, with shops that run from Balenciaga to Zara. And one can’t imagine its buildings will ever win prizes for innovation. Yet given how much barbed wire, how many soldiers, even tanks, you still see on the streets, it all feels pleasingly ordered, polished and safe.

Designed by the Australian architect Kevin Dash, Le Gray – the only hotel I’ve ever stayed in where you pass through airport-style security every time you walk into its lobby – is a six-storey corner building with a vast atrium that would seem to have been modelled on the plenary hall in Berlin’s Reichstag. If that’s an oddity, the 87 rooms and suites are conventionally contemporary and luxurious, though the cedar moucharabieh latticework on the ceiling and the mosaic of palms on the bathroom floor offer a sense of place.

My expansive executive suite (one of 62) could not have been more comfortable or better lit, though it puzzled me that the wall-mounted television had been hung adjacent to the sofa rather than facing it. The only place to sit within comfortable sight of the screen was on the bed or at the desk.

There’s a small Natura Bissé spa and a gym, both open to non-residents, but what would seem to bring Beirutis flocking to Le Gray are its restaurants. There wasn’t a table to be had in any of them the Sunday I was there. But then, as far as western tourists are concerned, Gordon’s Café is the only restaurant at Le Gray I’d judge unmissable, with its range of Lebanese salads, Lebanese wines, Lebanese beer (Almaza) and a stunning terrazzo floor. By comparison, Indigo on the Roof has been created with the hotel’s Middle Eastern client base in mind. The service is enchanting but to travel to Beirut to eat flown-in steak and salmon seems beside the point.

In all important respects, this is a fine hotel. Indeed my only real disappointment was that the circular roof-top bar, ThreeSixty, wasn’t yet open. With views of le tout Beirut, it’s surely destined to become the hotel’s chief attraction

How awesome it was designed by an Aussie !

This hotel has been getting a great deal of international media attention. Who would have thought a small boutique hotel would turn out to be such a great promotion for Beirut?

Designed by the Australian architect Kevin Dash, Le Gray – the only hotel I’ve ever stayed in where you pass through airport-style security every time you walk into its lobby – is a six-storey corner building with a vast atrium that would seem to have been modelled on the plenary hall in Berlin’s Reichstag.

Is this guy serious? Joe Kl can you confirm this?

I think this is only when special people are staying. Some relatives in leb told me its true, while others said it was false when they visited. If it is only sometimes when special people arrive then it is a common practice for worldwide hotels.

Is this guy serious? Joe Kl can you confirm this?

Yeah true!
You go though a metal detector thingy, they ask you to put phone and stuff in a box, which they give back when you pass though the detector.

Great now Le Grey is going to become like Hotel Phoenicia !!

Not normal..but i guess if your paying 600 a night you want security.

courtesy of wainhouse
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http://www.thenational.ae/images/the_national_logo.gif

Le Gray, Beirut (hotel review)
Rosemary Behan

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=AD&Date=20091212&Category=TRAVEL&ArtNo=712119914&Ref=AR
The heated, chlorine-free infinity pool on the Le Gray's roof offers a view of Mount Lebanon. Courtesy of Le Gray Hotel

The welcome
A Lamborghini with Abu Dhabi licence plates is parked outside Le Gray when our less-than-glamorous transfer bus drops us outside; still, bags are seized and inside the lobby before we are. There’s a group of us, so there’s a slight scramble to get bags and bodies through the X-ray security system and into the otherwise chic reception area. A very pretty backlit white metal wall panel with the shapes of flowers and dragonflies cut through it hangs at the front of the lobby. The check-in area is welcoming, with two low desks and comfy chairs at each. A small elephant made out of multicoloured buttons, by local artist Nadim Karam, sits in front of the check-in area.

The neighbourhood
Le Gray is a brand new, purpose-built, seven-storey modern building on the edge of Solidere, the newly rebuilt and reconstructed downtown area of Beirut. The hotel fronts onto Martyrs’ Square: behind is the scrubbed Al Amin mosque, St George’s Cathedral and the Roman Cardo Maximus; the other side of the hotel is on the smart Rue Weygand; rooms on this side offer fleeting views of the sea and port. It’s an almost perfect location, with the new cafes, restaurants and shops of Solidere on your doorstep and the Corniche and Achrafiye within five minutes’ walking distance. There is, however, still a lot of building work and traffic around, and the patch of land behind the hotel is an eyesore – though a scenic “Garden of Forgiveness” is in the pipeline.

The scene
Most of the hotel’s visitors are Lebanese – young, old, smart and casual – some women with dark glasses in heaps of make-up, but overall, not too blingy. However, the hotel pitches itself internationally, and guests staying in the hotel (as opposed to just using its bars and restaurants) hail mainly from the Gulf, Europe and the Far East, as well as Lebanon. Business travellers for the moment at least outnumber holidaymakers.

The room
Le Gray has 87 rooms and suites; most are executive suites, which are 60 square metres and come in a range of three colour schemes – purple, blue and green – each with matching carpets and curtains. The first room I was allocated was on the noisy corner of Rue Weygrand and Martyrs’ Square – the windows didn’t close properly so I moved to a quieter room at the back of the hotel. All the hotel’s interiors are by Mary Fox Linton – a British designer who has styled all of Gordon Campbell Gray’s hotels including Duke’s and One Aldwich in London. I liked the grey textured wallpaper on the wall behind the bed, the sturdy but elegant Perspex and stone bookshelf beneath the television and the sumptuous brown marble bathrooms with rainbath showers and mosaic floors; also the easy-to-adjust lighting system. The Loewe wall-mounted television was slow to load, however, and one of my bedside lamps wasn’t working – teething problems no doubt, but irritating if you’re paying the rack rate of US$539 (Dh1,979) per night or more.

The service
Generally warm and attentive, though it took over an hour to move me to a different room after I complained about the road noise and the non-closing windows. Reception dealt directly with small requests that could have been directed to housekeeping, which was a nice touch. Reception staff were helpful without being intrusive or subservient; the staff in the bars and restaurants were available without being oppressive or over-the-top – almost the perfect combination – and there were plenty of them.

The food
There are three restaurants and two bars. Gordon’s Cafe is an informal coffee shop on the ground floor that serves organic Lebanese food including salads, fish and home-made pasta; Indigo on the Roof is a formal but relaxed international fine-dining restaurant and the Pool Lounge is a trendy cafe serving breakfast and light snacks. A three-course meal at Indigo costs $90 (Dh330) per person and there is plenty of choice: I had an endive, Roquefort and walnut salad, cod with vegetable cous cous and sticky date pudding. The bread is excellent, and baked on-site.

Loved
The views from the four bars and restaurants – and their terraces – at the top of the hotel. Watching a lightning storm over the sea from the newly opened Bar ThreeSixty, swimming in the heated, chlorine-free rooftop infinity pool with views of Mount Lebanon in one direction and the Warhol-esque Pool Lounge in the other; the snug Cigar Lounge, still with views of the Al Amin mosque, and Indigo, with its hugely spacious yet intimate eating areas and great views out over downtown Beirut. I loved the offer of free laptop rental (and free Wi-Fi) – allowing guests on short trips to leave their laptops at home and still work from their rooms. The spa, with its dark American cedar wood corridors and thick, heated massage beds – as well as the treatments themselves – was excellent. A 30-minute Jet Lag Recovery treatment costs $55 (Dh202).

Hated
I thought the exterior of the hotel, designed by Kevin Dash, was dull, and I didn’t like the dark carpet or the piano and accompanying singer in Bar ThreeSixty – it reminded me of an airport. The rooms on the second floor at the front of the hotel seem to suffer from road noise – so triple-glazing or better-fitting windows would be necessary to ensure a good night’s sleep – telling customers like me that it can’t be helped because of the hotel’s location just doesn’t cut it. As with the rest of the city, the hotel suffers from daily power cuts – a generator kicks in almost immediately, but on one occasion I was left in darkness in the bathroom for several minutes.

The verdict
Beirut’s first design hotel is a fabulous place to stay, and just about as swish and slick as you could imagine. It remains to be seen, however, if ironing out the early imperfections can justify the hefty price tag.

The bottom line
Prices start at $539 (Dh1,980) for a 40 sq m deluxe room to $6,050 (Dh22,220), for the two-bedroom, 220 sq m presidential suite; both including taxes. Le Gray, Martyrs’ Square, Central Beirut District (www.legray.com; 00961 1 971 111).

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091212/TRAVEL/712119914/1255/LIFE

courtesy of john tanner
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courtesy of paul hilwani
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Lebanese love affair for Le Gray

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GORDON CAMPBELL GRAY

With hotels including One Aldwych and the Dukes in London in his portfolio, GORDON CAMPBELL GRAY, chairman of Campbell Gray Hotels, enthused to SHALU CHANDRAN about his newest property, the Le Gray, in Beirut, Lebanon

What brings you to the Middle East?
We have just opened our property Le Gray, Beirut, and I am exceptionally passionate about it. It’s my favourite place in the world and I am quite stunned at how well the hotel has been received. I get very involved in the design and concept of the hotel and I don’t like modern and trendy, but do like sleek and modern classic.

I was also in Doha recently, where we were asked to do something, but don’t think it’s something that we will pursue. I am not ambitious to roll out a formula and I like to call each of my hotels a masterpiece in my way.

Why the decision to open in Beirut?
I had visited Beirut 11 years ago when the city was in pretty bad shape and all bombed-out. But when I decided to open a property here, it was almost an instant decision. I could see that Beirut had gone through a renaissance period and was looking amazing. I could see that its future would be interesting. I could see that it wasn’t a new destination but an old one being reborn.

The spirit, the authenticity is spectacularly positive. I had a great sense of confidence that it would come right – but it wasn’t easy as our two-and-a-half-year project turned to four-and-a-half!

We have been very lucky because we’re now open and the city is settled – the government and cabinet in place. We have plans to develop another beach resort in Beirut and ultimately probably do one more in the mountains for skiing enthusiasts. I am very committed to Lebanon and am its biggest fan. It’s very safe, with an edge.


How will these properties be different from one another?
Our properties will be like cousins. No two Campbell Gray hotels look the same but you can feel the relationship. Our resort in the Caribbean is completely different to the Dukes in London, which is a traditional hotel. The seaside property will be very sleek in design.

How can a guest relate to the Campbell Gray hotel?
When we opened in the Caribbean, 65 per cent of the guests were repeat guests in the first year. To me it is about training and motivating and giving inspiration to the staff. I have a very strong philanthropic arm. For me it’s all about creating sensitive quality. I always create an induction where I see all the new members. We are all equal human beings with different responsibilities. I make sure everybody in the team feels equally respected. If you want a successful business, love your staff. A company which is only there to make money isn’t a proper one.

The Le Gray Hotel has been built to service, principally, inter-Middle Eastern clientele. We expect to bring a new layer of travellers from around the world. People, who never thought they would come, didn’t think it was safe. Guests who know and relate to our hotels have a new city to visit and a new hotel to stay in.

You are very passionate about the environment. How much of this is enforced in your properties?
Yes. We are building a green team at the Le Gray Hotel in Beirut. The new generation of guests coming in cares about the environment. We have the team analyse every department, I hate waste. Luxury and extravaganza is one thing and waste is another. I think it’s wicked. I am a true Scot and do not appreciate any form of excess, probably the reason why Dubai is a destination I am personally not comfortable with. We are constantly being asked to undertake new projects. For me the criteria are location and finding the right partner.

Our One Aldwych hotel was recently awarded The Green Hotel of the Year award.

Are you looking for further opportunities in the region?
There are quite a few exciting projects that we are working on right now and will make an announcement on soon. I don’t believe big is beautiful. I believe in developing this very controlled, quality-driven small company where each hotel is something to be truly proud of. We are a niché brand and will never go beyond 12 to 15 hotels. Oman is a destination I love and think it would be quite appealing to create a beautiful hotel there.

How have your hotels performed during the global recession?
Beirut is a unique destination and one of the few places which was not really affected by the recession. Everybody warned me from investing in the Middle East but I was persistent because of my love for the city. London remained busy. It did get challenging in between but that was very short-lived. I think our smallness and haute-couture styles have meant guests stay with us. In the Caribbean we suffered a little but came out pretty well. I don’t get influenced by others and try not to be distracted by industry trends. We have always stayed slightly ahead without being flashy or ostentatious, always been environmentally conservative and quite in tune with the changing world. I would like my company to be recognised as an intelligent company.

What is your idea of a perfect holiday destination?
Two things. It would either be a long, white sandy beach, palm trees and a pile of books and absolutely no BlackBerry or I also like to get adventurous and discover a new place.

The Falkland Islands is a favourite with its wildlife. When I travel I don’t want to make any new friends. I want seclusion. Solitude is something I crave.

http://www.ttnworldwide.com/articles.aspx?ID=1336&artID=9473

Courtesy of Josephoto1

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Courtesy of Dima Sh
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courtesy of mimi
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Courtesy of shoptalkbeirut

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courtesy of tama
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courtesy of tama
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courtesy of tmagazine
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Refined design
(Fida Slayman) Tuesday, 17th August 2010
Lebanon's latest landmark, Le Gray hotel Beirut, is setting new standards for hotel interiors in the region, says Fida Slayman.

The new Le Gray Hotel Beirut has only been open for nine months, yet so perfectly does the building complement its surroundings that one has the feeling that it has always been there. Framed by the Blue Mosque, Martyr's Square and the refurbished Ottoman buildings of Downtown Beirut, the striking seven-storey hotel offers views of Lebanon's famous snow-capped mountains on one side, and the azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea on the other.

The hotel is the fourth property to bear the Campbell Gray name, and marks the company's first foray into the Middle East. "It's not so much the Middle East I'm interested in," said Gordon Campbell Gray, chairman of Campbell Gray Hotels, "but Beirut."

When Campbell Gray speaks of Beirut, it is almost how one would speak of a lover; in his eyes, the city is sexy, voluptuous, sumptuous. And like a lover with gifts, Campbell Gray has lavished on the city what he believes to be his sexiest hotel yet. Designed with renowned interior designer Mary Fox Linton, the hotel has 87 rooms, including 62 executive suites of 60m², 10 corner suites of 90m², and two presidential suites measuring 170m² and 220m².

More than 500 pieces of art, sourced personally by Campbell Gray from Cuba and the Middle East, adorn the walls. "We have a fantastic art collection," he said. "It's about the rooms having two or three pieces of art that have been considered, and I think that's what makes our design shine out as being lovely."

The hotel's interiors reflect Lebanon's love affair with wood. Cedar features strongly and timber adds to the richness of the design. The custom-made furniture, original to Le Gray Beirut, is all made of walnut.

Stone floors, timber ceilings, natural slate and granite underpin the design, and are complemented by handmade silk, wool and cotton fabrics. Clean, clutter-free surfaces give a final soothing touch to the hotel's restrained style.

The pool and bar area embody the sensuality and hedonism that has come to symbolise Beirut. The rooftop purple-glass infinity pool is flanked by sunloungers and tables in blood red, "the last colour you'd expect to put in the heat", according to Campbell Gray.
"I think we've gotten sexier with this hotel than we've ever done before and maybe it's given us a taste to do it again in other places," he said.

Along with Fox Linton, Campbell Gray sourced and engaged international artisans to produce the fabrics, lighting and furniture used in the hotel. "We wanted lamps which look like indoor standard lamps for the rooftop terrace, but they just don't exist," he explained. "We scoured the world and finally found somebody who could make them."

A signature design piece of Le Gray Beirut is the backlit metal wall exhibited in the lobby. Decorated with cut-out butterflies and flowers, the wall stands as a "traffic-stopping piece of design", said Campbell Gray. "The woman we found to do it just did lampshades - it's really about finding the right artisans and asking them to go a little further."

Yet all the design in the hotel, Campbell Grey claimed, would be meaningless if it were not also comfortable. "I'd say that a lot of contemporary design has started to get very into its own self-importance, and doesn't really serve a purpose. I think the new wave of hotels have almost become a cliché of their own modernity and silliness."

A piece of furniture which is not comfortable cannot be an example of good design, he said. The definition of luxury, he continued, relating an anecdote, "is coming home and having somewhere to put my keys".

"In reality it's about sitting at a desk and the reading light being perfect, and the bedside table being the right size - just being layers and layers of thinking it through, so that when you sit down in the chair it doesn't only look beautiful but it's also super comfortable."

The curtains completely block out the light, the bed, sheets and pillows are of the highest quality, and all the lamps in the room can be turned on and off easily. "It's so simplistic, but staying in fabulous hotels around the world as I do, it really is amazing how uncomfortable they can be."

courtesy of zdistrict
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you cab read the full article here
http://www.zdistrict.com/2010/07/15/le-gray-beirut/

Nice finds!!! I love the corridor look

everything is classy :) but I don't like the bed !

courtesy of le gray
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by Piax - flickr
view from the pool
http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/6193/4173686257bd2b78a41dz.jpg (http://img525.imageshack.us/i/4173686257bd2b78a41dz.jpg/)

by Le Gray
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/8051/roof2k.jpg (http://img266.imageshack.us/i/roof2k.jpg/)

http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/4830/aaazvk.jpg (http://img688.imageshack.us/i/aaazvk.jpg/)

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/8259/aaa2d.jpg (http://img94.imageshack.us/i/aaa2d.jpg/)

360 bar
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/3189/aaa3eh.jpg (http://img294.imageshack.us/i/aaa3eh.jpg/)

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/9729/aaa4vt.jpg (http://img9.imageshack.us/i/aaa4vt.jpg/)

by Le Gray
the Pool Lounge
http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/4654/zzzqa.jpg (http://img704.imageshack.us/i/zzzqa.jpg/)

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/4169/zzz2q.jpg (http://img707.imageshack.us/i/zzz2q.jpg/)

anybody knows how much a night in this hotel???

^^

http://www.lhw.com/property.aspx?id=972

:)

Nov 2010

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Wowvery cool views, seems to be very expensive.

I just checked the rate from the 23rd of December until the 26th as a check-out it came up at 1300$ USD per night LOL!

December 3

Courtesy of gailvirginia

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ZUMA confirms Middle Eastern expansion plans with new Beirut site


ZUMA Beirut to open in early 2012 in the Le Gray Hotel, Central Beirut

Middle East ZUMA's most important global territory for continued expansion

ZUMA Dubai retains its market leading edge, reporting double digit growth Q1 2011


12 June 2011 - ZUMA Dubai, the popular restaurant and bar concept now in its third successful year of operation, today announces its plans for Middle Eastern expansion, beginning with ZUMA Beirut. Set to open in early 2012, the Beirut property represents the first step in a regional roll out driven from Dubai that will see the proven ZUMA formula repeated across a number of cities in the Middle East.

ZUMA Beirut will enjoy a prime location in the heart of historical Downtown Beirut, in a site within Le Gray Hotel. Overlooking the Mediterranean and Mount Lebanon, the new site is within walking distance from major business corporations and cultural attractions and just 15 minutes from the International airport. The association between ZUMA and Le Grey underlines an exciting synergy between two design led, highly successful hospitality concepts, and will firmly put Beirut on the map as the global city of the moment.

The announcement of the expansion comes just weeks after ZUMA Dubai posted a record-breaking start to the year. Of the expansion, Director of Operations, ZUMA Middle East, Ajaz Sheikh states:

Since our opening in Dubai in 2008, we have always been looking at opportunities for further expansion in the Middle East. The past three years have allowed ZUMA to integrate itself in the Middle East culture and learn how to do business in this region. Beirut is a vibrant city with a unique energy and it seems fitting to open our second property in the heart of its Downtown district. Needless to say, the team and I are very excited about embarking on our new project."

www.zumarestaurant.ae

-Ends-

© Press Release 2011
Access to this article is subject to specific terms and condition.

The facade is aging more gracefully than i ever thought possible.
Its looking amazing