Stay Report: Staybridge Suites Beirut (Beirut, Lebanon - March 2019)

Stay Report: Staybridge Suites Beirut

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I was traveling to Beirut and in looking for a place to stay, I was looking for something nice and comfortable but that was also in close proximity (walking or short drive) to the sights I wanted to see.  I looked at various options in Downtown but the reviews were not good, and I looked at places in Verdun but they seemed far; so I settled on the Staybridge Suites near Hamra.  I have stayed in Staybridge Suites before in America and I enjoyed my experience of suite-rooms, complimentary breakfast, and complimentary evening socials – based on my previous experience I was looking forward to the stay.  It was very easy to book the hotel through the IHG website and app, and through the app it was easy to manage my reservation.  I had some questions regarding transport so I emailed the hotel, and their response time was generally good and they provided detailed answers. 

The hotel is located in between Verdun and Hamra in Beirut, and it’s about a 20 minute drive from the   The hotel does not provide complimentary transportation to/from the airport, but it can arrange transportation through a local taxi company – I had arranged this through email with the hotel and when I arrived, the driver was waiting in the arrivals hall and it made for a smooth process to the hotel.  From the outside, the hotel itself looks very nice and newly constructed.  The glass windows on the outside let in a lot of natural light as well as providing an inside/outside concept.  Once you go through security you enter into the lobby, with the check-in counters on the left and a sitting area on the right.  Next to the check-in desks is the Pantry, in which you can buy snacks and other items you may have left at home, and next to that are the elevators.  Check-in was relatively quick, the amenities of the hotel were explained, and I was given the key to my room.
airport.

As the name suggests, all the rooms at the hotel are suites.  My room as located on the 3^rd floor and as you opened the door, it felt like stepping into an apartment rather than a hotel room.  You entered into a room that contained the entreway, the kitchen, and a small dining table.  It was a full kitchen with a stove, a microwave, dishes and utensils, pots and pans, and a small fridge.  There was a small dining table right behind the stove, but it could only seat about two people.  Beyond the kitchen was the sitting area with a pull-out sofa and two chairs that faced the TV on the wall.  While the seating area was not large, it was sufficient and provided a nice area to relax and enjoy the food or tea while watching TV.  The bedroom was located next to the sitting area.  As you entered the bedroom, against the right wall was the bed (which was a large double or a small king size bed) with a nightstand on each side.  There was a   On the other side of the bed, there was a path with closets on either side that led to the bathroom.  The bathroom was somewhat narrow but very long and contained a tub, a shower, a sink with lots of counter space, a toilet, and a bidet.  As with the sitting area, the space was not grand but was sufficient enough to move around and contain lots of facilities.  In becoming more environmental and green, there were refillable toiletry bottles in the bathroom – soap and lotion next to the sink and body wash and shampoo+conditioner in the shower and tub (they smelled really good).
chair in between the bed and the wall, and across from the bed was a desk as well as TV mounted on the wall.

There are many amenities in the hotel for the guests to enjoy including complimentary breakfast,   The breakfast, the coffee, and the evening social was on the mezzanine level which can be accessed by the elevator or via the stairs from the lobby.  The mezzanine level was laid out such that as you got off the elevator, you walked into an area which housed the food items in the middle and ahead and the coffee to the left side.  Beyond the food was the dining and seating area and beyond that was a smaller seating area with couches and a TV.  There was also a computer in this area.  The breakfast was very good and vast with lots of options including both Western and Middle Eastern.  The evening social occurred three times a week and it is an opportunity to get to know the staff as well as some of the guests.  The food served during the social is light, with some burgers and sandwiches but mostly chips and crudites along with drinks. 
complimentary coffee throughout the day, an evening social three times a week, a gym, laundry facilities, and complimentary wifi.

The gym and the laundry facilities were located in the basement, and both were decent size and had enough equipment and facilities to provide a decent workout and decent laundry.  The wifi was complimentary and relatively strong (depending on the day and time you logged on) and the good thing about the hotel is that they did not restrict the number of devices, so you could connect all your devices (which is necessary these days).   Overall, it was a nice stay at the Staybridge Suites.  The hotel is nice and provides spacious rooms, a lot of facilities for the guests to enjoy, good service, and is within walking distance to many attractions and services.