Beirut shopping holiday: Lebanese capital reborn with big names Versace and Jimmy Choo

By FRANK BARRETT, MAIL ON SUNDAY TRAVEL EDITOR

All a-glow: Miss Lebanon in Beirut's Christmas parade


In the brightest December sunshine we were standing in front of the Jimmy Choo shop watching a Christmas tree being built. As two young men perilously perched 30ft up in the bucket of a JCB, carefully lacing conifer branches into a metal frame, you couldn’t help noticing that all this was taking place in the shadow of a large mosque.

We were in Beirut and a young security guard stopped beside us to watch the festive work: ‘Merry Christmas, isn’t it?’

The guard told us he had just returned to Lebanon from Canada after a long absence. He had been living with his sister in Alberta. ‘Big snow, not much fun,’ he explained.


Stars of wonder: The Christmas tree outside Al-Amin Mosque in Beirut


In Beirut, by contrast, even in early December there were still endless days of roasting hot 80F (27C) sun. Rain hadn’t fallen since October and now there were forest fires in the mountains. ‘When I was about four,’ he said, ‘we had three Christmases, one after the other.

‘We had Christmas on December 25, then because my uncle is Armenian we joined him in celebrating their Gregorian calendar Christmas on January 6 and in between we joined our neighbours in celebrating the Islamic festival of Eid which that year came in December. It’s a child’s dream, isn’t it?’

If, like Roy Wood, you wish it could be Christmas every day, Beirut seems ideal.
Yet, if there were a city which merited the description ‘Heaven on Earth’ it is likely the Lebanese capital would not be top of your list.


Back in favour: The winter sun shines on the Corniche as Beirut regains its reputation as a must-visit city


It is a place that on the face of things is not exactly over-endowed with the Christmas spirit of peace and goodwill. For the best part of 50 years, this small country of six million people – bordered by Syria and Israel – has barely known extended periods of peace. With a population split between Christians and Muslims, the conflict between the two groups subsided into a bitter civil war in 1975 and continued unabated for 15 years.


Chequered past: Roman remains at Baalbek, where street sellers hawk Hezbollah souvenirs


Now his new hotel Le Gray stands here, a glowing symbol of the city’s extraordinary rebirth.

The locals were amazed – and then delighted – that someone in the business as eminent as Mr Gray (the man behind London’s One Aldwych and Antigua’s Carlisle Bay) had come from the UK to work his hotel magic in Beirut.

The hotel opened just over a year ago and its modern design and sleek good looks – including a stunning rooftop pool – would be sensational anywhere but are especially remarkable given its location. From its roof you can gaze down over Martyrs’ Square and wonder at the transformation. Mr Gray says that he feels completely safe wherever he goes in the city – and so do the influx of British tourists, many of whom fly in on Business Class with BMI on the daily flight from London Heathrow.

‘I’m pleased to say that Beirut has become a must-visit city for a certain affluent elite.’

Back in Beirut, the Christmas tree was complete and a local choir was gathered around its base singing festive songs. They began to sing John Lennon’s Happy Christmas (War Is Over): ‘War is over / If you want it / War is over / Now...’
Happy Christmas, indeed.


Travel facts
You can book a double room at Le Gray from around £240 including English breakfast. Call 00 961 1 971 111 or visit www.legray.com.

British Midland International (bmi) currently flies daily to Beirut and will be providing two flights a day from March 31, 2011, direct from London Heathrow. Economy fares start at £427 return. Book online at www.flybmi.com.


source: dailymail