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DETAILS

Boutique hotels

n a fast-moving and frequently impersonal world, there is a growing trend to get back to small exclusive hotels that provide havens of peace and tranquility away from the stresses of modern life; this is where boutique hotels with their ultimate attention to detail and quality service are winning the hearts of many travellers. Boutique hotels frequently occupy older properties that . have been restored with loving care to maintain a traditional local atmosphere whilst offering the highest specifications in terms of comfort and amenities. From Marrakech to Beirut, there are a now a multitude of small but perfectly formed hotels cropping up. Before the term was coined, Jerusalem was home to one of the first Middle Eastern hotels that could be described as 'boutique'. Hidden within Jerusalem's twisted cobblestone streets lies one of the Middle East's most luxurious and fabled hotels. The American Colony. It has been voted the Best Hotel in the Middle East by Conde Nast Traveler and is a rarity in the region for being a member of the elite Relais & Chteaux association. Its guest book reads like a who's who of the last century: Sir Winston Churchill, Lauren Bacall, Peter O'Toole,

Front page: The Beit Rumman courtyard oasis. Left: Overlooking Sana'a from the rooftop lounge of the Burj Al Saiah. Above: Al Moudira's pool reflects elegance and style on the West Bank of the Nile

Marc Chagall and Richard Gere are just a few of its famous guests. for an al fresco meal, lit by lanterns and the stars. Morocco has been The American Colony is housed in the former palace of a pasha. Built described by some of the world's most celebrated designers as being out of honey-hued Jerusalem stone and boasting sumptuous interiors 'a world of interiors' and the riad boutique hotels of Marrakech otfer that have changed little in the Colony's 122 year's of existence, it is some of the most enchanting. a reminder of the forgotten palaces of Palestine. One of the hotel's earliest and rnost famous guests was T.E. Lawrence, better known Country revival as Lawrence of Arabia, who regularly dined at the hotel's restaurant, Syria's tourism is on the up and Damascus has, over the last few years, as well as playing goalkeeper in the soccer matches that took place seen the refurbishment of old town houses being transformed into boutique hotels. Boasting a mere six bedrooms, the Beit Rumtnan is where the swimming pool is today. Morocco is fast becoming known for its riads, many of which have located in the heart of the Old City. This old town house has been has been carefully restored to capture the lifestyle of the ancient been transformed into bijou hideaways. In Marrakech the riads are cool, tranquil retreats from the chaotic city of Damascus, while providing its guests with a comfortable city and are perfect boutique hotel material. Dar Les Cigognes is ambience. The traditional architecture of the 17''' century has been named after the storks that build their sprawling nests on the ramparts preserved, with each room retaining its own private terrace, llie dcor includes original arches, handmade ceramics (Kishani), carved of the Royal Palace opposite. The magic of boutique hotels is that they are frequently uniden- stone (Ablaq), intricate hand-painted ceilings, shell-designed doors tifiable as opulent hideaways: the entrance to the typical riad is fre- and moucharabieh woodwork. There is a traditional courtyard with quently no more than a simple carved door in an ordinary-looking a water fountain rich with extraordinarily artistic details, an oasis wall and the Dar Les Cigognes is no exception, but once inside, the scented with jasmine and gardenia. Egypt has always been popular and for decades, well-heeled visitors architecture and interior design are stunning. The central courtyard is a deep well of light and air. The sound of the fountain, the smell of to Luxor, Egypt, have checked into the Winter Palace, a grand hotel the citrus trees and the cool mosaic floor make it the perfect place built on the east bank of the Nile in 1886. But there is now another 52 The Middle East December 2009

prized destination, the Al Moudira on the West bank of the Nile. Many of its architectural features have been salvaged from abandoned i8''' and 19"' century town houses in Cairo and villages along the Nile Delta and the owner describes it as "a mixture of Lebanese, Syrian and Turkish influences, whereas the colours have an Italian touch". Al Moudira's 54 rooms are grouped into units of four or more, which then open onto private courtyards lush with greenery and fountains, as well as shaded seating areas. The suites are no less luxurious, with columned archways, domed ceilings, private fountains and hand painted frescoes executed by local artisans. The bathrooms resemble mini-hammams with vaulted ceilings sporting tiny skylights, from which morning light pours multicoloured reflections onto a sunken bathtub in the middle of the room. The pool, with its adjoining pavilion, is a work of art, so much so that French Vogue recently used it as a backdrop for a fashion shoot. Yemen with a difference And now Yemen can also be proud of boasting at least one boutiquestyle hotel. Burj Al Salam represents the revival of the historical beauty and the architectural marvels of ancient Sanaa. The city existed at a time when there were only tents to be found on the Arabian Peninsula: it is one of the oldest towns in the world, second only to

Marib. Legend has it that the son of the biblical Noah, Sem, founded the city. Renowned as a refuge of peace, it was a place where fighting was not permitted. And this is what the name reflects: Burj Al Salam in Arabic means 'tower of peace'. Its majestic structure was once a Yemeni house. It took ten long years of hard work to renovate it. The renovation was carried out under the strict supervision of UNESCO in order to respect and maintain the original architectural style. While maintaining the aesthetics of the ancient architectural style, the hotel combines the necessary comforts and refined hospitality of a boutique modern-day hotel. The rooms and suites are furnished with typical hand-made furniture. The dcor offers a taste of true Yemeni lifestyle with a rooftop lounge which overlooks the city. "With globalisation, high streets all over the world have attained a certain similarity. The logos of Dior and Louis Vuitton that shine out on the Champs Elyses in Paris also gleam out of the windows famous Moscow store GUM over Red Square. To a great extent this had also been happening with hotels," explained Lilia Akbulatova of the Kempinski hotel chain. "But now there is a move to make hotels less uniform. People appreciate the efforts to make each hotel different with its own stamp or personality." In this move to 'personalise' individual hotels, the boutique concept is streets ahead, with every indication it will stay that way for some time. December 2009 The Middle East S3

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