Historic Beirut Hotel, Long a Hub for Journalists, Closes After 82 Years

January 14, 2026 – Lebanon –

Le Commodore Hotel, one of Le Commodore Hotel’s most iconic landmarks, closed its doors on January 10, 2026, ending an 82-year chapter in Beirut’s cultural and media history. Opened in 1943 in the bustling Hamra district, was especially significant during the Lebanese Civil War, when it served as a haven and informal newsroom for foreign journalists and diplomats who relied on its communications and relative security to file reports from a besieged city.

During the war years, Commodore’s location and its basic but dependable amenities — including working telephone and telex lines — made it a go-to base for international correspondents amid widespread telecommunications collapse. Its bars, restaurants, and pool became gathering points where reporters, officials, and visitors shared information and camaraderie despite the surrounding conflict. Over decades, the hotel was rebuilt and renovated — including after heavy damage in the 1980s and a reopening in 1996 — but it remained steeped in media lore as a crossroads of reporting and history.

For many journalists who passed through its doors, Le Commodore’s demise marks the end of a storied era in Beirut’s journalism and cultural life — a period when its halls and rooftop views offered both refuge and a critical vantage point on Middle East reporting.

References –

https://www.hjnews.com/world/lebanon-journalists-hotel-closes/image_56015d66-3431-5246-92c4-3bf16e8c0d72.html

https://www.beirut.com/en/768199/82-years-later-hamras-le-commodore-hotel-is-closing-down/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DS4YNriCBef/