A friend who travelled to Paris recently came home with a cautionary tale. She was surprised to learn that she had been spotted in one of the city's well-known restaurants, caught on camera by a nearby Kuwaiti food blogger who posted the footage to his well-followed Instagram account. She was, of course, dining with her spouse, but imagine if she had not been. The repercussions would have been enormous. It is a clear reminder that we live in a world where privacy is becoming ever harder to come by; have you seen an elevator without a camera lately?
Which begs the question: where can you possibly go these days for an under-the-radar business trip or a discreet yet exclusive lunch? The answer is Beirut's Le Vendôme. Partly that is because the time-honoured, seafront boutique hotel is hidden in plain sight, nestled between the larger, more imposing Phoenicia and a newly developed, sky-high apartment building, and recessed from the road so that you can pull into the driveway away from prying eyes. You can also head straight to your room and check in from there, avoiding any lobby loitering. In truth, even the lobby has a hush-hush feel, with low-ish ceilings and intimate seating areas.
Though it feels cosy, the hotel in fact has 73 spacious rooms and suites, many with grand views, and the kind of personal space Angelina Jolie appreciates when she visits the region on humanitarian missions. The 170-square-metre Presidential Suite is tempting, but the 120-square-metre Ambassador Suite is our favourite, with classic brocades, gold leaf, trompe-l'oeil cabinets and a generous separate seating area, perfect for intimate conversations or prepping for a key meeting.
Le Vendôme is the European-chic alternative to flashy, designer-driven hotels. Founded in 1964, it shut down in 1983 during the war but quickly regained its former glory when it reopened in 1996 under Intercontinental management, attracting those in the know and even an outpost of the venerable La Petite Maison, which later relocated to downtown Beirut in 2016. With impeccable, discreet service and a somewhat legendary bar on the top floor, famed in part because it stays open around the clock, this is the kind of timeless, dependable place you can bring your parents to, or use for a top-secret business trip where you want good service, refined cuisine and, well, privacy.
The château-inspired décor is not cutting edge, yet it is somehow timeless, just as your new venture should be. The current anchor dining spot, the Pierre-Yves Rauchon-designed Sydney's, with its striking mix of British-inspired red tartan carpeting and black-and-white walls, makes for a proper deal-sealing locale; no wonder the space has been tapped for numerous fashion shoots. A recent sampling of lentil soup and perfectly grilled sea bass, with finely diced Mediterranean vegetables and pine nuts, proved it is possible to be satiated while still feeling light as a feather.
The manageably sized menu offers everything from grain-power salads for millennial types to a more traditional veal paillard, alongside an abundant breakfast buffet, English-style afternoon tea and dinner. So now you know: whether your plan calls for a 6am breakfast meeting or a 3am tête-à-tête, you can expect a rare level of privacy at Le Vendôme. But let's keep this between us.
