Marble Tower Hotel

There are plenty of shops and restaurants near the hotel in the Hamra district, and it was easy to get around without a car. My room was spacious and clean. The staff were kind and attentive throughout, always smiling and checking whether I needed anything. They even let me arrive early when I had nowhere to go with my luggage. I recommend the hotel and can’t wait to return!

There was a horrible smell in the room, and I wouldn’t recommend this hotel. Reception promised internet, but there was none. At first, they showed me one room and type of accommodation that didn’t seem to match what I’d paid for. After I argued with them, they gave me a proper room for the same $40.

The room was spacious and had a balcony, but the state of it was awful. There was black, sooty grime on the floor, not just dust, and dust everywhere else too. It looked like the floor hadn’t been mopped in ages. In the bathroom, the tap water was salty, the sink was old and worn, there was rust all over, and the sewage smell was embarrassing. For a room booked for two, they left just one towel. There were no chairs, kettle, instant coffee sachets like Nescafé, or anything similar. They may seem like small details, but they matter in a hotel. We had lots of luggage when we arrived, but the staff member who escorted us to the room didn’t offer to help carry it. We asked for an extra towel, pillow, and blanket. A staff member kindly brought them, but didn’t get the request quite right. Then we asked for plates and utensils, four glasses, and a kettle. None of it was clean. The kettle was especially bad, with no lid and a dirty, foul-smelling inside. We boiled water in it four times, but it was still no good. They should have apologized and not sent it at all. When we checked out, my wife tried to explain the problems to the receptionist. He kept interrupting her with “You should have informed us,” and wasn’t courteous. These weren’t just one or two small issues that could be fixed right away. The hotel has fundamental problems that call for a full renovation and maintenance of all its rooms and facilities. It calls itself a three-star hotel, and the price isn’t cheap for the service. You could pay the same or a little more and get better service elsewhere. Management should overhaul the hotel and make it fit to welcome guests in Hamra and Lebanon. The area is lively and draws people from everywhere. Keeping things this lax only damages Lebanon’s image and its reputation for warm hospitality.

The room was comfortable, the staff were friendly, and the location was great. The only drawback was the noise during power cuts, which happen quite often in Beirut.