Starwood Hotels & Resorts is the first major luxury player to commit to Lebanon since Le Gray and Four Seasons Beirut opened in 2009 and 2010 respectively, with plans to open Grand Hills Hotel & Spa, a Luxury Collection Resort, in 2014.

Significant not only for being the company’s first Luxury Collection resort in the Levant region, the hotel will also become one of only a handful of internationally branded resorts outside of the capital.

Located in the hills above Beirut in the village of Broumana, Grand Hills Hotel & Spa first opened in 2000. After a complete renovation, the resort will feature 115 rooms and 53 suites as well as three pools and a spa, and promises to offer visitors “authentic travel experiences and exceptional service.”

In Beirut, the absence of new hotels from big brands is making room for luxury boutique hotels. Small Luxury Hotels of the World recently entered the region with the addition of O Monot to its portfolio, which is scheduled to open in December near the fashionable residential neighbourhood of Saifi.

Housed in a restored heritage building on a French-style street packed with cafes and boutiques, O Monot has 41 rooms and suites, and a rooftop pool and lounge with panoramic views over the city.

Although some high-end hotel companies have expressed an interest in moving into the city, including Mandarin Oriental and the Oetker Collection, the widening conflict in Syria and ongoing political volatility are deterrents for many companies.