Aleppo Nights
Five-star Syrian hotel the historic Mansouriya Palace
Arabian Nights
THE HISTORIC MANSOURIYA PALACE HOTEL HAS LONG BEEN AN EXCLUSIVE PRESERVE OF THOSE IN THE KNOW. BUT NOW THE ALEPPO HIDEAWAY HAS OPENED ITS DOORS, EVERYONE CAN GET A TASTE OF FIVE-STAR SYRIAN STYLE
WORDS | ROBINA DAM
WELCOME TO ONE OF SYRIA’S BEST-KEPT SECRETS. And not only because the 16th-century Mansouriya Palace is one of the most exclusive – and, with suites around €275 per night (17,000 Syrian Pounds), one of the most expensive – hotels in the country. Quite how such a palatial residence remained hidden soon becomes clear.
We arrive in Aleppo in the middle of the night, the car from the airport driving us along the moonlit city walls and depositing us in front of Bab Qennesrin, the enormous arched entrance to the ancient part of the city. The Hittites, Persians, Greeks and Romans have all trod here before – and they inspire the designs of the rooms in Mansouriya, more of which later. “Follow me,” says the mystery guide who suddenly appears at the gate entrance (well, the man sent by the hotel to meet us). No transport – apart from donkeys and bicycles – can cross the threshold into the old city.
Trotting down the cobbled alleyways with their alluring mini-arched doorways, we nearly miss a discreet passageway. The stone steps – lit by tealights – slope gently downwards till they reach an old wooden door with carved frame. There’s no fancy doorsign; actually, there’s no sign at all that tells you this is the destination. No wonder VIPs valuing their privacy can stake out here for weeks on end: from the Queen of Spain to certain Middle Eastern heads of state.
The door opens on to a rectangular courtyard with a pool at the centre, flanked by the iwan (open seating area) and the Qa’a (ancient library room) on the other. Suddenly it’s clear why the Mansouriya has become a destination in itself – and a surprising change from everything else out there.
“I like surprises,” smiles its proud owner, Faisal Kudsi, who took the project under his wing, alongside two French architects and interior designers who have carefully restored the building with historical integrity. “It manages to be both true to the spirit of Aleppo and at the same time not what visitors to the city expect.”
The locally born international businessman considers this a project close to his heart. Having kept the Mansouriya a closely guarded secret for only a few wealthy visitors (repeat business speaks volumes) who have on occasion booked out the whole place to ensure privacy, now for the first time the courtyard will be available to blue chip companies for private lunches and functions – “But no weddings!” laughs Kudsi, who took it over a couple of years ago, “as we still want to keep a peaceful retreat atmosphere here.”
Just in case you didn’t get the message that this is not your typical identikit hotel, seeing the Hittite suite should put you in the picture. It has a bathroom with a tub formed from a marble tomb and a bed chamber replete with a lion skin and antique animal carvings – the sort of suite that would truly, well, suit those of a rock ‘n’ roll bent.
“It’s very rock star indeed,” agrees Roland Chelhot, the colourful hotel manager and erstwhile DJ. “But you can have a travel adventure in every room,” he adds, showing the Bedouin tent style room (perfect for bringing out your inner Lawrence of Arabia) which leads upstairs to a bathroom where the sinks are based on marble blocks in the style of Palmyra, the deserted Syrian city from the Roman era – and a totally private verandah where your antics will be unseen by any other guests or staff.
Architect Anne Judet and interior designer Catherine Chasset-le-Chevallier pored over old Syrian documents and antiquities in the Musée du Monde Arabe and the Louvre in Paris to get an accurate look and feel. “The Q’aa is the original structure but when we oversaw the renovation we wanted to make sure that every last detail was as it would have been in the 16th century, right down to the shade of green on the plaster.” What is newer is the indoor pool and hammam, right on the five-star pulse. “Again, we were aware of cultural sensitivities so designed this addition in a way that can be booked in its entirety for families or as female-only sessions for Arab ladies.”
There is one downside to the word-of-mouth recommendations that Kudsi did not anticipate. “The last time I came here, the hotel was full – I had to go and stay with a friend.”
Bab Qennesrin, PO Box 610, Aleppo, +963 (21) 3632000; www.mansouriya.com
