Hotel Inter-Continental Kabul
| Intercontinental Hotel Kabul | |
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| General information | |
| Location | District 4,Kabul,Afghanistan |
| Coordinates | 34°32′13″N69°07′31″E/ 34.53694°N 69.12528°E |
| Opening | 9 September 1969 |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 200 |
| Number of restaurants | 4 |
| Website | |
| Official Website | |
TheIntercontinental Hotel Kabul[1]is afive star[2]hotel located in theKarte Parwanneighbourhood in westernKabul,Afghanistan.It served as the nation's first international luxury hotel, one of the most visited by foreigners since its opening in 1969, built nearby theBagh-e Bala Palace.The hotel has 200 rooms and is equipped with a swimming pool, a gym, and about four restaurants for dine in or room service.
The hotel has not been affiliated withInterContinental Hotelssince 1980.[3]It was the site of a deadlymilitant attack in 2011andagain in 2018.
History[edit]
Construction started on the Hotel Inter-Continental Hotel Kabul in April 1967 and it opened on 9 September 1969. It was developed by theInterContinental Hotelsdivision ofPan Amand built by UK-basedTaylor Woodrowconstruction.
The hotel has had no association with InterContinental Hotels since 1980, following theSoviet interventionin Afghanistan. Despite this it continues to use the name and logo without connection to the parent company.[3]The Inter-Continental Hotel Kabul is currently owned by the Bakhshisade family.
During the1990s civil warit began receiving damage due to street warfare by militia men. In 1996, only 85 of the hotel's 200 rooms were habitable due to damage from rockets and shells.[4]It was extensively used by Western journalists during theU.S. invasion of Afghanistanin 2001 as it was the only large-sized hotel still operating in the capital at the time.
In 2003 the hotel pool had no water and the gym was missing all of its furniture. The hotel had several power cuts per day. There were still bullet holes throughout the building, including the windows of the restaurant on the first floor. The furniture in the rooms was simple but clean. In February 2003, aBritish intelligenceagent named Colin Berry, who had been involved in the recovery ofsurface-to-air missilesand other covert operations, was involved in a gun battle in the hotel.[5]As a result, two Afghans were killed.[5]
The hotel went through a $25 million renovation by aDubaibased company.[which?]It is the landmark used at the start of theHash House Harriersweekly events.[when?],the rooms are decorated according to international standard, equipped withair conditioner,heater,TV,mini-bar,phone and radio. English, German and French TV channels are also available. It has aninternet cafelocated in the basement. The telephone system is still operated by its original old manual switchboard, which was manufactured bySiemens.
From 2005 to 2007, the top floor Presidential suite has been converted and used as office space by the Senlis Council, a European advocacy group, since then rebranded asThe International Council on Security and Development(ICOS). All Senlis Council expat staff were based in the hotel.
2011 attack[edit]
On 28 June 2011, an attack by armedsuicide bombers,and an ensuing five-hour siege,[6][7][8]left at least 21 people dead, including all nine attackers.[1][9]Responsibility was claimed by theTaliban.[8]
2018 attack[edit]
On 20 January 2018, a group of four or five gunmen attacked the hotel, sparking a 12-hour battle.[10]The attack left at least 42 people dead and more than 14 others injured.[11]
References[edit]
- ^ab"Afghan attack left mass of bodies at luxury hotel".Associated Press. Associated Press. 30 June 2011.Retrieved30 June2011.
- ^"Afghanistan Hotel - Hotel Inter-Continental Kabul Afghanistan".Seastravel.com.Retrieved30 June2011.
- ^abJanjua, Haroon; Graham-Harrison, Emma; Siddique, Haroon (21 January 2018)."Afghan forces end Kabul hotel siege that left at least six dead".The Guardian.
- ^"Kabul wants all foreigners in same hotel".The Nation.10 November 1996.Retrieved28 June2011.
- ^ab"Briton released from Afghan jail".BBC News.28 August 2003.Retrieved18 December2020.
- ^"Bombers attack luxury hotel in Kabul".CNN.Retrieved28 June2011.
- ^"About 13 killed in Kabul hotel attack".Xinhua News Agency. 28 June 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 2 July 2011.Retrieved29 June2011.
- ^abSafeeyah Kharsany and Mujib Mashal (29 June 2011)."Manager gives account of Kabul hotel attack".Al Jazeera.Retrieved29 June2011.
- ^"Suicide bombers attack top hotel in Afghan capital".Haaretz.Reuters. 29 June 2011.Retrieved30 June2011.
- ^"Gunmen attack major Kabul hotel".BBC News.20 January 2018.Retrieved21 January2018.
- ^"After Kabul Hotel Attack, Security Plan Queried as Death Toll Rises".The New York Times.22 January 2018.
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