The legendary InterContinental hotel that opened in 1979 as a luxurychain-hotel mainly for spoiled Western Tourist who started to travel to Belgrade and seeked a sophisticated ambiance.
The 90’s sanctions imposed from West brought economic and international isolation stopped tourism and the hotels stayed empty.
The Building is a contemporary glass tower and with more than 400 rooms, fancy restaurants,
wellness amenities and a business center the hotel
was a 5 star hotel.
However InterContinental opposed the closure of the hotel and continued upgrading facilities in the building. The restaurant in the hotel became popular with the Serbian population as it was an oasis within the country. During NATO Bombing in 1999 the hotel was the place where political parties led their meetings and foreign diplomats stayed.
The peak of popularity was probably reached when Željko Ražnatović a.k.a Arkan was shot and killed in the lobby of the hotel in 2000. This news was broadcast across the world.
After sanctions were dropped against Serbia, and tourism started to recover the luxurious Hyatt Regency Hotel was opened just across the road and took lots of guests from InterContinental away.
In 2006 the hotel lost its InterContinental license and was renamed to Hotel International CG and now to Continental Hotel Belgrade. Now it need to be privatized and investors are seeked. It will need remodelling or re-categorisation as it does not stands up to its 5 stars anymore.
However the charm of the glam-80’s interiors is still there and probably last train to enjoy it like that before it will unfortunately look luxurious but style-less like zillions of other hotels worldwide.
The pictures are a courtesy of Lina.
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