HistoryGrand Hotel Kadri is a historic
Landmark in Lebanon. Situated in the center of Zahle, 54 km from the
capital Beirut, this hotel overlooks the main river and spring of the city "Al
Berdawni" which has been sung of by poets and writers from different
countries. The historical importance of the hotel goes back to 1914 when
Jamal Pacha the Turk entered Kadri Hotel and took it for his
headquarter and turned it into a hospital for his army. At the end of the
World War I, France was mandated to rule Lebanon in accordance with the
famous Sikes-Picot Treaty. General Gouro announced once again from Kadri
Hotel, on August 3, 1920 the annexation of the four juridiciary areas:
the Bequa, Baalbek, Hasbaya and Rachaya and considered them the basis of the
"Grand Lebanon" which he declared in Beirut on the first of September
1920. Later on, in 1942 the hotel was visited by the General de Gaulle
during his round on the Lebanese villages to assure its people that the
victory in the World War II was imminent. Throughout its history Grand
Hotel Kadri has also been a source of inspiration to famous men of
letters and artists such as the "Poet Laureate" Ahmed Chawki who
wrote his infallible "Neighbor" (Ya Jarat Al Wadi), Abdel Wahab, Oum
Koulthoum and Feyrouz... Devastated during the war, it was renovated to
original splendor and more by The Owner Engineer Sleiman Habib Haddad and
was inaugurated by His Excellency President Elias El Hrawi in August 14th
1997.