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Jacir Palace Inter-Continental Hotel
In the heart of Bethlehem, on the main Jerusalem-SOS- Bethlehem-Hebron road, the old building traditionally known as the Jacir Palace was recently transformed into a 5 star Inter Continental Hotel. The feeling of awe as you walk through the arched entrance is immediately dissipated by the warm atmosphere and the extremely friendly staff both at the reception and in the various coffee shops and terraces of the hotel. The Palace itself dates back to 1910 when it was built by Suleiman Jacir, a rich merchant of Bethlehem. Frescoes on the ceiling of the reception and lobby show a portrait of Suleiman Jacir wearing a Turkish style headdress and caftan. The frescoes themselves have been well kept and cleaned. The tiles of the original mansion have also been reserved. The new furniture was brought in from Turkey to ensure homogeneity between the original house design and the new furniture. The palace was sold to Germans after the war and became a prison house. Later on it was transformed into a boys school and then a girls school. It was a ballot center for the first Palestinian legislative council elections a few years ago. Two years back it was bought by Padico and elaborate plans to transform it into the front fa?ade of a luxurious 5 star hotel, the first of its kind in the area, were finally implemented.
The hotel was officially o ened early last May and is not completely functional, even though around 30 rooms of the Beit Sahour wing are available, in addition to the Zaitouneh restaurant, the Riwaq courtyard, Al Makan Bar, and the Arisheh terrace. The 1000 capacity ballrooms, Ad Diwan and as Saraya, are also available for various official and social functions. The projected total room capacity is 49 rooms including 4 executive suites and 1 residential suite. Two pools are under construction, as is the business center, fitness center, and shopping arcade.
The excellent combination between the old and new, the luxurious and the traditional, is a distinct advantage to this hotel that has managed, so far, to adapt to its surroundings.