A grand hotel plots a new course

The Phoenicia Hotel is one of Lebanon’s most renowned five star hotels. Built in 1961, it catered to the era’s most glamorous crowd, with Omar Sharif and Brigitte Bardot among its famous guests. After being destroyed during Lebanon’s civil war, it reopened in March of the year 2000,  and has managed to survive the various ups and downs of the Lebanese hospitality sector ever since.    Dagmar Symes was recently hired as the latest general manager, making her the first woman to serve as Phoenicia’s GM. Executive sat down with Symes to talk about her plans for Phoenicia and her ideas for bringing the hotel’s vintage glamour and appeal to 21st century guests’ needs and lifestyles.    E   What  motivated you to accept the post of general manager at Phoenicia Hotel? First of all, the Phoenicia is the Phoenicia: it’s the landmark in Beirut. I believe it has grown