A majestic Arabic-style arch that must be at least ten storeys high links two elegant high-rise towers that dominate the Tripoli skyline.
Together, they house 299 guestrooms and superb suites backed by an international five-star operation that is setting new standards of hospitality on the African continent. The arch symbolises a modern gateway to Africa. This is, of course, Bab Africa, Corinthia’s superior five-star property, today an established landmark in the heart of Libya’s colourful and bustling capital and a focal point for the city’s business and leisure activities.
Inside, the spacious and luxurious hotel lobby is abuzz with the activity of both local and foreign guests. Indeed, these are exciting times for Tripoli, or Tarabulus as it is known in Arabic. The Jamahirija has always attracted business traveller traffic, mostly related to the petroleum industry. Today, following the easing of sanctions, male and female visitors swarm in from all over the world. There is a new sparkle about town; an air of anticipation of better things to come, as the vast potential of this wonderful city unveils itself to the international business community.
In any case, whether you’re in Tripoli for business, pleasure or in search of abundant archaeological remains, your ideal base has to be the Corinthia Bab Africa Hotel, offering hospitality that strictly adheres to the standards that discerning corporate and high-endtravellers have come to expect internationally. It is most certainly a favourite among those who return to Libya a second time.
Corinthia Bab Africa is indeed an oasis of luxury that seems to wrap itself around guests from the moment they check into the hotel, and then again and again each time they return to the welcoming retreat after a day of hard work, site exploration, or simply to take a break from the hustle and bustle of Tripoli life.
Impressive architecture and ingenious engineering solutions have given each guestroom and suite in this hotel panoramic and breath-taking views over glistening sea or the spreading city below, depending in which of the two towering edifices guests are residing in. The luxury is indeed enveloping, and converts your guestroom into a home away from home, with solid “authentic” furniture, colourful glass decorations, charming mirrors in beaten metalwork frames, and well-appointed bathrooms with full facilities that are well above the standard of even many European hotels in the five-star category. Multi-channel satellite television, in-house movies, mini-bar (minus alcohol, of course, since this is not permissible in Libya), climate control air-conditioning, hairdryers and private safes, are all there too.
Corinthia Bab Africa is more about superb service and personal attention than just a nice edifice. It’s all about the hospitality, friendliness, kindness and politeness of the hotel’s impeccable staff, and particularly of their warmth and attention to detail, setting aside language and cultural barriers. Somehow, it all seems to go unnoticed and matter of fact, yet, crisp sheets and gourmet meals don’t just happen on their own. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes to ensure that guest’s stay at Bab Africa is enjoyable, memorable and stress free.
Find time to wander over to the hotel’s executive club lounge on the fifteenth floor of the first and tallest of the two towers, that also houses the FES Moroccan restaurant and the Athenaeum Spa. Sukaina – her name means peace and quiet – will be waiting to greet you at the reception desk, and she will surely offer you a warm welcome and a captivating smile. The highly-sociable “executive club lounge” is a focal point of the hotel, providing independent check-in facilities, separate breakfast service, boardrooms for private meetings, computers, secretarial services, and exclusive lounges for relaxation and informal meetings.
Food is among Bab Africa’s best assets, and the hotel offers a number of top quality facilities and a wide range of dining venues and cafes. These include the main restaurant featuring traditional Libyan and international cuisine, an Italian restaurant, a Lobby café, an outdoor fish restaurant with sea views, a Moroccan restaurant on the 26th floor offering spectacular views of Tripoli, and an Orient Asian restaurant offering a variety of Asian dishes
The Corinthia Bab Africa is the first hotel of its kind in Tripoli and besides the leisure business, also aims to attract the ever-increasing MICE market and corporate travel business. In line with this, the hotel features fully-equipped large conference halls, banqueting halls and meeting rooms to cater for all kinds of international events. Meetings at Bab Africa are indeed stress free and successful, and each facility within the conference centre will be adapted to suit your specific requirements, offering different set-ups, table layouts and additional facilities that will exceed your expectations. Indeed, Bab Africa has already played host to many large international and national conferences and events, with many more on the cards. For the smaller, and more intimate meetings, the Executive Lounge offers privacy in style, featuring separate boardrooms, together with state-of-the-art equipment, with a magnificent view.