Continental Hotel Belgrade

Continental Hotel Belgrade

Continental Hotel Belgrade (Serbian : Континентал Хотел Београд / Kontinental Hotel Beograd) is a five-star hotel located in the New Belgrade area of the City of Belgrade, Serbia. The hotel was formerly part of the InterContinental hotel chain but recently it was removed as the owners of the hotel in Belgrade refused to renew the InterContinental name licence.


History

The hotel was opened 1979. It symbolised a hotel chain entering the market of Yugoslavia that was experiencing ever growing tourism from the west. After the break up of Yugoslavia, the sanctions were imposed onto Serbia as well as total economic and international isolation. The hotel (as every other one in Serbia) became empty. Financial growth plumited to lowest levels however InterContinental opposed the closure of the hotel and continued upgrading facilities in the hotel . The restaurant in the hotel became popular with the Serbian population as it was an oasis within the country. Even though the prices were high it was still popular.
During the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 the hotel was the place where political parties led their meetings and foreign diplomats stayed.
Željko Ražnatović, a mobster and prominent paramilitary leader during the Yugoslav Wars 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, democratic power was restored, tourism started to recover and the hotel started making profits. The luxurious Hyatt Regency Belgrade across the road from the hotel has taken a lot of InterContinental (as it was called) business.
On July 6, 2006 the hotel lost its InterContinental license. In 2007 it was renamed to Hotel International CG and then again to Continental Hotel Belgrade.

Future

If the hotel is not successfully privatised it will go under reconstruction. Government will then seek a 200 million Euro (EUR) credit from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

Re categorisation

After leaving the Intercontinental hotel chain, it will be re categorised on behalf of the City of Belgrade. The hotel will be re categorised and is expected to be downgraded from its luxurious 5 star status. Another categorisation will occur after the hotel is privatised.

Hotel information

Continental Hotel Belgrade has 415 rooms, including 30 apartments. The hotel also contains Executive and Club floors. The hotel contains eight banquet and conference rooms are on the mezzanine and represent an ideal place for organizing conventions, congresses, receptions, ceremonies, banquets and fashion shows.
Continental Hotel Belgrade also has a sports and recreation centre which includes tennis courts, squash courts, gym, solariums, sauna, massage, indoor swimming pool and strip-bar.
The Hotel also offers the services of the Business Center, as well as restaurant services.