Many Lebanese clubs boast catering for the “creme de la creme” of Beirut’s and the region’s clubbers. Every party is exclusive, every party is only for select clubbers and of course every party features the biggest artists. That’s not really true though… The truth is that those clubs are failing miserably, their acts are washed-up has-beens and their clubbers are whoever hasn’t gotten bored or ripped-off by their managements yet.
Luckily though, several venues are opening their doors in 2011 to the select few clubbers with a very specific taste of partying. The forerunner is undoubtedly Whisky Mist. The British club has decided to branch out internationally, and has carefully chosen Beirut’s Phoenicia Intercontinental Hotel as its prime international destination.
The actual space used to be Le Paon Rouge, a world-renowned jetsetter location in pre-war Beirut. This iconic club catered to the world’s biggest artists, celebrities and diplomats. It symbolized Lebanon’s joie-de-vivre and eccentricity at the time, the “Paris of the Middle-East”
Today, Beirut has restored much of its former glory, and Lebanon has regained its status as an undisputed international clubbing capital. Whisky Mist’s symbolic location, reaffirms this, with Le Paon Rouge becoming Whisky Mist to keep up with today’s trends, needs and technologies.
I had the pleasure of being invited to the soft opening, official opening and the Pussycat Doll special guest appearance, and had the chance to put the club through its paces. Lingerie shows, live performances and DJ sets accompanied with the service and drinks had the following impression on me.
Whisky Mist is as elite as it gets, with membership cards made out of solid gold, guest lists checked, double and triple-checked and tables no less than 2K a night, you know this isn’t just another cheapskate club trying to sell you a Grey Moose bottle for $800.
The decor lives up to the hype, with leather couches, plenty of back-illuminated walls and dance platforms and huge mirrors that create a captivating landscape from wherever you are, with a good degree of privacy, minus the claustrophobia.
The cherry-on-top though, is Whisky Mist’s ceiling. Thousands of tiny LED lights interlace to form a huge, continuous net of dynamic lighting. Our optical systems are easily fooled by such grid-like patterns, creating a brilliant optical illusion that transforms with the music and mood of whatever’s going on a meter or so below.
The music is of course everything but underground. The smartly-dressed DJ spins songs that are just right: not old enough to trigger bad childhood memories, and a good bet is you didn’t hear them on the radio on you way down to the club. They’re mainly a blend of Pop, RnB and House favorites that everyone knows, loves, sings and dances to.
The drinks, needless to say, are all premium ones. The mixologists can make a superb cocktail, and the waiters are always easy to find, talk-to and fast, which is a huge deal in Beirut clubs usually, where the waiters hide, disappear and always get the orders wrong.
For those looking for even more privacy, Whisky Mist has a special section, sealed-off from the rest of the club where private parties and even more exclusive guest lists are more than welcome.
The decor, lights, sounds, staff, management, clubbers, drinks, shows, lineups and just about everything else combine together, none overpowering the other, to create a truly unique clubbing experience in Beirut, where you get the bank for your buck, and can expect top-notch treatment, experience and products.
Whisky Mist isn’t your daily club though. I doubt you’ll be able to ring up your buddies and go there three times a week (unless you’re much, much more well-off than I am). It is perfect though for the special occasions, for when there is a real reason to celebrate, a special guest you want to entertain properly or someone you’re really trying to impress.
All this talk about luxury and glamour might sound a bit too much for many, but I assure you, two seats at the bar are not so expensive. So, you don’t have to book a 2K-minimum table to enjoy Whisky Mist. There is a huge bar that can accommodate for dozens of clubbers, that is, if you can get on the guest list!
Club: Whisky Mist Beirut
Location: Phoenicia Intercontinental Hotel Beirut
Music: House, RnB and Pop classics and hits
Price: $80-100 should be enough for you and your date
Door Policy: 23+
The Verdict: Definitely the club to celebrate special occasions, special guests, special dates or just life in one of the world’s most exclusive clubs, with some of the world’s coolest people
“The truth is that those clubs are failing miserably, their acts are washed-up has-beens and their clubbers are whoever hasn’t gotten bored or ripped-off by their managements yet.”
- Well Said.
and unfortunately brutally true…