Just a week before coming to Beirut, I went to Whisky Mist in London for the first time for the launch of the new Fendi fragrance, Fan di Fendi. I never would have predicted that the next week, I’d be comparing it to Whisky Mist at Le Paon Rouge in downtown Beirut!
Located in the five star luxury Phoenicia Hotel, just a few steps away from Four Seasons Beirut where we were staying, Whisky Mist is the place where Beirut’s well-heeled young Lebanese and international party folk come for a wild night out.
Whisky Mist is built on the site of the former nightclub Le Paon Rouge, which attracted the Beirut’s most glamorous crowd during the city’s golden days in the 1960s and 70s – a kind of Middle Eastern Studio 54!
The reputation of Le Paon Rouge lives on through the ultra exclusive Whisky Mist, which has already made its name in London.
We arrived at Whisky Mist after 12am and the party was in full swing. We were shown to our table by a glam hostess, where a Champagne bucket full of ice and glasses were waiting for us.
An impossibly good looking host, dressed in a gothic black military jacket came to welcome us to the club and the city and arranged to bring us a bottle of Champagne. But this was no regular Champagne, oh no, it was ceremoniously walked over to our table through the crowd with a blazing flare shooting out of the top!
This VIP treatment is a million miles away from my previous clubbing experiences, so I did revel in the attention and feel rather special (well, that’s the point, right?)
After the fanfare was over, we were served a chilled glass of Laurent Perrier Cuvée Rose Brut and our bottle was buried in the ice bucket. We toasted the city and took in the scene, as other guests were served their giant flaming bottles of Grey Goose and Belvedere served with Red Bull.
Just then, two lithe brunette dancers arrived and started dancing opposite each other on the neon glass bars. The girls were dressed like a cross between Catwoman and a tame Lady Gaga with slashed black leggings and Kiki de Montparnasse-style strappy leotards and towering shoe boots. They were classy and fun club girls and their dancing was mesmerising. I imagine Prince Harry would have been right up there with them!
The table next to us was up dancing and throwing back their eye-wateringly expensive spirits with gusto. If you were in any doubt about nightclub customs for women in Beirut, you can be assured that it’s as liberal as can be – kissing their male companions, puffing on huge cigars and wearing tiny designer dresses.
Every so often, hosts in skull mask would come out with a tray of complimentary shots and offer them to the tables and then the crowd. The bright layered shots were a sweet, refeshing blend of what tasted like grenadine, peach and passion fruit with a mystery spirit. Whatever they were, they tasted great and gave a sugar rush.
The music at Whisky Mist is mostly commercial house and electro with cool mixing and there are a few quirky twists from the DJ to keep it interesting.
The hosts were extremely attentive and came to top up our glass with Champagne almost every time they passed. We were asked if there was anything else we wanted, although by this point we’d drank a bottle of Champagne, a few shots and a glass of wine at dinner, so we were all set for drinks. A hangover the next day, when trying to explore the city, would just not do!
We left on top of the world, feeling quite proud that we’d managed to fit in some VIP clubbing on our first night, after a long of travelling. If only we’d remembered that Four Seasons Beirut offers a complimentary limo service within the downtown area, then we might have saved ourselves from hopping over four lanes of busy traffic and actually arrived and left in style!
Whisky Mist is a big part of the developing luxury downtown scene, with an enviable location just off the marina. It’s an ideal night out if you’re staying at the nearby Four Seasons Beirut, as it’s just a few minutes away and housed in another luxury hotel, so you don’t need to negotiate taxis or directions after a few drinks. Our night at Whisky Mist At Le Paon Rouge was truly unforgettable!
Chérie City was a guest of Whisky Mist At Le Paon Rouge, Phoenicia.
