The Current How a luxury hotel in Afghanistan tells the story of a nation
Nov 13, 2025
Lyse Doucet, a Canadian journalist and BBC Chief International Correspondent, shares insights from her book about the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, a landmark reflecting Afghanistan's tumultuous history. She explores how the hotel's narratives embody the nation's memory and hospitality. Doucet highlights the journey of Hazrat, a dedicated hotel staff member, and Abeda, the first female sous chef, illustrating women's evolving roles post-2001. She emphasizes the importance of personal stories in journalism to foster global connections and hopes for a future where independent reporting prevails.
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Hotel As A Nation's Memory
- The Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul acts as a condensed history of Afghanistan, holding memories and physical traces of each era.
- Lyse Doucet uses the hotel as a prism to show how national change imprints on everyday places and people.
Hospitality As Cultural Anchor
- Hospitality is deeply ingrained in Afghan culture and survives through conflict as a moral constant.
- Doucet frames the hotel as a “memory palace” where oral memory replaces lost photos and mementos.
Hazrat's Lifelong Service
- Hazrat began as a teenage tailor in 1969 and stayed with the hotel through decades of upheaval.
- He proudly traced his hotel training and kept faith that it would be the finest hotel again.
