Book Review: War Hotels charts the infamous inns that provided refuge in war 

You can be sure there is now a hotel in Kyiv that is serving as an 'island of refuge and operational headquarters' for the international press covering the war in Ukraine, a hotel that is sure to be included in any new edition of this book

The Europa Hotel in Belfast, in 1972, which has the distinction of being the most bombed hotel in the world. Picture: James Jackson/Evening Standard/Getty Images

I never stayed in the Europa Hotel in Belfast, though I spent time in its bar on a number of occasions. Together with McGlade’s Bar behind the offices of the Belfast Telegraph, it was one of the great “listening posts” for journalists during the Troubles.

The last time I was in the Europa was in October 2006, and that was to meet the late Rev Ian Paisley’s daughter, Rhonda. We didn’t talk much about the past violence; we talked instead about her paintings.