When the Gulf War began in 1991, Sheraton Hotels severed their management contract with the Iraqi government, which built and owned the property.

[1] While the hotel was briefly popular with foreign journalists and contractors after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, its occupancy level soon dropped sharply.

The hotel, an obvious and imposing target, was periodically hit with mortar or rocket fire during the early years of the post-Saddam era.

[citation needed] During the Arab League summit, officials from various countries stayed at the hotel, along with journalists.

[2] It is set to reopen in July 2025, managed by a Turkish chain as the River Rock Ishtar Baghdad Hotel.