WHERE TO SLEEP
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HÔTEL PHOENICIA Hôtel Phoenicia rose during Beirut’s modernist golden age when it became ‘the Paris of the East’. Since 1961, royalty and the rich and famous have been drawn to the elegant exterior lines of the hotel and the luxury of its plush interior. It’s the ritziest address in town. phoeniciabeirut.com
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L’HÔTE LIBANAIS A collection of carefully selected guesthouses and boutique hotels that offer a truly authentic travel experience come under the L’hôte Libanais umbrella. Accommodation in historic buildings, artsy apartments and restored mansions are dotted throughout Beirut and Lebanon. hotelibanais.com
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BKERZAY At Bkerzay, nature has dictated the layout of the stone buildings that form a village-like arrangement. Paths and rooftops are lined with vibrant flowers and views open up to the Med in the distance. Built in traditional Lebanese style, Bkerzay recently opened but already looks and feels embedded into its hilltop landscape. Walk in the hills, lounge by the pool, spin the potter’s wheel, luxuriate in the studded-domed hammam and enjoy menus by the highly respected Beirutbased chef Hussein Hadid. bkerzay.com
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BEIT DOUMA Douma, in the Batroun mountains, is dotted with historic homes, one of which has been carefully restored by Kamal Mouzawak and his fashion designer partner Rabih Kayrouz. The front doors of the 18th-century home open into a large entrance hall and table dressed with flowers from the garden. You will be charmed. soukeltayeb.com/beit/beit-douma
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PALMYRA Despite earthquakes and wars, the Palmyra in Baalbek has been open every day since 1874. Nina Simone, Albert Einstein, George Bernard Shaw and Ella Fitzgerald have all stayed here. Stay at the accompanying boutique hotel, L’annexe, directly across the road from the spectacular Roman ruins; a must-visit. hotelibanais.com