Best Spots to Go and Relax in Lebanon: 8 Quiet Escapes
Stone terraces, pine forests and farm guesthouses within two hours of Beirut, chosen for one thing: being able to slow down.
- Region
- Across Lebanon
Beirut is wonderful and exhausting in equal measure. The good news is that real quiet is never far away. Within an hour or two you can be on a stone terrace in the Chouf, in a pine forest above Jezzine or on an organic farm hanging over the Nahr Ibrahim valley, with nothing to do but eat well, sleep late and look at the view.
This list focuses on places built for slowing down: small guesthouses, eco-lodges and retreats where the setting does most of the work. Most are in the mountains, where summer nights are cool, and a few work in every season. Think of them as places to do very little on purpose: a long breakfast, a walk before lunch, a nap, and an evening watching the light fade over the hills.
How we chose
We kept the picks from the original page that are still welcoming guests and replaced the ones we could not confirm, including a beach house link that pointed to a property in another country. We favored small, locally run places and corrected some details along the way. We have not stayed at every address, so check rooms, rates and current availability directly before you book.
The spots
1. Beit Ammiq and Tawlet Ammiq (West Bekaa)
Ammiq sits on the eastern slopes of the Barouk ridge, looking down over the fields of the West Bekaa and the Ammiq wetland, the last remnant of the marshes that once covered much of the valley. The wetland is part of the Shouf Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO biosphere reserve, and is one of the best places in Lebanon to watch migrating birds. Beit Ammiq is a small guesthouse of three double rooms, each with a private terrace over the valley, linked to the Souk el Tayeb project.
Next door, Tawlet Ammiq serves long lunches of home-style dishes prepared by cooks from the area, using produce from the area. Tip: walk the wetland edge in the early morning, when the birds are most active and the light is soft.
2. Bouyouti (Maasser Beiteddine, Chouf)
Bouyouti is a family-run hillside retreat in Maasser Beiteddine, with four stone houses set among gardens and olive trees. It has a pool, a spa with steam room, sauna and ice bath, a restaurant serving seasonal food under the olive trees and a bar timed for sunset over the Chouf hills.
Tip: combine a stay with a morning at Beiteddine Palace and an afternoon in Deir el Qamar, both a short drive away. Our Beiteddine guide covers the palace and village.
3. Beyt El Jabal (Deir el Qamar, Chouf)
Deir el Qamar is one of the best preserved old towns in Lebanon, with a stone square, old mosque, palaces and red-tiled roofs. Beyt El Jabal is a restored stone heritage house offering boutique rooms right in the town, so you can wander the lanes after the day visitors leave.
Tip: the town is calm on weekday evenings. Sit in the square with a coffee and watch the light change on the old stone.
4. La Maison de la Forêt (Bkassine, Jezzine)
Bkassine’s pine forest above Jezzine is one of the largest pine forests in Lebanon, and La Maison de la Forêt is an eco-tourism site set inside it, about 70 kilometers from Beirut. It has bungalows and rooms, a restaurant and plenty of space to walk among the pines. The air smells of resin in summer, and the forest stays cooler than the coast.
Tip: add a visit to Jezzine’s waterfall and old souk, a short drive away. Our Jezzine guide has more.
5. The Chill Hill (Wata el Jaouz, Keserwan)
Wata el Jaouz is a high village in Keserwan with open land, small lakes and wide mountain views. The Chill Hill has A-frame cabins in three sizes, from couples to groups of six or more, plus a hilltop bar and space for camping. It works for a group weekend as much as a quiet couple’s escape.
Tip: the village is also home to Château Bybline, a small father-and-son winery, so ask about a tasting while you are there.
6. Les Racines du Ciel (Lassa, Jbeil)
Les Racines du Ciel is an organic family farm with a two-room guesthouse on a cliffside in Lassa, high above the Nahr Ibrahim valley. Apples and vegetables grow around you, and the farm makes its own mouneh, so meals taste of the place. With only two rooms, it is about as quiet as it gets.
Tip: bring walking shoes. The Jbeil highlands around Lassa and Afqa are some of the most dramatic in Lebanon.
7. Beit Al Batroun (Thoum, Batroun)
If you want sea air without beach-club noise, Beit Al Batroun is a five-room bed and breakfast in the hills near Thoum, built around a traditional central liwan using upcycled materials. Batroun’s old town, harbor and beaches are close by for the day, and you return to quiet countryside at night.
Tip: visit in late spring or early autumn, when the sea is warm and the town is calmer than in August. Our Batroun food guide covers where to eat.
8. Ecolodge Taaneyel (Bekaa)
Ecolodge Taaneyel is a clay-brick lodge in the Bekaa built by the NGO arcenciel, with solar hot water and a country restaurant next door. Taanayel’s estate has a small lake and walking paths among fields and trees, which makes it a gentle, flat place to unwind and a good base for the Bekaa wineries.
Tip: it is an easy base for a wine day at Ksara or Kefraya, and for a trip to Baalbek further north.
Tips
- Book directly and ask about power, heating and hot water, especially in winter.
- Mountain nights are cool even in July, so pack a sweater.
- Go midweek. Many of these places fill with Beirut families on weekends.
- Most small guesthouses serve dinner on request, so let them know in advance.
- Bring cash as a backup, since card payments are not accepted everywhere in villages.
Looking for more ideas? Browse Lebanese guesthouses and boutique hotels in the directory, or see our list of the best places for couples.
