Beirut, the Paris of the Middle East

Rumor had it that people in Lebanon are sincerely nice and it could not have been more true. I left my cell phone in a taxi only to later find it safely returned to my hotel. I was asked to dinner (politically) numerous times. And I accidentally left souvenirs at a hotel, and when I dropped back by well over a week later they were holding it for me! If that was in the States, they all would have been long gone! Good people!

Quick Tips:

I enjoyed Lebanon so much I actually cut my trip to Jordan short so I could go back! The culture, the food, the history, the sea... it is all very good! As far as being Middle East, I would consider Lebanon Middle Eastern-Lite. The community, from what I saw, is very cosmopolitan, diverse, and educated. Women's rights have been taken care of... I mean every country could perhaps do more, the US among them, but they are very Western in that regard and I in no way felt second class due to my gender (as I have felt, very recently in fact, in other Middle Eastern countries).

Best Way To Get Around:

I really enjoyed the Riviera—it is a good location in comparison to the other hotels, with beach clubs in Beirut (closer to downtown). The hotel is showing slight signs of aging, and I was surprised that it has a five-star rating (the gym is lacking with a capital L, and shopping as well as a salon are nonexistent).

However, they are remodeling the rooms and the new ones are looking good (yeah!). All that aside, the Riviera is a Beirut landmark and has one of the, if not the, best Beach Club to be seen at in Beirut.

Unique Qualities: There is a wonderful staff, from the front desk to the pool staff, most speak English and French (and, of course, Arabic). Breakfast is included, a simple continental one with beautiful fruit served in the yacht club.

Great hotel - conveniently located on the corner of Hamra and Jeanae D'Arc - just 2 blocks from Starbucks. The hotel is modern and clean - the restaurant is excellent, and breakfast is included. If you have any special requests not on the menu they will make every effort to get it. They have in-room Internet access as well as a business center. The staff was excellent and available for help in car rental, tours, etc. The rooms are actually better looking then they appear on the website! Just make sure to ask for a room on one of the top floors as Hamara is a very loud busy street during the day (starting in the early morning)

Unique Qualities: No pool - but for a nominal fee you can go to one of the Beach Resorts for the day on the Corniche. The views from the rooms are adjacent buildings on Hamra, nothing special. Valet parking.

Website: http://www.casadorhotel.com/

The Bayview hotel is a boutique hotel, located right in the heart of the seaside promenade, the Corniche (the north side), and is in an excellent location to see all that Beirut has to offer. The Mediterranean views from the rooms are amazing. I was pleasantly upgraded to a junior suite, which included an in-room bar, sitting area with a couch and desk, and a walk-in closet. The room and hotel is clean and well appointed. The service was impeccable and the staff spoke English: check-in, room service, valet, housekeeping, breakfast staff, concierge... they were all phenomenal. All the rooms have safes, hair dryers, minibars, balconies, breakfast, and the amazing view. As a woman traveling alone, I felt very comfortable and safe at this hotel. I highly recommend it!

Unique Qualities: There is a rooftop pool and double-pane windows (so if you want, you can block out the early morning call to prayer).

Website: http://www.bayviewhotellebanon.com

A must-see, I believe it is the home of largest Roman temple in the world. And the site was much larger then I had anticipated (actually home to over three temples) and was a stop along an ancient trade route. Plus, in the summer they have a festival here with world-renowned entertainers! It is amazing, from Dizzy Gilespie (yes, DIZZY!) to Warda Al Jazairia.

I took a tour from my hotel that included Baalbeck, Ksara Winery, and Anjar (an entire ancient city!). I went through Nakal Sightseeing Tours, as recommended by my hotel. The tour guide was well informed and multilingual—wonderful! Her name was Madilyn, and she was great! See www.nakhal.com. the price was US$60 and included lunch, an all-day tour (guided), transportation, and hotel drop-off and pick-up. Call 961 1 382 444.

One thing I really enjoyed about the archaeological sites throughout Lebanon: they let you walk around in them. Other places, they would allow you to view it at a distance, and you can never walk all through them (even Stonehenge is blocked off).

Website: http://www.baalbeck.org.lb

Byblos is another must see in Lebanon - it is the oldest continually inhabited seaport in the world. And the home of 15 civilizations - Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Ottomans... and again, you get to walk around the site and go thru the Crusader castles, the amphitheater, see homes, and ancient souks. There is even a Sarcophagus in a tomb that you can climb down and see. It is huge! Around the actual archeological site there is the port that is still used with fishing boats lined up as well as a souk with lots of shops and cafes to walk around. Website: http://www.byblosfestival.org/

Beiteddine was the summer palace of the Emir (prince). It was built in the 19th century and sits up in the mountains. Part of it is now the summer residence of the president (or was it the prime minister; forgive me for not getting that right). However, it is also the home to the world's largest Byzantine Mosaic Collection, which is certainly quite impressive!

I took a tour through Nakhal Sightseeing tours (www.nakhal.com) via my hotel. The tour included hotel pick-up/drop-off, guided tour of Beiteddine and Deir El-Kamar (a lovely village, convent, and marionite church), as well as a winery tour in the Bekaa Valley, followed by lunch in the Bekaa Valley and a short hike among the cedars (4,000-year-old cedars). The guide was Madilyn, who was well informed as well as multilingual (English, French, Italian, and Arabic!) and made the trip very enjoyable!

Again, there is a summer festival with world-renowned entertainers. This year was UB40, Julia, and Sara Baras (flamenco), to name a few!

Website: http://www.beiteddine.org/

Beach clubs are a very popular way to spend a day in Beirut. One of my favorites was the Riviera Beach and Yatch Club at the Riviera Hotel. Access to the beach club for non-guests is US$20 per day, and I recommend bringing your own beach towel. You can either sit at the sea or at one of their two beautiful swimming pools. They have a bar and cafe and music in the afternoons. Lots of fun!

Another in the area that is nearby is the Long Beach Club; the entrance is just to the left of the Ferris wheel on the Corniche right before the hill.

Getting TO/AROUND: Don't worry, you CAN drive in Lebanon. Just expect the unexpected, and remain aware of everyone around you. Don't be surprised to find a car driving the wrong way down a oneway street, or someone to come to a complete stop, for no apparent reason, on the highway—perhaps even someone reversing 500m to an exit long since passed. Defense is key.I do recommend renting a car in Lebanon—I personally HATE (and yes hate is a strong word) but I hate Taxi drivers in Lebanon. They are the worst taxis of any city I have ever been to. They are obnoxious and honk at you when you are walking, they NEVER take you directly to where you want to go—usually opting for an out of the way tourist spot in the interim. Twice, two different drivers, wanted marriage before dropping me at my destination... lol... but I am serious. ("I am married" is a very handy phrase for women to learn in Arabic!!!) Most major car renters are there like Hertz and Avis, and car rentals are inexpensive (intermediate $40 a day, INCLUDING insurance!). One odd thing, they do have you pay the insurance deductable upfront (on a credit card $200-$500 depending on the insurance you buy) when you rent the car, like they are expecting an accident. However it is credited back upon return of the car. Also another unusual thing, when dropping the car at the airport, you go directly to departures (as if you were dropping someone off) call the rental car number (I used Avis) and someone ran out and took the car from the curb. It was very nice!!! No aiport rental car parking lots to find, no rental car shuttle buses to find and wait on!Website: www.avis.com