Hotel Chbat

We came in April, when the pool wasn’t filled. It was filled when I visited two years ago in summer. The Lebanese breakfast was good, and the balcony was the best part, it’s spacious, has a swing, and looks out over the mountains. The rooms felt like stepping back in time to the series Twin peaks.

Wajih, the owner/manager, went out of his way to meet all our needs during our night here on the Lebanese Mountain Trail hike. The food was tasty and healthy, with generous servings and plenty of vegan and vegetarian options. Our room was clean and comfortable, though there was no soap or shampoo in the bathroom. Highly recommended.

The people are lovely, which is why I gave three stars. I couldn’t bring myself to give them two. We agreed on 85 dollars including breakfast in low season. The hotel was nearly empty, with maybe two other rooms occupied, and its huge size gave it a bit of a “the shining” feel. The stairs down to the restaurant had no lights, so we had to use our phones going up and down. The rooms have no Wi-Fi, the bedsheets had holes, and there was a hole in the bathroom wall. Everything looked very dated, especially the rooms, which had a really interesting choice of carpets. The shower is half bath and half shower, making it precarious to stand in, especially if you have long feet. They had said they’d book us a cab to the cedar forest, but in the morning the person in charge didn’t know what number to call and sent us to the city center to find one ourselves. The breakfast was described as amazing, but it had instant coffee, no juice, fruit, eggs, bread, or pastries. That might be fine, but not for this price. You can get much better elsewhere in Lebanon, even more than the classic tomato, 2 cucumbers, halloumi cheese, etc. I’d expect at least that at a 2 star hotel. 85 dollars a night is about 30 dollars too much. They add 3% if you pay by card, in a hotel, and nobody carries that much cash around since the 80s. If you pay cash, they round up too. It doesn’t change the final cost much, but it’s not a great look, especially on principle.

The food was AMAZING, with unbeatable taste and generous portions. I held my wedding reception there, and people still talk about the beautiful place and delicious meal. The staff are friendly, everything is clean and neat, and staying there feels like home. Nice view and location too.