Massabki Hotel
Chtoura's boutique hotel sits on its own private river
Guests arrive at Massabki Hotel through a stand of oak trees on the edge of Chtoura, in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. The hotel is a boutique property built in 1920, one of the region's older addresses, with a private stretch of the Chtoura River running through its grounds. It is a compact operation by design: forty-five rooms and suites, arranged across single, twin, double and suite categories, each with a balcony facing the river, the forest or the mountains beyond. The Grand Suite adds a separate living room, a fireplace and a Jacuzzi. Two restaurants anchor the food side. The Bistro serves mezza, Angus meat and regional wines in a room built for lingering, winter or summer. Al Naher, the outdoor restaurant by the river, runs a la carte through the week and shifts to a Sunday buffet of close to 140 Lebanese dishes, including whole grilled lamb and kebbe cooked over charcoal. A night club and a running calendar of Arabian nights, karaoke and wine evenings fill out the evenings. Four meeting rooms handle corporate groups and conferences. Same-day laundry, babysitting and secure parking are standard. Baalbek and Anjar sit within reach for day trips, and the surrounding Bekaa Valley gives the hotel's forest and river setting an unusual amount of quiet for a property this close to the highway.