Villa Paradiso Batroun

Set in the old souk of Batroun, Villa Paradiso occupies a mansion built from local Ramli sandstone, the same rock that forms the city's Phoenician sea wall nearby. The old harbour lies under 100 metres northwest, now one of Lebanon's larger fishing ports, and the Saint Stephan and Saint George cathedrals stand a short walk away. The ground floor dates to Ottoman times, with arched vaults still intact; its upper floor collapsed more than 80 years ago and was rebuilt in the 1960s without ornament, before a careful restoration brought back lime plaster, old masonry joints and reclaimed ironwork and carpentry. It is a compact stay. Six bedrooms make up the guesthouse, added above what was once a French troops' warehouse and later Batroun's largest carpentry workshop. That ground floor now holds Mariolino, a restaurant built around a vaulted indoor room and a 520 m² garden terrace shaded by mulberry, medlar and olive trees, with an old well restored at its centre. A rooftop terrace above the guesthouse looks onto the cathedral and takes the sunset, furnished with up-cycled pallet tables under sunsails; wellness and yoga sessions run there on request. Rooms carry custom furniture, up-cycled headboards and mirrors, and fittings chosen for low water and energy use, including solar heating and double glazing. Breakfast is served each morning with fresh bread, eggs and seasonal produce.