In which quarter house in Beirut?

Are you planning a trip to Lebanon, the great cultural power of the Middle East? Find out where to stay in Beirut!

Located in the centre of the country on a rocky promontory, Beirut is the capital of Lebanon and is built on two hills – Achrafiyeh and Ras-Beyrouth. It is a major historic, economic, financial, cultural and educational centre in the Middle East, although the city suffered from several armed conflicts from the late 20th century to the early 2000s. Beirut houses 363,033 inhabitants and 2 million people throughout the urban area. It is a crossroads between the East and the West that attracts thousands of visitors and expatriates.

From the Christian quarter of Achrafiyeh to the popular neighborhoods or those on the seaside or on the heights, staying in Beirut offers several atmospheres but you will be struck by the hospitality and kindness of the Benutian Lebanese. Here is our presentation of the neighbourhoods where to stay in Beirut.

Downtown Beirut

A true historical district and today the city’s financial lung, the Downtown Beirut is located between the Christian neighborhood in the east and the Shiite and Sunni neighborhoods in the west. It should be noted from the outset that Beirut and Lebanon have always been a hollow of different cultures and nationalities, from Phoenicians to Romans, from Ottomans to French. There is a festive, joyful and positive atmosphere.

Cuisine, fashion, plastic arts and nightlife beat the life of downtown, and many cafes, bars and restaurants sprinkle the streets of the city. During your urban walks, you will fall on the famous Place De L’Étoile , right next to the Mohammad Al Amine Mosque and the archaeological site of Beirut. Don't miss the museum of Lebanese Prehistory in the south of the neighborhood. An ideal cultural hub where to stay in Beirut to discover the city.

Achrafiyeh

It is the most popular Christian district of the French expatriates. The neighborhood Achrafiyeh is also known and very frequented by the festivities, especially in Gemmayzé, a high place of nightlife formerly compared to the New York Soho. The district extends from Gemmayzé to the Hôtel-Dieu hospital in France.

It is a chic, even rich neighbourhood in Beirut, especially with the Sursock, where the richest of the city live in luxury villas and castles. Accommodation in Achrafiyeh offers a central position but be careful, the housing bill can be rather salty.

Bourj Hammoud

Located east of downtown, Bourj Hammoud is the Armenian quarter of Beirut, known as the Little Armenia. It houses several tens of thousands of survivors of the 1915 Armenian genocide. In particular, you will find the street of Armenia, one of the longest avenues of the Lebanese capital.

Many Armenian restaurants play the streets of this district, and architecture is less Arab than Orthodox: a singular mix of cultures where one feels to be in Yerevan rather than Beirut.

The neighborhood also has many souks and a multitude of shops – especially on Arax Street – who will satisfy you if you want to buy souvenirs to bring back to France. Staying in Bourj Hammoud is sleeping in a second city center of 15,000 people, to discover another facet of Lebanon.

Badaro

This area, located south of the city, appears as a formerly abandoned residential area and today as a “development path”: the neighbourhood Badaro He's in a stern! An authentic charm of the 1950s floats in the neighborhood, which has not undergone massive urbanization and modern concreteization of the city.

Go back if you travel with children, to enjoy Manouch , shopping or drinking a drink in a bar or partying in one of the major signs of the beyrouthine night. The atmosphere is relaxed and the neighbourhood is becoming more and more attractive. An alternative compromise where to stay in Beirut to be in contact with local youth!