Al Yasmine Guesthouse

Situated in the countryside south of Tyre, Al-Yasmine guesthouse is first and foremost a surprise. Traveling from Beirut across the beautiful South coast and not-so-beautiful roads, you would be forgiven for considering to make a U-turn but hold off. Silence those impulses at any cost because nothing can prepare you for the beauty and serenity you are about to encounter.

This gated former private estate has been remodeled into a surreal guesthouse that boasts 16 bedrooms, a one-bedroom cottage (all with en-suite bathrooms and balconies overlooking breathtaking sea and mountains views), a pond and a lush garden peppered with orange orchards. Located halfway between Tyre and Naqoura in a locality called Maaliye, it is sure to be an unforgettable escape from the city.  Named after the owner’s daughter’s name, Al-Yasmine is a farmhouse-turned UNIFIL outpost-turned Bed and Breakfast (that serves lunch and dinner as well incidentally). Complete with deer, ducks, swans and flamingos gallivanting on the grounds, consider yourself Alice from Alice in Wonderland. Take a dip in the outside swimming pool and chat with the owners who will be happy to recount the history of the place, including how it survived the Israeli invasion and how they reclaimed it in 2007.

If lazing around is not your thing, you can choose from the many activities available, including horseback riding, tennis, cycling and hiking.