Auberge des Cedres is a rare gem in Lebanon's tourism landscape, whose hotels seem to fall in two categories, either the glitzy luxurious type of hotels and resorts; second the rather shabby, concrete-block type of family hotel. There is not much in between, and there are few boutique hotels which stand out from this crowd. The Auberge des Cedres is certainly special. Friendly, with a very tasteful style which nicely blends into the mountain scenery, set in a beautiful landscape. However, the hotel could be much more attractive if more attention was placed on a few details, especially on the food and drinks which partly did not match expectations at this price category: we received a "cappuccino" which tasted like instant coffee (which it probably was), or a US$8 crepe dessert arriving cold and without any decoration. While the nature setting is beautiful, we had the impression that the hotel could be more active in promoting nature-friendly outdoor activities such as hiking or biking, rather than the unavoidable quad-driving.

What makes this hotel special during all the seasons of the year is the wonderful location. A night in the beautiful, thousands of years old, cedar forest is a healing, energizing experience. We got a very cute bungalow with excellent heating facilities, and a very clean and well-sized bathroom. The view that greets you when you first open the door of your bungalow in the morning is absolutely breathtaking. Breakfast is also an experience in itself, with homemade dairy products such as country cheeses and labneh (yogurt), organic homemade jams, fresh bread and croissants, olives, and zaatar (thyme in olive oil). There is a cute restaurant-bar to spend the night in, and you can literally walk into the cedar forest a few steps from your door. The lobby walls are also decorated with paintings by Khalil Gibran (you can also visit the Khalil Gibran museum which is nearby). All in all, service/location/cleanliness were all great, and we would certainly recommend this hotel to anyone would like to spend a night in north Lebanon, particularly in the cedar area.

This was our third stay at L'auberge des cedres and surely not the last. The resort has a variety of accomodation styles ranging from a deluxe summer tent (with its own sun bathing patio) to rustic wood chalets with a swiss feel.
The setting is just breathtaking with the majestic cedar mountains surronding it like an angel's halo. The service is unobtrusive but attentive when needed. The interior design breathes luxury and warmth, you can sense that the owners spent a lot of time searching for the right items. The overall theme is nature friendly and the chalets-bungalows blend perfectly with the environment. Spending a week end here heals the wounds of the so called rat race.