Monte Mare Hotel

You come here for a small hotel with a practical mix of sea, mountain and town access. Monte Mare Hotel is a boutique, family- and business-oriented property in Jounieh, with panoramic views towards the Mediterranean, the mountains and the pine trees. The setting gives you something to look at while the day winds down, which is useful when your legs have done enough work already.

English, French and Italian are spoken by the hotel team, so you can deal with the everyday details without resorting to underwater hand signals. Free Wi-Fi runs throughout the hotel, and free private parking makes the property a sensible option if you are exploring the coast by car.

The address is on Ghazir sea side road in Jounieh, Lebanon, around 2.5 miles from the town centre. The beach is a two-minute walk away, so the sea is close enough for a spontaneous shoreline stroll rather than a logistical exercise. The hotel also has direct access to a sandy private beach.

The surrounding area gives you several straightforward outings. Jeita Grotto is about ten minutes away, Casino du Liban about two minutes, and Byblos about thirty minutes by car. Beirut International Airport is roughly a forty-five-minute drive, depending on the road and traffic.

The room range moves from standard and deluxe accommodation to junior and executive suites, with family penthouse options when two bedrooms make more sense than negotiating suitcase space between two people. The family penthouse categories with a balcony and sea view are the ones to look at when the view matters; the executive suite with balcony gives a couple more room to spread out without moving into a family layout.

Every room is described with a panoramic balcony overlooking the Mediterranean, the mountains and the pine trees. Air-conditioning and heating cover the less glamorous but more useful part of the night, while soundproofing can help keep the outside world where it belongs. A mini-bar, bottled water, safe, television, Wi-Fi and private bathroom take care of the practical basics. Bathrobes and slippers are there for the slow transition from room to breakfast, desk space works for sorting photographs or answering a message, and the balcony gives you somewhere to sit without having to leave the room.

If you are travelling as a couple, the balcony categories and junior suites are the natural place to start. For a family or a group that prefers separate sleeping areas, the two-bedroom penthouse options are the more workable choice. Extra beds depend on the room category, so the selected room matters rather more than the label on the door.

The restaurant covers breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a daily meal prepared on request. That gives you a proper in-house option when you would rather eat than organise another trip into town. The precise meal arrangement depends on the room booking, so check what is included before you arrive rather than making assumptions over the first coffee.

There is also a calm cigar lounge, a useful place for the sort of evening that involves a chair, a drink and no ambition whatsoever. Barbecue facilities add another way to eat on site, while the garden and terrace give meals or a late sit-down a little more air than the dining room alone.

A seasonal outdoor pool gives you an easy alternative to the sea when you want a swim without organising yourself for one. The direct sandy beach is there for a slower stretch of the day, whether you are in the mood for a short walk or a longer spell doing very little. The garden and terrace are the natural places to sit with a coffee, a book or the concentrated expression of someone deciding whether to move at all.

The hotel can help arrange excursions to Jeita Grotto, Casino du Liban and Byblos. These are useful options for a non-diving day, particularly if your travelling companion wants to see more of the area while you are happy to give your kit a rest. Babysitting is also available, making the property easier to use for families who need an occasional break in the schedule.

There is no need to turn every free afternoon into an expedition. The pool, beach, terrace and garden already give you a simple rhythm: swim, sit, eat, repeat. Sometimes that is the correct level of activity.

Check-in and check-out are both at midday, which keeps the arrival and departure times refreshingly simple. Free private parking is available, and a car is useful for reaching the nearby sights and the airport. The drive from Beirut International Airport takes around forty-five minutes. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.

The hotel team speaks English, French and Italian. Laundry and dry-cleaning services, luggage storage, concierge assistance and a safe are available for the practical jobs that tend to appear once a trip lasts more than a few days. Visa, Mastercard and American Express are accepted.

Couples checking into the same room must present a valid marriage certificate at check-in. Without one, the property may refuse the booking or require a second room. It is an important point to settle before travelling, not at the reception desk with luggage in tow.