Independent editorial · Laklouk since 1958
Laqlouq (Laklouk, لقلوق), Lebanon’s family mountain plateau.
Winter skiing, summer hiking, cedar-forest neighbours, low-density chalets. Everything you need to plan a Laqlouq trip from Beirut, the Gulf, or the diaspora. Written by Lebanese travel editors, honest about the current economy, family-first by default.
Dual-season editorial
Winter, summer, and the shoulder in between.
The named hotels
Two hotels on the plateau, honestly reviewed.
Laqlouq has two named hotel options and roughly 200 chalets. If a hotel is what you want, this is the choice.
Shangri La Hotel Laklouk
1850 m · $110 to $250 · Year-round
The plateau’s year-round hotel option. Sits at 1850 m on the south edge, 5 minutes from the ski lift, 90 minutes from Beirut in dry conditions. Set dinner at $35 USD is the plateau’s most reliable evening meal outside ski season. Unrelated to the global Shangri-La chain; the name is a coincidence of romanisation.
Laklouk Village Vacances
1850 m · $85 to $190 · Ski season + summer weekends
The plateau’s quieter, more traditional option. Runs the original 1958 resort footprint. Restaurant hours less reliable in the off-season; ski season and summer weekends are consistent. Family rooms sleep 4 to 6. Half-board packages available in ski peak.
The chalet market
Chalets: three ways to book.
Booking.com lists roughly 15 chalets. Airbnb carries 40 to 60. The remaining 150+ chalets are rented direct by owners through Facebook and WhatsApp networks. Our broker service (year 2) fills that gap.
Chalets with instant booking
Roughly 15 chalets on the plateau accept card payments through Booking.com. Best for first-time visitors, diaspora travellers on a tight schedule, and anyone wanting a payment guarantee.
$120 to $400 per night, 4 to 8 bedrooms
Chalets on Airbnb
40 to 60 chalets listed on Airbnb, from single-family units to 8-bedroom group houses. Rated by past guests; owner responses in English, Arabic, or French. Best for groups and stays over 3 nights.
$90 to $700 per night depending on season
Direct-owner broker service
The remaining 150+ chalets rent through Facebook and WhatsApp networks: opaque, cash-only, hard for diaspora travellers to reach. Our broker form (year 2) forwards your dates and size to owners we know. Per-lead fee only.
Join the list: get notified when it launches
Nearby, worth the drive
Six day trips from the plateau.
Aqoura (العاقورة)
10 min drive · Nearest village
Pronounced Ah-koo-ra. The nearest full village, with a Sunday bakery, a bakery-cafe, and views back at the plateau. Where families run errands during long stays.
Afqa waterfall
25 min drive · Source of the Adonis river
The Adonis river source: a cave-mouth waterfall at 1200 m referenced in Phoenician mythology. Full-flow spring, dry-bed August. Family-friendly walk from the parking area.
Ehmej cedars
30 min drive · Cedar forest, family walks
Ehmej cedar reserve at 1500 m. Marked family trails, picnic tables, honey stalls in September. Cooler than the plateau in August, warmer in November.
Tannourine reserve
45 min drive · Protected cedar reserve
Tannourine (تنورين) Cedar Forest Nature Reserve. Older, denser stands than Ehmej, with guided-walk options in summer. Entrance $4 USD.
Baatara sinkhole
50 min drive · 255 m karst pothole, waterfall in spring
Baatara (بعاترة) three-bridge sinkhole near Tannourine. Snow-melt waterfall drops into the karst pothole between March and June. Viewing platform; not suitable for small children unattended.
Byblos (Jbeil)
1 h drive · UNESCO site + coastal town
Byblos (جبيل / Jbeil) is the natural coast day trip from Laqlouq. Roman ruins, crusader castle, souk, and family-friendly harbour restaurants. Combine with a stop at Byblos beach in summer.
Drive times from the plateau (honest, not Google-optimistic).
1 h 30
Beirut Central District, dry conditions. Add 30 to 60 min after heavy rain or snow on the Aqoura road.
1 h
Byblos (Jbeil). The natural coast day trip: UNESCO ruins, souk, harbour lunch.
2 h 15
Beirut Airport (BEY). Realistic transfer for a diaspora arrival with luggage and a rest stop.
45 min
Tannourine cedar reserve. The plateau’s cedar-forest neighbour, denser than Ehmej and older.