Review: Movenpick Hotel and Resort Beirut

Just ten minutes from the airport, the sprawling hotel offers 292 rooms, many of which have balconies that overlook the sea. The hotel has its own private beach, which is relatively small and rocky, but the water is clear and we saw many people snorkelling.

Our room was spacious and clean and outfitted with a flat screen TV. Our only quibble was that there was no wi-fi access in the room. However, wi-fi is available in the lobby, and there is an internet connection in each room.

Guests who like to swim are spoiled for choice, as the hotel offers three large outdoor pools, including a full-size Olympic pool. One of the pools has a swim-up bar, while the other is a kid's pool. There is also an indoor lap pool at the hotel's 2,000 square metre spa and health club, which also offers the latest fitness equipment. The hotel staff were efficient and friendly, and there always seemed to be someone at the ready to offer a towel or drink at poolside.

Perhaps our favourite aspect of the hotel was its two rooftop restaurants, the traditional Bourj Al Hamam and the trendy Hemingway's Bar & Cigar Lounge. The food is excellent at both eateries, but Hemingway's stands out with its live music and panoramic views of both the city and the sunset.

Known as the Paris of the Middle East, Beirut is a city that really comes to life at night, and the hotel is only a short cab ride to many of the bustling restaurants and nightclubs that attract people throughout the Middle East and beyond. We spent an evening in the popular Gemmayzeh area, where the street was packed with people flowing in and out of the various bars and eateries.

We were pleasantly surprised that food and drink prices were reasonable at many of the places that we sampled. There is much to do outside Beirut as well, and the hotel staff was helpful in terms of recommending sites and arranging transportation.

We spent an enjoyable afternoon at Byblos, which is about an hour outside the city. It is believed by many to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, and visitors can explore a well-preserved medieval castle and church, along with remnants of an ancient settlement. The city's picturesque location on the Mediterranean is perfect for a sundown dinner, and there were many restaurants offering gorgeous view and fresh fish.

The town of Baalbek, which contains some of the largest Roman temples ever built, is also worth seeing, as is Jeita Grotto, which is a spectacular underground cavern.