Travel

Flight

Flights

From Paris: Direct flight with Transavia, Air France or Middle East airlines (sky team member) Please note if you book directly on Middle East Airlines, 1pce of luggage is included in the price and you can cancel or modify your flight for a 25 euros fee From London/Geneva: Direct flight with Middle East airlines From Dubai: Direct options with Middle East airlines, Emirates or Fly Dubai Please note that group booking rates were actually more expensive, therefore we advise you plan as soon as possible your travel on your side

Hotel

Accomodation for the wedding in Byblos/Batroun

IN BATROUN : Villa Paradisio $120 et $150 per night $250 lodge (4/5 personne) per night https://www.villaparadisolebanon.com/ We have pre booked the rooms: Please quote " Irina & JE's wedding" when booking Auberge de la Mer: 7 rooms and 2 suites Rooms $160/175 dollars a night Suites $350/400 dollars a night Get a 10% discount: Please quote "Irina & JE's wedding" when booking https://laubergedelamer.com Be Batroun (28 rooms): $100/ night Standard room with garden or mountain view (breakfast included) $130/ night Executive room with sea view (breakfast included) https://bebatroun.com/ Availabilities are not showing on the website, please call or email them Bougainvilliers (5 rooms) $126 / night Cheez hospitality website Beit Barakat $70 / night Cheez hospitality website Beit Al Barbara- With Pool (not in the village but in a quieter location very close by) 12 rooms available Approx $180 per room / night (1 night free if you stay 4 nights) Please quote " Irina & JE's wedding" when booking https://www.beitelbarbara.com/ Zita Fidar - very nice and modern house by the sea with infinity pool 7 rooms - between $240 and $440 a night We've already pre-booked the rooms, please reach out to us if interested https://www.hotelibanais.com/fr/travel/guesthouses/zita-fidar/ Blue Marlin Few rooms left at those dates - Book directly on their website https://www.bluemarlinbatroun.com/book-direct/ IN BYBLOS Aleph boutique Hotel (next to the wedding venue) https://www.alephboutiquehotel.com/ $85 per night Maximus Hotel https://maximushotel.com/ $185 per night PS: If you need any help in paying deposits please reach out to us as we can help to consolidate PS2: for the ones staying at Byblos sur mer, Casa de Thoum, Beit al Batroun, Capo and Breathe Batroun we will consolidate payment fo you

Hotel

Accommodation in Beirut

The Smallville Hotel: We have arranged a special rate of USD 120 ( Premium King Room, 40sqm) per night at the Smallville Hotel in the district of Badaro with many coffee shops, restaurants and bars nearby. And a rate of USD 100 per night at sister hotel Smallville express http://www.thesmallville.com/ Please book by sending an email to marieclaire.kerbaj@thesmallville.com and putting in cc reservations@thesmallville.com quoting "Irina and JE's wedding" to benefit from the preferred rate. If you are looking for other options in Beirut, have a look below: https://albergobeirut.com/ https://arthaus.international/ https://www.omonot.com/ http://saifisuites.com/ http://www.lostbeirut.com/ http://beyt-mar-mikhael.hotels-beirut.com/en/#main https://www.maisonrayes.com/ https://baffahouse.com/ https://www.thegrandmeshmosh.com/ https://www.hotelibanais.com/travel/guesthouses/zanzoun-beirut/ If you want also to book some cute guest houses in different regions of Lebanon. Reach out to us for recommendations or have a look at the link below: https://www.hotelibanais.com/

Travel Note

VISA

European and US citizens do not need a visa – IMPORTANT NOTE: you can't have any israeli stamp on your passport to enter the country. If you do, you will have to change your passport before entering the country. On the other way around, you can go to Israel with a Lebanese stamp on your passport

Travel Note

Transportation on the ground

A shuttle will pick-up and drop-off from/to key meeting points for all key wedding activities. Other than that, Uber and Bolt are available in Beirut. Make sure you have both apps and that you select the option “Pay in cash”. Never use your credit card with Uber/Bolt. Alternatively, you can call Ready Taxi +961 1 397 993. Never stop a taxi on the streets. For those who want to rent a car, please reach out to us so we can help you with some rental car companies. (however we don't advise you to do so, unless you are used to drive in a jungle or in countries like India or Egypt :))

Travel Note

Data Roaming

Never turn on your data roaming in Lebanon. The rates are outrageously expensive. Look up for free WIFI at the airport and in restaurants / bars, or ask someone to give you personal hotspot to order an Uber/Bolt. For those who are staying for a week and would like to buy a local SIM card, you can do so at the airport. After collecting your luggage and getting out of customs you will find on your right a "Phone shop" where to buy either Alfa or MTC sim card If needed, reach out to us so we can help

Travel Note

Taxi from the airport

Do not take a random taxi from the airport as they will over-charge you. Best is to order an Uber / Bolt on the airport WIFI and MAKE SURE TO TICK UBER CASH/ They will wait for you in the outdoor parking facing the airport (cross the street and walk up the ramp). If for any reason, you don’t have access to the WIFI, call Ready Taxi +961 1 397 993 and order a cab to the airport (will cost you less than going on data roaming) Last option: for more comfort or if you arrive in group, ask your hotel to arrange an airport pick-up for you You can pay your taxi directly in dollar but before please check on the day the conversion rate on https://lirarate.org/ so you don't get ripped off Otherwise, to get some cash in local currency to pay your taxi from the airport to the hotel, buy something at the Duty Free in USD upon arrival and ask to get change in Lebanese pounds (LBP). They use the correct conversion rate. You should not pay more than USD 5-10 (the equivalent in LBP) for a taxi from the airport to the Smallville Hotel (15 minutes). And not more than USD 20-40 dollars from the airport to Byblos/Batroun

Travel Note

Cash or Credit Card?

The national currency is the Lebanese pound (LBP). With the recent devaluation, spending money in Lebanon requires a bit of planning. Today, the actual conversion rate was 1 USD = 46,000 LBP. Closer to the wedding date, please check the actual conversion rate on https://lirarate.org/. Do not use your credit card in Lebanon. Authorities have incorrectly locked the rate at 1 USD = 1,500 LBP. If you pay anything in LBP with your CC, you will be charged in USD at this conversion rate which means you will pay ~30 times more than the actual value. Few merchants can charge you directly in USD at the actual conversion rate. In this case, you can use your CC but make sure the price shown on the terminal is in USD, not in LBP. The most viable option is to bring cash with you in USD/EUR/GBP. It is very easy to change them everywhere at money changers. The Smallville hotel will be able to change foreign currencies into LBP at the actual conversion rate or recommend you a money changer in the area

Travel Note

How much cash to bring?

If you come only for the the wedding, you won't have a lot of spendings. But better to be safe and bring USD/EUR 150 per person per day, on top of accommodation. You will change gradually. If you want to do some shopping, bring maybe some extra And for most of the hotels, you can try to pay head of time for the accommodation so you will not have to bother with that anymore Some price references for you to plan, but to pay in LBP not in USD - Taxi within Beirut USD 2-5 - Taxi from Beirut to the beach: USD 18-24 - Beach sunbed: USD 12 - Club entrance: USD 15 - Mid-range meal: USD 15 - Nice meal: USD 50 - Cocktail in bar: USD 5-10

Travel Note

Tap water

Don't drink it :-)

Travel Note

Raw vegetables & raw meat

Avoid them when possible, except from wedding caterers

Travel Note

Army checkpoints for drivers

If you rent a car, please be aware that there are few army checkpoints on some roads. No stress, all you have to do is slow down, turn the music off, open the windows and say "choukran". Please reach out to us if you need help in renting a car

Travel Note

TIPS

Tipping is very common in Lebanon, usually you can add 10% on your bill on average