The drive down to the Bekaa Valley is a trip that always re-invigorates my memories of Lebanon’s hidden treasures, and at the West Bekaa Valley Country Club it is those very elements of beauty that greet you. Surrounded by acres of lush green vines, with mountains overlooking it all, on our visit we were mesmerised, especially by the club’s landscaped gardens filled with every kind of colourful flower, bush or tree that man and nature has allowed in the valley.

With a lovely terrace in front of our bungalow, the rooms were nevertheless a slight disappointment. They were large enough, with one bathroom, a spacious bedroom with a queen size bed, closets, and a large sitting room with two adjacent benches upholstered with lots of pillows, obviously to allow for two more beds. T

he rooms are equipped with clean linen, and are well maintained. But at $175 a bungalow (four people, with an extra bed at $25), we expected a little bit of refinement. The bathroom is shower-less, or else it seemed to be, to us (to their credit, you’re provided with a mop so you can remove the excess splattered water). Still, the room has a small fridge, counter and sink for preparing food for the kids, as well as a tiny TV in the sitting room.

To be fair, though, we didn’t come to stay inside our bungalows, so we decided to explore the facilities. In theory, the club offers a wide selection of activities, ranging from ATV, horseback riding, basketball and tennis courts to a shooting range, as well as paintball, archery and a children’s play area. Unfortunately, none of these services were clearly marked, and some were not even available on our visit. Swimmers were well-catered for with two outdoor pools, and for winter a rather heated indoor one.

The food was a plus, especially the breakfast, but after a day in the club the prospect of exploring the local territory was far more exciting. We took our pleasure-seeking seriously, managing to visit the Qaraoon Dam, take a boat ride on the river, eat in the Chateau Kefraya vineyard and visit the Tanaael dairy farm – all excursions were organised by our group, making up for the lack of excitement in the Country Club. It’s not all bad – kids will enjoy the club if they come with friends, so make a party of it and come with a crowd.

 But the West Bekaa Country Club would work better as a pit-stop in order to explore the surrounding area. After all, it’s a glorious valley of incomparable natural beauty, full of world-class tourist sites – sitting around a country club all day just can’t measure up.

West Bekaa Country Club (08 645601/2/3, 03 485695) Kherbet Kanafar, Bekaa Valley.