The Smallville Hotel

Rooms and decor

Imagine a quiet residential pocket in central Beirut that outsiders barely knew, until one hotel opened and turned the whole area into the city's coolest hangout — that is the story of The Smallville Hotel and Badaro. Since it opened in 2014, this 156-room, 5-star design hotel, built and styled by architect Annabel Karim Kassar, has been the spark that slowly reshaped Badaro into a district of craft-beer bars, arty cafés and independent restaurants where actual Beirutis live, not a standard tourist strip. The building stands out with a grey facade cut by square windows and a private balcony jutting from every room — clean and modern, but with weight. Inside, the rooms reward people who like to linger rather than just sleep and dash out. Kassar leaned into warm, mid-toned colors, woodwork and textured fabrics that feel more like an artist's apartment than a standard hotel room. Beds are firm and properly 5-star, the bathrooms are roomy with rain showers, and the standout is the penthouse suite on the top floor with its own private pool and a 360-degree view of Beirut — guests who book it call it hard to forget.

Food and amenities

What sets The Smallville apart from a typical Beirut 5-star is 7 restaurants and bars in one building — a number that sounds like marketing but is real, and done well almost across the board. There is an Italian spot serving classic pasta and pizza, a traditional Lebanese kitchen turning out properly punchy mezze, and a sushi restaurant that surprises reviewers by holding its own against standalone Japanese places in town. The downstairs cocktail bar runs dark and stylish for a nightcap, and the highlight is the rooftop bar on the top floor, which opens the Beirut skyline up in every direction and fills with locals at sunset before they head out to eat in the neighborhood. The open-air rooftop pool is free for guests all day, while the penthouse pool is the Instagram shot many reviewers name as their main reason for booking. Add a 24-hour fitness center and a full spa. Breakfast is a buffet spanning European and Lebanese dishes — the fresh manakish, Lebanese flatbread with za'atar, is what people keep praising.

Location and getting there

Badaro has its own pull, and that location is genuinely the point of staying here — but be honest with yourself about the trade-off. The district sits a fair distance from Downtown and the Zaitunay Bay waterfront. It is too far to walk, so you will want a 10 to 15-minute taxi or Uber each time you head into the tourist core, and daily Downtown sightseers will pile up travel time. What is close is the National Museum of Lebanon, about a 5-minute walk away, and the Salim Salam highway ramp sits right beside the hotel — which is why Rafic Hariri airport (BEY) is only a 15 to 20-minute drive, faster than most central Beirut hotels manage. Out the door you immediately hit Badaro's craft-beer bars, cafés and galleries, which is exactly what most guests come for.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. First, the location cuts both ways — Badaro's charm is the draw, but it means a taxi to Downtown and the sea, so people who want to walk to the waterfront every day should weigh that. Second, sound: with 7 restaurants and bars in the building, weekend nights can send music up to rooms on nearby floors, so light sleepers should ask for a mid-level room facing away from the hotel bars. Third, parking is limited and sometimes valet-only — check the fee before you arrive so checkout holds no surprises. Fourth, the overall vibe is adult-leaning design-hotel, not a family resort; it works with kids but is not built around them. And note the penthouse pool draws a local evening crowd, so if you want it quiet, go on a weekday before 6pm.

Our take

The Smallville Hotel is the answer for travelers who want a Beirut stay that is not by the book — if you are tired of waterfront Downtown luxury and want to see the district Beirutis actually live in, this nails it. A design hotel that drives the whole hip Badaro scene, contemporary Lebanese art throughout, 7 restaurants and bars under one roof, a penthouse pool with city views, and rates from about $130 a night that are strong value for this level of 5-star design. It suits couples and indie-minded luxury travelers who want an arts-district mood over the tourist zone, plus solo travelers who like hunting down independent restaurants and cafés. Small families can manage but it is not the strong suit, and anyone set on daily Downtown sightseeing should budget extra time and fare. Overall we give it 9.0/10 — a bold design hotel that actually delivers, in a district that makes you feel you have touched the Beirut locals are proud of.