Where to Stay in Libya

Libya's accommodation map splits three ways: Tripoli's business high-rises, the UNESCO coast near Leptis Magna where seafront guesthouses crouch beneath date palms, and the Sahara interior where converted caravanserai wrap you in mud-brick walls thick enough to hush the wind. Choice is tight, fewer than 150 internationally-branded rooms exist, so Libyan family hotels set the rhythm. Tripoli still tops the price bracket; a slick four-star costs less than a mid-range night in Europe. Between Khoms and Sabratha, balconies spill onto honey-coloured sand and the smell of charcoal-grilled bream drifts up from beach cafés. Push south to Ghadames or the Akakus and you'll stretch out on embroidered Tuareg mats beneath palm-wood beams, the only soundtrack distant camel bells and the crackle of the watchman's fire. Prices sit well under Mediterranean averages. A clean double in Tripoli lands mid-range on the global scale, while a desert lodge with half-board is cheaper than most European B&Bs. Budget travellers bunk in spartan yet friendly city guesthouses. Luxury hunters have two five-star choices in the capital and one tented eco-camp beside the Ubari lakes.