Where to stay in Libya

Hotels

Hotels can be found in the main towns and cities. Hotels range from budget with basic facilities, to more luxurious establishments which have ensuite rooms equipped with air conditioning and TV, commonly frequented by tour groups before the revolution. The price usually includes breakfast. A few small privately run boutique hotels are springing up, particularly in Tripoli, offering more charm and a friendlier service than the government hotels - which, under Gaddafi, often featured enormous portraits of the late leader in their lobbies.

Bed and breakfast

In Ghadames, villas offer bed & breakfast-style accommodation in homes. All offer kitchen facilities and some have bedrooms with private bathrooms.

Camping

Tents can sometimes be pitched for a small fee at desert camps (see above). Elsewhere in the desert, camping under the stars is free and is an unrivalled experience.

Other accomodation

Youth hostels (buyut ash-shabab) can be found in the main tourist centres. Facilities are basic, with dormitories and shared bathrooms that often suffer from poor plumbing. However, prices are very low, particularly for Hostelling International (HI) cardholders. 'Camps' of huts can be found near oasis towns in the Sahara desert, offering the relief of a shower and bed after dusty desert hikes. Along the coast, tourist villages offer mid-range facilities in close proximity to beaches.