royal45

Hi,

Anybody know in Fal compound is a good place to live? thanks for your reply

DesertOcean

Not sure, but, I hear it's pretty much a mixed bag of different nationalities. My dental hygienist (filipina) lives there and tells of strange happenings.

samSG

my co offered to put me up there and i went to take a look. the apartments reminded me more of a dormitory. i heard that on weekends it becomes little beirut.

i know for a fact that some cabin crew were stationed there and the pool became a good place to hang out. nonetheless it drew the ire of some concerned arab wives living there and they complained to the airline's ceo. last i heard this airline's cabin crew aren't staying there anymore.

Alexa

Don't they have a
"singles" and a family" pool? :/

Victor Meldrew

I lived there for about 6 months in 2002 before being moved to Al Hamra.

I actually liked it a lot, despite it being older and architecturally less 'sophisticated'.

It was nice and open and had enough facilities. There is an outdoor and an indoor pool, plus a nice restaurant from what I remember.

One guy even had a proper bar built into his living room where he plied his trade in home made amber nectar.

I believe a friend of mine eventually bought it off him and moved it lock stock and barrel, to Al Hamra

Raynman

My wife and I recently left FAL compound, I had been three for 6 months in a studio apartment and they promised me I would be in an apartment by the time my wife joined me three months later. Needless to say when she arrived there was nothing available and after three months of endless promises we moved out.

As per other comments, yes they do have "single" and family" outdoor pools but no one seems to mind whichever pool anyone wishes to use. It is not so much "little Beirut" but more like "Lebanon revisited".

It is very much like school dormitories, I understand that it was originally built to house students at the local "Imam" university.

There are signs everywhere stating that you are not allowed to wear the thobe and abaya inside the compound but this is completely ignored and many women go around completely covered and no one says a thing.

The adverts for the compound do look good and they sell it as a "western compound" but it is purely in name only.

To be fair the facilities are good, yes there is an indoor pool, sauna, jacuzzi etc. In addition to the usual gym, video library and book library. There is a supermarket, hairdresser (or Barber if you prefer), limousine service and pizza shop on the compound.

The accommodation itself is dated but no worse that many other places and if you can survive in "Lebanon" then it will be fine. My wife and I know many Lebanese and they have always been the most friendly and hospitable people you could wish to meet but on Fal, maybe because there are so many single men on the compound a "Good Morning" was often met with a grunt or completely ignored.

Whether you are single or have a family you may have to just get on and do your own thing but if you are looking for the social life and to make many friends this will depend on whether you can break down the Beirut Barrier that is FAL compound.

The Dean

Is it still managed by that big American guy with the big moustache?

Victor Meldrew

Colonel Sanders?

I am surprised to read some of the earlier comments. Sounds like it has become more de-westernised since I was there (almost 7 years ago).

Raynman

No, it is under Lebanese management, hence the current scenario.

Alexa

Never went to that compound, but what the OP said is exactly what I had been told.

flares

off my list