Faqra vs Faraya vs Mzaar: Where to Stay
6 MinFaqra vs Faraya vs Mzaar: what each area is like, distances to the lifts, summer appeal, and which side of the mountain fits your stay.
Written by the host of The Nest, a one-bedroom chalet in Faqra at RedRock, 8 minutes from the Mzaar lifts. Rates and dates.
What to Know
- Faraya is the village with shops and restaurants; Faqra is the quiet plateau; Mzaar is the resort base.
- Faqra is ~8 minutes from the lifts; Faraya 10–15; Mzaar is at them.
- In summer, the pools, walks, ruins and festival are all on the Faqra side.
- Stay at Mzaar only if walking to the lifts is the whole point.
People use Faqra, Faraya, Mzaar and Kfardebian almost interchangeably, and it causes real confusion when you are choosing where to sleep. They are different places a few minutes apart on the same mountain, and the differences matter.
The map in one paragraph
Faraya is the village you drive through on the way up: shops, restaurants, rental places, fuel. Keep climbing and you reach Kfardebian's high plateau: Faqra, with its Roman ruins, Faqra Club and gated compounds like RedRock, sits on one side; the Mzaar ski domain, with its lifts and hotels, sits about eight minutes further on. "Mzaar Kfardebian" is the resort; Faraya is the town; Faqra is the quieter plateau between them.
Stay in Faraya if
- You want restaurants and shops on foot rather than a short drive.
- You are assembling a big group on a budget. Inventory is larger and cheaper.
- Nightlife matters more than quiet.
The trade: Faraya sits lower, so in marginal snow weeks you are driving up to the snow line anyway, and weekend traffic passes through it.
Stay at Mzaar if
- You want to walk to the lifts and ski is the whole point of the trip.
- You want hotel services. The hotels cluster at the base.
- Après-ski on foot matters: ODIN and L'APRÈS are at Mzaar.
The trade: base-area pricing, Saturday crowds at your door, and not much reason to be there outside the ski months.
Stay in Faqra if
- You want quiet. The plateau is residential compounds, not a strip.
- You are coming in summer as much as winter: pools, walks, the ruins and the festival are all on this side.
- You want to be eight minutes from the lifts without sleeping in the car park.
The trade: you will drive (a few minutes) for restaurants and shopping, and much of the plateau is gated, so short-stay options are fewer.
Side by side
| Faraya | Faqra | Mzaar base | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Character | Village and services | Quiet residential plateau | Ski resort base |
| To the lifts | 10–15 min drive | ~8 min drive | Walk |
| Summer appeal | Restaurants, access | Pools, walks, ruins, festival | Limited |
| Noise level | Roadside, lively | Quiet by design | Busy in season |
| Typical stays | Large chalets, budget rooms | Compound chalets and apartments | Hotels and residences |
Where The Nest fits
The Nest is on the Faqra side, inside RedRock, the gated eco-village in Faqra Club: quiet plateau, shared infinity pools in summer, eight minutes to the Mzaar lifts in winter, and a free indoor garage either way. If the Faqra column above reads like your weekend, check dates and rates.
Common questions
Are Faraya and Faqra the same place?
No. Faraya is the lower village with shops and restaurants; Faqra is the quieter, higher plateau in Kfardebian with the ruins, Faqra Club and the gated compounds. They are about ten minutes apart.
Is Mzaar a town?
Not really. It is the ski domain and its base area, officially Mzaar Kfardebian. The hotels and après-ski bars cluster at the base of the lifts.
Which is best for a summer stay?
Faqra. The pools, the walks, the Roman ruins and the summer festival are all on the Faqra side, and evenings at altitude stay cool.
Which is closest to the skiing?
Sleeping at the Mzaar base puts you at the lifts. Faqra is about eight minutes away by car; Faraya is ten to fifteen.
