It is located about 35 kilometers (22 mi) south of Homs and is situated in a mountainous area overlooking Syria's border with Lebanon which lies 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) to the southwest.

Nearby localities include Rablah and Zira'a to the south, Jandar further to the east, al-Dabaah to the northeast, Arjoun to the northwest and Aqrabiyah to the west.

[1] Al-Qusayr is the closest modern-day city to the ancient walled hilltop city of Qadesh (now the ruins known as Tell Nebi Mend, (c. 1766 ft)) named for the idol worshipped by the ancients at the time and which sits north and above the plain east of the river where historians place the largest known chariot vs. chariot battle in antiquity, the Battle of Qadash, May 1274 BC between the forces of Ramesses II's Egypt and the Anatolian Empire of the Hittites of Muwatalli II.

Arab geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi visited the town in the early 13th-century, during Ayyubid rule, and noted al-Qusayr was located north of Damascus, was surrounded by gardens and possessed an extensive khan (caravansary.

[4] Between 7–9 February, the FSA Captured a Christian Syrian Army corporal who was cooperating with government forces and whose family, , operated an unofficial checkpoint outside al-Qusayr to harass the residents.

[4][6] All were released in an exchange deal mediated by the local civilians committee which also stipulated the exile of the corporal and his family from al-Qusayr.

The Qusayr area is considered of strategic importance because it lies between the capital and the Mediterranean coast, and is close to the Lebanese border.

[11] As of the beginning of June 2013, the Syrian Army regained control over 50% of the city, including the strategic al-Qusayr Military Airbase.

On 5 June 2013, the Syrian Army finally regained control of al-Qusayr, after a rapid overnight attack, allowing some rebel fighters to flee to the neighbouring village of al-Dabaah.