The pandemic dealt a heavy blow to the hospitality industry in Israel as well as worldwide. Some hotels did not survive. Others were able to wait it out, slowly and carefully welcoming local guests starting in March 2021.
Several hotels in Israel that were under construction boldly finished the job and are now eagerly awaiting the return of foreign tourists when Israel reopens its borders to group travel on May 23rd.
Below we describe new hotels now open or opening soon in various locations throughout Israel. Many more are slated to open in the near future. When booking, be sure to check guidelines regarding requirements for proof of vaccination or negative Covid-19 test.
SOFIA SEA OF GALILEE HOTEL, TIBERIAS
Located in and next to a restored 19th-century stone house in Tiberias, this 120-room spa and leisure hotel is a few minutes’ walk from the city center and the western shore of the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret).
The hotel is named for Sofia Srugo, mother of the property’s late owner, Reuven Srugo. Sofia set out on a long journey from the Syrian city of Damascus to Argentina, where she was to meet her future husband for the first time. On the way, she made a stop in Tiberias.
Address: 12 HaPalmach Street, Tiberias
Amenities:
Spa complex hammam (Turkish bath)
Kosher restaurant featuring Galilean cuisine based on local produce
Rooftop restaurant/bar and lobby bar
Wine cellar
Study and culture room
Infinity swimming pool
Four accessible rooms for guests with disabilities
Free parking
HÔTEL BOBO, TEL AVIV
A new property in the Brown group, Hôtel BoBo has a bohemian, bourgeois feel and offers 200 rooms with a panoramic view of the city. Located at the crossroad of Yavneh Street and Rothschild Boulevard, this hotel is in the heart of startup culture, surrounded by cafés, bars, shops, clubs and art galleries. The renowned Carmel Market and Habima Theater are within walking distance.
Address: 42 Yavneh Street, corner of Rothschild Boulevard
Amenities:
Rooftop cocktail bar (not kosher)
Hot tub
Tanning deck
Plunge pool (not yet open)
Conference center
Spa and fitness center
Méli-Mélo restaurant offering fusion Israeli-Mediterranean-Japanese-French cuisine by celebrity chef Meir Adoni
LIFTA BOUTIQUE HOTEL, LIFTA
This European-style boutique hotel is in a most unusual location: Lifta, an abandoned ancient village on the Jerusalem outskirts, part of a nature reserve with breathtaking views of the Judean Hills and Arazim Valley.
Brothers Oded and Yoni Yochanan refurbished a centuries-old stone building at the end of a dead-end road, creating six spacious suites and two holiday apartments for themselves. They plan to renovate another building and add 18 rooms and a restaurant to the complex.
Address: 19 Mei Niftoah Street, Lifta
Amenities:
Swimming pool
Terrace
Catered kosher breakfast
Free onsite parking
Right in the city center overlooking Independence Park and the new Museum of Tolerance, between the popular Nahalat Shiva pedestrian mall on one side and the Mamilla Mall and Old City walls on the other, the 46-room Brown JLM by Brown Hotels blends contemporary urban hospitality with traditional Jerusalem-style elements.
Brown JLM is housed in a historic 19th-century building that has been renewed and augmented with six new floors. Preserved painted ceilings in the lobby add to the authentic feel along with vintage collectors’ items.
Address: 41 Hillel Street, corner of Ben-Sira
Amenities:
Infinity rooftop pool
Rooftop bar
Outdoor hot-tub and sunbathing area
Café-bar
Pets allowed up to 20 pounds
Dining facility yet to come
Parking in public lot
KEDMA, SDE BOKER
This newest addition to the Isrotel family is walking distance from the Negev Desert home of David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, on Kibbutz Sde Boker. It’s close to desert attractions such as camel rides, hiking and ATV/dirt bike trails.
The Nabatean khan-style luxury hotel’s 163 rooms and suites are built around an open-air courtyard punctuated by a pool surrounded by fruit trees and plants. Desert-inspired shapes, materials and colors include authentic mashrabiya, colorful rugs for lounging.
Address: Kibbutz Sde Boker, Ramat Negev
Amenities:
Desert-style kosher restaurant
Spa with Turkish bath
Heated pool
Fitness room
Free parking onsite
Opening August 5, Six Senses Shaharut was constructed of local materials on a ridge above the Arava Valley in the far southeast, 45 minutes north of Eilat near the scenic Edom Mountains.
This luxury chain puts an emphasis on wellness and local experiences, from the food (not kosher) to its desert activity center where guests can make herbal cosmetics and learn about the hotel’s sustainability initiatives. There’s even an onsite camel stable and date palm orchard.
The 46-acre resort’s 60 suites and villas — plus a three-bedroom private reserve — are separate structures; two of the units are wheelchair-accessible. Six of the suites and all the villas have private pools.
Address: Route 12, Shaharut
Amenities:
Restaurant
Cocktail lounge
Poolside bar and grill
Spa with hammam
Indoor and outdoor pools
Gym and yoga studio
Nail Bar
Wine cellar
Amphitheater
“Grow with Six Senses” hangout for children
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