There are some great highend options that would make a great base for luxury travelers exploring the ancient northern towns, Rift Valley, Jordan River and Lake Kinneret (the Hebrew name for the Sea of Galilee). My cherry pick is the holy city of SAFED in the mountains of Upper Galilee. Everything of interest is nearby (see THING TO SEE & DO), including Israel`s largest freshwater lake, Lake Kinneret. Even Tel Aviv’s international Ben Gurion Airport is a 120-kilometre drive away.
I like the grandeur and character of this restored 14th Century Palace and the historical mood of the artists’ quarter outside, with its quaint alleys, ancient stone arches and lanterns that continue the architectural spell. The hotel’s locale a few minutes walk from the town centre would suit Sheira and I on a future visit: we love to simply stroll to the action, window shop and mingle with the locals, which also stimulates our kids as they get older.
The hotel has a French Manoir aesthetic. The grand old lobby has the double height ceilings, ornate furnishings, over-sized vases and candelabra - but this chintzy style has the local Israeli twist of colourful, folksy figurative art, bright greens and pale lemons, oriental screens and Mameluke-era archways throughout.
The hotel has an unusual mix of old world design detail with features the modern traveler has come to depend on, like free wi-fi and spa treatments. The restaurant is out of the ordinary, with beautifully decorated vaulted ceilings; although we tend to eat on the street, not entombed in our hotel with other foreigners!
The huge bedroom suites have the added advantage of terraces overlooking the beautiful Galilee Mountains; with fantastic, elevated views from the Penthouse version. The suite decor has the same mix of classic Europe with the brighter colours of a sunny, modern country and my wife, Sheira would love the oversized beds, which have dramatically ornate, carved bedheads.
PRICE: BEDROOM SUITE US$350.00
PRICE: PENTHOUSE SUITE US $550.00
This former site of a 17th century Turkish Khan is another high-end historical gem, with the same spectacular Galilee mountain setting in the Artists Colony, overlooking HAR MERON (Meron Mountain). I love the history and tradition of the hotel, but the interiors have a rustic simplicity that is more in keeping with what Sheira and I are usually drawn to. I love the purity of the beautiful stonewalls and vaulted arches of the bar area.
There are some other features that standout for me too, like the “JUNIOR CLUB” and playground, which would be more child friendly for our young daughter Zoe; beautifully landscaped gardens, a peaceful oasis that would give you some breathing space in the centre of a large town; and a gorgeous large POOL, which I look at as a summer essential after a dusty day sightseeing. It’s a really hip, stylish looking pool area too, with a wide terrace and low walls in stacked stone.
The gourmet meals in the Ruth Rimonim’s WINE CELLAR adds a culinary point of difference, and guests don’t have to do without the hi tech toys and pampering that has proven so popular with 5 star travelers, even in remote areas. The FITNESS CENTRE covers the hard work - and I love having the option of working out while on holiday – while the old-school Turkish HAMMAM and spa treatments take care of the come down.
The pool, rustic intimacy and magical gardens are huge points for me and I would love to try this hotel when next in the north… Please let me know if you get there first at YOUSAID.COM!
The 78 guestrooms are simpler and more modern than the Placido Suites, with the purity of stone, polished wood furnishings and parquet flooring. The suites have nice extras like fluffy bathrobes and Jacuzzis. The GALILEAN JUNIOR and MOUNT MERON suites have terraces that overlook the lushly green Mount Meron and breathtaking views of the valleys surrounding nearby Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee).
MOUNT MERON SUITE PRICE: US$ 250
GALILEAN SUITE PRICE: US$ 200
One thing that really stands out about this trip is my time in a real home not a hotel. I came right out of my comfort zone from boutique hotel to small village communities of remote border towns like GUSH HALAV (known in Hebrew as JISH). We had arranged to stay in a local home here, heading inland to the northeastern slopes of Mt Meron.
It certainly wasn’t luxury, but what a grass roots experience to just drop into real small town life! Our host, George Sam’an was an Arab Christian, which is common in this part of rural Israel but seemed so unusual to me. He played the guitar and all sorts of exotic local instruments, which added real flavour to our stay in his home. Our group of five had arranged this accommodation before we set off on a 50-person cycle trip to Mt Meron.
As we arrived at this private home our host was playing his “Oud,” filling the air with the haunting warmth of the plucked strings. I loved the adventure and sense of strangeness, but as soon as I saw the bedroom upstairs, with its basic pinewood bed and table, and fire hazard sheets washed to smithereens my friends started to crack up laughing. They knew that, let’s face it, I was coming way out on a limb - not to mention sharing with 5 big guys. I thought, do I really need to do this dorm room thing? It’s not an age issue; there is just a comfort level that I like to maintain, no matter how exotic the surroundings. If I’m going to rough it, I want beauty, texture, maybe a little privacy…
This is a disaster -do you honestly expect me to sleep here? Yellow sheets!!” etc. The joke was on me, because there was nowhere to check out to - and no way to extricate myself without offending our host’s Arab hospitality, so central to their culture.
So I did what a good traveler does and made the best of it, making my friends laugh even more by wearing my sneakers in the shower (don’t ask) and sleeping on the top of the bed in all my clothes. And it was worth pushing myself to capture the fun and energy of spending time in a rural environment. The high ceilinged, downstairs lounge area had beautiful, roughly hewn stonewalls, hung with matting in the Arab style. I did like the unusual, homey atmosphere created by the gramophone, balalaikas, throw rugs, Persian carpets, CD collection and scattered cane furniture. We even did a bit of dancing there!
In keeping with the boys on the road theme we ate at a basic, roadside petrol station restaurant and I enjoyed proving that even a father of two teenage boys can still flirt with being a backpacker if the environment is right!
While the big cities warrant a stay in one of the better, iconic hotels, the bed-and-breakfast culture is thriving in northern Galilee, with thousands of ZIMMER springing up over the last few years. You can rough it like we did, or upgrade to houses with gardens and pools or log cabins with Jacuzzis all over this summer hotspot region of Galilee.
ZIMMER DIRECTORY www.koogle.co.il/English/Businesses/Zimmers-in-the-North PRICE RANGE NIS 150 - NIS 1,000 per night ($US 40.25 - $US 268.00)
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