169 Best Hotels in Israel

This member of the Atlas chain of boutique hotels has a cozy lobby filled with books about Tel Aviv and a lounge area that screens vintage black-and-white films about Israel. What the rooms lack in size they make up for with charming balconies overlooking historic Dizengoff Circle. You'll recognize the building from the outside by its larger-than-life statues of two people astride the balcony wall "talking" by means of empty cottage-cheese containers connected by a string—a favorite pastime among Israeli kids in the 1950s. Breakfast is served across the street at the fascinating Cinema Hotel, worth a visit in its own right.

Inside the Jaffa Gate, this guesthouse is part of the oldest Protestant church in the Middle East. Pinkish limestone floors and simple furnishings define the guest rooms, many of which have balconies. There's also a shaded courtyard and wholesome cafeteria.

In the 1930s this was the Esther Cinema, one of the first movie theaters in Tel Aviv. Skip the elevator and take the elegant winding staircase from the lobby to the various floors: when restoring it, the architect left the depressions made by the feet of thousands of moviegoers over the decades. Vintage projection equipment, tickets, playbills, and other paraphernalia give the feel of a truly charming museum. The comfortable guest rooms have black decor and reading lamps that look like tiny spotlights. The hotel has a sunny terrace with a wonderful view of Dizengoff Circle.

Step into the palm-shaded courtyard here to enter the world of the German Templers: the three-story lodging is in the center of the German Colony, amid the neighborhood's carefully restored red-roofed homes. Guest rooms retain the original geometric-tile floors and other graceful touches. Ask for one with a gorgeous view of the Baha'i terraces. A dozen rooms have hot tubs, and all include freestanding bathtubs in spacious bathrooms. A spa room offers several massage options, and the rooftop terrace has eye-popping views of the port. Room service is delivered from a nearby restaurant, and breakfast is served in the charming dining room.

On a quiet street, this small inn was built by the original settlers of the German Colony, and the creaking wooden floors attest to its European roots. The simple but pleasing rooms are great for couples, but if you're traveling with kids try to reserve the more spacious Gottlieb Suite. A kosher breakfast is included in the rates.

Return visitors say they love the sense of history at the Dan, built in 1953 and billed as Tel Aviv's very first hotel. The rainbow-painted rear of the hotel, facing the Mediterranean, contributes to the landmark status—famed Israeli artist Ya'akov Agam designed it. Rooms in the luxurious King David wing have panoramic sea views and double-glazed windows to ensure a good night's sleep. The leisure complex includes a gym and an indoor and outdoor saltwater pool. A popular stretch of public beach is right across the street.

Reached via a trail of baby palm trees, Ein Bokek's largest hotel stands out for its cavernous lobby, wonderful views, delightful spa, and endless swimming pool. The pool is surrounded by plenty of chaise lounges; nearby hammocks provide a great place to unwind. Enjoy free access to indoor and outdoor Dead Sea–water pools, or pay extra for treatments in the spacious spa. A shuttle zips you to the hotel's private beach.

Tel Aviv's newest addition to the high-end market, this hotel combines a stunning seafront location with a sense of luxurious tranquility. It's well worth going the extra mile and splurging on access to the oasis of calm that is the Horizon Lounge with its spectacular views and amenities. 

Here's a little piece of heaven on the outskirts of Mitzpe Ramon: a laid-back, two-story lodging with five lovely guest rooms that have covered terraces facing the surrounding desert hills. Each room has a bleached-wood floor, handmade furnishings, and sofas piled with Moroccan cushions. A breakfast of local delicacies is delivered to your room each morning.

Located on the palm-shaded eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, this complex has everything from waterfront units with sunset-watching patios to spacious apartments with room for the whole family. All have fully equipped kitchenettes, and an on-site market means you can cook your own meals. About a mile north is Kibbutz Ein Gev, which has a fish restaurant, small harbor, and wagon-train ride.

Set in a lovely landscape, this 95-year-old kibbutz has beautiful cabins and suites to meet every need. Choose from the simply appointed standard rooms, family-friendly cabins with lofts and a shared yard, or ultraromantic luxury suites with private gardens and views of Mount Gilboa. Children love the kibbutz playground, the seasonal swimming pool, and petable cows and sheep in the dairy farm. Grown-ups appreciate the museum's permanent collection of Jewish art spanning many cultures and genres.

The address in the heart of a prestigious hotel district—just a five-minute walk from Downtown or from Jaffa Gate—is a major draw here. Rooms are sunny and decorated in cheerful colors. Those over the main entrance are smaller but quieter. Rooms facing King David Street (some with views of the Old City) are more spacious, but expect traffic noise when the double-glazed windows are open. The rental-car company that owns the property often offers good deals to hotel guests.

An unbeatable location and lovely rooftop terrace make this a welcome addition to the neighborhood's growing list of boutique hotels. The spare lobby is tiled in black marble, and one wall is made of fuschia-color glass. More expensive rooms have pocket-size balconies where you can watch the neighbors go about their day, although the local hangouts make it noisier at night. There are 18 free parking spaces underground, as well as complimentary access to a local gym.

A 200-year-old mansion in the heart of the Old City, this inn has rooms with soaring ceilings that are perfect for couples or families, especially since some rooms are spacious (some are dorm style). A traditional Arab breakfast is served in the communal dining hall, where you meet a variety of local and international travelers. The inn is the starting point for the popular Jesus Trail hiking trip, organized by the staff. The hotel is difficult to find, so call when you arrive in the city to have the staff pick you up.

The rare lakeshore location is a big plus, and for some, so is the distance from the noisy downtown promenade. The marble lobby lounge is large and airy, though clusters of comfortable armchairs create intimacy. Guest rooms are tastefully furnished, if a bit small and slightly fraying; about two-thirds face the lake. Rooms on the two lower floors have private balconies. The hotel gives you free access to the adjacent water park, which has seven slides, a wave pool, and children's pool, making it arguably the most family-friendly hotel in town. The guests-only spa has a very private feel.

Its grand location—with a private beach right on the Sea of Galilee—makes this kibbutz guesthouse near Tiberias especially popular. It's warm and inviting, with spacious balconies looking out over the lake. There is a morning tour of the lovely grounds, and the nearby Yigal Alon Museum is free to guests. The dinner buffet includes both meat and vegetarian choices, the latter including outstanding blintzes with sweetened cheese. There are 168 standard and deluxe rooms and 75 simple country lodging rooms suitable for families. A more upscale property, the Nof Ginosar Hotel, is also at the same location, with different facilities.

This huge hotel offers a large, airy lobby with limestone walls and marble arches, and comfortable guest rooms with soft decor and bright bathrooms, although staff can be unresponsive. The suites are impressively large. Complimentary parking is a nice perk.

Orchards surround this small hotel, so the heady aromas of the peaches and nectarines will bring you closer to nature as soon as you arrive. Views of the Golan Heights, Mount Hermon, and the Lebanon Mountains can be enjoyed from the pool, which is never crowded because it's shared by just five suites. Freshly brewed coffee and snacks baked on the premises are served throughout the day. This place feels like home after even a short visit. The owners take you on orientation tours of the area and give you recommendations of activities that will enhance your stay.

Families with active kids will enjoy the enclosed green grounds of this hotel surrounded by forest. A basketball court, minigolf, and a large swimming pool can fill the kids' days, while adults can visit the spa for a soothing massage or a dip in the hammam. Nightly live entertainment and bonfires can cap off a full day of activities and kosher buffet meals. Book a room in one of the newer wings for a more luxurious experience.

The waters of the Hermon Stream flow through a glass-covered channel in the lobby of this laid-back lodging. It's the one place where nature has been corralled, as everywhere else you look you'll see the snow-covered peaks of Mount Hermon or the rolling Naftali Hills. Although the rooms are simply decorated, they are perfect for families. There's a health and wellness center with indoor and outdoor pool, as well as a soothing spa. Kayaking and walking tours are available.

This lodging's peculiar name (it means "The Last Supper") shouldn't stop you from enjoying its magnificent views of the Golan Heights, the Sea of Galilee, and the Galilee mountains. The owners have outfitted each of the suites in classic style with furnishings they collected while traveling through Europe. They are happy to prepare gourmet breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, but many guests skip breakfast because each room has a kitchen stocked with a selection of cereals, yogurt, fruit, and other delicacies.

Designed with the legendary king in mind, this massive hotel is all about over-the-top opulence and Vegas-style pizzazz. The dramatic, 12-story lobby, decorated with wrought-iron chandeliers, carved marble planters, and mosaic tiles, graces the main building. The spa wing keeps things serene with an adults-only policy. Touches of luxury are apparent everywhere, from the minaret towers that greet you outside to the Romanesque domes, arches, bridges, and niches inside, all designed by well-known architect Yoav Igra to convey Israel's archaeological heritage. Rooms are spacious, with elegant furnishings and lush fabrics. The pool sits at the end of an avenue of palm trees—it looks as though it flows straight into the sea. Note that the Herods chain has three hotels in Eilat, all in the same location; the Herods Vitalis and Herods Boutique are the others.

Perched on a cliff, this sprawling hotel is buffered on three sides by Independence Park and has direct access to the beach and a large saltwater swimming pool. An impressive range of on-site services includes no less than five kosher restaurants, including popular Yakimono Sushi Bar and French-inspired Chloelys, a well-equipped fitness room, spacious sundeck and a spa. Business travelers will find a particularly good array of services, especially its two lounges with beautiful, uninterrupted views of the Mediterranean.

On the western slopes of Zichron Ya'akov, a 10-minute walk from the center of town, this family-run hotel has a spectacular view of the coastal valley and the sea and rooms done in blues and yellows. The terrace restaurant specializes in meat dishes like oven-roasted duck in plum sauce. There's a pretty garden, a whirlpool-tub, and small aboveground pool. Less fit guests feel the climb to the sundeck on the roof; the three-story building has no elevator.

Plain but pleasant, this lodging has three floors of small rooms; each room has wicker furniture, beds with fluffy duvets, and good reading lights. The public areas have some comfortable seating in sunny spaces. A healthy breakfast is served cafeteria-style, and you can enjoy it on the patio. Beth Shalom is on a busy street, but the front rooms are quiet thanks to the double-glazed windows. The manager, a licensed tour guide, runs minibus tours.

At the entrance to the Hula Lake Nature Reserve, the Hotel Galilion is a luxurious haven for bird-watchers. Guests can book spa treatments (or include them in the rate), relax poolside with a drink from the pool bar, and enjoy abundant buffet dinners and breakfasts in the dining hall. The two-story buildings are in desert-stone yellow, and the guest rooms are done in warm red and brown hues and have photos of migrating birds. For stunning views, request a room with a balcony facing Mount Hermon.

Great views, a half-Olympic pool, delicious brunches, and a nearby Galita chocolate factory offering kid-friendly workshops make this hotel a great choice for families. Guests get free access to the Kiftzuba amusement park. Hikes to the Cave of John the Baptist, where he is said to have immersed believers in water, are popular. Suites can accommodate up to five people and include separate bedrooms, kitchens, and porches with magnificent views of the Judean Hills. Arrive on Friday to sample fish, cheeses, and salads in the hotel's unique brunch.

This popular hotel makes a practical—if somewhat remote—base for families, since rooms are reasonably priced and there's plenty of space for kids to run around. Standard rooms have a double bed and two fold-out single beds. Shower walls feature large photographs of old Jerusalem. Animal lovers will enjoy being close to Jerusalem's Biblical Zoo. The lobby has a beautiful coffee shop on a terrace overlooking the Jerusalem hills.

This chic and modern hotel used to be a library and bookstore, but has changed with the times and now represents the best of Tel Aviv's sleek business personality. Views combine the city skyline and the sea, and can be enjoyed in comfort from the splash pool on the roof deck. 

Set in the slowly developing industrial zone, this unpretentious boutique restaurant--hotel has half a dozen high-ceilinged suites outfitted with modern furnishings, local beauty products, and cozy fireplaces—some even have private jetted tubs. The small restaurant has an outside seating area and serves Israeli breakfasts and homemade granola until 12:30. Lunch and dinner service starts at 12:30, featuring a seasonally changing menu of pasta, steak, chicken, and desserts.