From Kinneret to Negev, new hotels are ready

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.

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 23.

Below we describe four 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, and — if dining in is a consideration — the level of their kashrut supervision.

Sofia Sea of Galillee Hotel, Tiberias

Located at 12 HaPalmach St. in Tiberias, next to a restored 19th-century stone house, this 120-room spa and leisure hotel is a few minutes’ walk from the city center and the western shore of 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.

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.

Lifta Boutique Hotel, Lifta

This European-style boutique hotel, at 19 Mei Niftoah St. in Lifta, 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.

Amenities: Swimming pool, terrace, catered kosher breakfast, free onsite parking.

Brown JML, Jerusalem

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.

At 41 Hillel St. (corner of Ben-Sira), 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.

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 Kibbutz, Sde Boker, Ramat Negev

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.

Amenities: Desert-style kosher restaurant, spa with Turkish bath, heated pool, fitness room, free parking onsite.