Try to forget, for a moment, everything you ever thought of when you heard the word ‘hotel’. Here, we’re talking about something else entirely.
Please don’t take this the wrong way – the hotel experience is amazing, the rooms are tastefully decorated, the food wins acclaim, the Spa is one of the most beautiful in the country… But that’s not all – in Ein Gedi, the overall experience is so much more than that.
The Rooms
So – just before we dive into the Ein Gedi experience, there are still a few words to be said about the hotel. Ein Gedi Hotel has 166 rooms, ranging from Standard rooms to Luxury Junior Suites and Deluxe rooms, so everyone can find the right room for them. One thing all the hotel rooms have in common – they are all spread out in a beautiful Botanical Garden, with lots of wide-open space between the buildings. All rooms have a private balcony which allows you to sit quietly and enjoy all the beauty around you. If you have children, they’ll surely be happy to run around on the lawns, investigate the Baobab tree, play on the playground apparatus and on the famous mini-golf course. You can just continue to sit on the balcony and watch them from afar (sticks and balls are available for a deposit at the front desk).
Free Cultural Program
The hotel wants your experience at Ein Gedi to be as full as possible, so they allow all guests to participate in a Cultural Program at no additional charge. The program includes guided tours of the Botanical Garden and Nature Reserve, drumming workshops under the Baobab tree, creative workshops, musical performances, and more. The highlight of the program is a moon-lit night trip that takes place once a month, in the Masada Marls. Experienced guests already know that they should book their holiday according to full-moon schedules. In addition, it’s possible to arrange a private tour at a specific time that’s convenient for you (for a fee).
The Pool
The hotel has a year-round pool – in summer, an open pool surrounded entirely by spectacular views of the Dead Sea and towering mountains. It has a buffet offering drinks, snacks and light meals. In winter, the covered, heated, indoor pool on the kibbutz grounds opens (10 minutes’ walk / 2 minutes’ drive from the hotel). The pool is the beating-heart of the hotel and various workshops, movie screenings, night bathing and more, are frequently held here.
Synergy Spa
Next to the pool you’ll find the Synergy Spa – this luxury Spa was established in the most beautiful spot in the hotel – on the northeast mountainside, with one side facing the Dead Sea and the other side overlooking the Nature Reserve. This is the only place on the whole kibbutz, where this entire landscape is visible to you. The Spa is in a beautiful architectural building surrounded by glass walls that allow you to enjoy the view at any given moment. The roof is a huge and impressive wooden dome. The Spa staff are very familiar with the vocalized enthusiasm emitted spontaneously by all who enter the Spa for the first time.
At the Synergy Spa you will find a hot Dead Sea water pool (indoor) and a freshwater pool (outdoor – heated in winter). There is a Turkish bath, dry sauna, 12 treatment rooms, and plenty of seating areas both inside and outside the building, including hammocks, sofas, swings and more. There is also a free snack-bar throughout the day, with a huge variety of tea infusions, coffee, cookies, fruit, and more. Entrance to the Spa is from 16 years of age onwards. Private events can be held at the Spa. Entrance for non-hotel guests is chargeable.
Cuisine
The Ein Gedi Hotel offers bed and breakfast or half board (also including dinner).
Breakfast and dinner can be enjoyed in the hotel’s restaurant. Both are famous for their great variety, freshness and quality. Meals at the restaurant are open-buffet style and you can choose between eating indoors or on the open terrace overlooking the Nature Reserve.
In the hotel lobby, you will find the “Baubar” – a café, bar and dairy restaurant, offering a menu of pastas, salads, pizzas and more, alongside fresh juices, special infusions and other drinks. The Baubar is named after the two large Baobab trees it overlooks, and a small Baobab, planted right in its center.
Photography: Yossi Rotem, Miri Davidovich, Max Kowalski
