The Best Hotel Bargains

This selection of hotel choices runs from splurges to economy strategies; each establishment offers something special.

Saint Mark's Lutheran Guest House (Jerusalem; tel. 02/628-5105): Beautiful, atmospheric, and immaculate, with gardens above the main Arab bazaar, this is the best possible place to stay in the Old City, and one of the most remarkable little hotels in the country.

Jerusalem Inn Hotel (Jerusalem; tel. 02/625-2757): Just a short walk from the Old City, and 1 1/2 blocks from Zion Square and the bustling Ben Yehuda and Yoel Salomon malls, this small hotel offers tidy, no-frills doubles with a touch of style and excellent beds. The management constantly upgrades the rooms with new equipment and services, yet keeps its rates the most reasonable in town for this level of quality.

YMCA Three Arches Hotel (Jerusalem; tel. 02/569-2692): This is in no way your average YMCA; instead, it's a respected hotel frequented by savvy travelers. You get a well-appointed double in a landmark building (designed by the same architect who created New York's Empire State Building), right across the street from the famed King David Hotel.

Mount Zion Hotel (Jerusalem; tel. 02/568-9555): This moderately priced standout features lovely gardens; interesting architecture, a swimming pool, and dramatic vistas of the Old City, Himmom Valley, and the Mount of Olives.

Saint Andrew's Church of Scotland Guest House (Jerusalem; tel. 02/673-2401): With its own gardens and vistas of the Old City, this Church of Scotland hospice is one of the most dramatic vantage points in West Jerusalem. Rooms are simple but comfy, and open to guests of all faiths. Public areas are freshly renovated.

Jerusalem Hotel (East Jerusalem; tel. 02/628-3282): A small place run by a well-informed, attentive family, the Jerusalem Hotel offers a pleasant garden restaurant with live music a number of times a week, and a general atmosphere that makes it seem like a very affordable version of the renowned American Colony Hotel.

Hotel Cinema (Tel Aviv; tel. 03/520-7100): This new, amusingly inventive hotel, right on Dizengoff Square, is a monument to the Bauhaus and art moderne movements that are so much a part of Tel Aviv's heritage. Though it's great fun and centrally located, the Hotel Cinema is a few blocks from the beach, where most of the city's hotels are clustered.

Hotel de la Mer (Tel Aviv; tel. 03/510-0011): In a city with an oversupply of faceless medium-range hotels, this new little gem, just across the road from the beach, is a real find. The fresh, pleasant rooms are designed according to the principles of feng shui.

Scots Hotel (Tiberias; tel. 06/671-0710): With its 19th-century buildings, beautiful terraces, and gardens looking out on the Sea of Galilee, this well-run, moderately priced hotel seems almost like a villa on the Italian coast. Run under the auspices of the Church of Scotland, it welcomes visitors of all faiths. All rooms were totally rebuilt in 2004, but the "antique rooms" in an older building have special character.

Ein Gev Resort Village (Sea of Galilee; tel. 04/665-9800): The Ein Gev kibbutz has bungalows, caravans, and basic doubles set amid eucalyptus and date palm groves right on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. It's a paradisiacal place to unwind and swim the warm waters of the lake. The kibbutz runs an excellent fish restaurant a mile down the road. Book this on a kibbutz package, and the price becomes very reasonable.

Vered HaGalil Guest Farm (Galilee; tel. 04/693-5785): Set in the hills a few miles north of the Sea of Galilee, this intimate, family-run place began as a simple horseback riding lodge and over 4 decades has slowly been turned into a small Garden of Eden. It offers a variety of rustic, charming accommodations and well-informed, personal attention; you don't have to come here for riding, but if you do, the programs are probably the best in the country.

Ruth Rimon Inn (Safed; tel. 04/699-4666): In a country with few really romantic, atmospheric hotels, this inn, a collection of beautiful buildings from Ottoman times, is a winner and an example of what might be done elsewhere in the country. A stay here helps make the often-elusive magic of Safed more tangible.

Masada Youth Hostel (Masada; tel. 08/995-3222): Right at the base of Masada, overlooking the Dead Sea, this new, beautifully designed Israel Youth Hostel Association establishment is virtually a hotel. The hostel gives you the option of overnighting in the desert and making the ascent to Masada in the cool dawn hours.

Ein Gedi Kibbutz Resort Hotel (Kibbutz Ein Gedi, Dead Sea; tel. 08/659-4222): A wonderful alternative to the big spa hotels along the Dead Sea, Kibbutz Ein Gedi is a beautiful, internationally recognized botanical garden of rare plants and trees that have been planted in a once-bleak piece of desert over the past 45 years. There are indoor and outdoor swimming pools; spectacular desert vistas; archaeological sites, and free use of the kibbutz's Dead Sea Spa and Dead Sea beach. Look for discounts on kibbutz packages.

* Isrotel Ramon Inn (Mitspe Ramon; tel. 08/658-8822): This efficient, comfortable hotel close to the wonders of the Ramon Crater opens up the interior of the Negev to travelers who do not want to stay in rudimentary accommodations. The staff will connect you to all kinds of hiking, biking and nature activities; and the indoor swimming pool and outstanding, home-style buffet are nice to come home to after a day exploring the desert.

Three Arava Valley Kibbutzim: Lotan, Yahel, and Ketura (Arava Valley): Half an hour north of Eilat, these kibbutzim, founded largely by North Americans, are known for organic farming, and inventive recycling projects. They offer wonderful programs in desert touring and ecology, a blanket of stars at night, simple accommodations, and delicious meals. Each in its way is a paradise, and a chance for travelers to experience the vision and idealism at the heart of Israel's rebirth.

Isrotel Riviera Club (Eilat; tel. 08/630-3666): A block from the beach, this informal hotel has units that can accommodate two to four people, and are equipped with kitchenettes, TVs, and other useful amenities. Although not a kibbutz guest house, a room here can be booked as part of the Kibbutz Guest House 7-Night Package Plan, making this the most affordable way to have nonscruffy accommodations in costly Eilat.

Sanafir Tourist Village (Sharm-el-Sheik, Sinai; 069/360-0197): With an inventive architectural design that draws on traditional Middle Eastern khans, or travelers' inns, Sanafir is a lively place where it's easy to meet fellow travelers, and an affordable alternative to the big package resort villages of Na'ama Bay. It's a few blocks from the beach, but it has charm, comfort, and maintains something of the spirit of exotic adventure that was once part of a trip to Sharm-el-Sheik.