Kibbutz Hotels: Pampering Stays in Israel’s Pastoral Settings
Looking for a pampering vacation in a pastoral locale? Kibbutz hotels may be the perfect solution.
Many Israeli kibbutzim—collective agricultural or industrial communities—offer bed-and-breakfast accommodations for guests and volunteers seeking an authentic kibbutz experience. For example, Kibbutz Ketura in Israel’s southern Arava region lets B&B guests eat in the residents’ dining hall, swim in the pool, and tour the algae factory, solar technology center, date grove, and dairy barn.
A smaller number of kibbutzim cater to travelers who are simply looking for comfortable, high-end accommodations in a beautiful rural setting.
“These kibbutz hotels are a unique opportunity to stay in a beautiful rural setting like the Golan Heights or Jezreel Valley while enjoying really comfortable hotel amenities,” says Bill Slott, tour guide and travel blogger who lives at Ketura.
Kibbutz hotels offer an alternative to the usual urban or remote accommodations, and while most of Israel’s 273 kibbutzim are in peripheral areas, some are close to cities, including Kibbutz Ramat Rachel, inside Jerusalem city limits.
The following kibbutz hotels, from north to south, come highly recommended for tourists seeking four- and five-star accommodations.
Kibbutz Hagoshrim
Hagoshrim Hotel & Nature – Upper Galilee
Built on the site of a former Ottoman winter palace, Hagoshrim Hotel & Nature features rivulets and springs flowing across the grounds. Amenities include:
Circular walking route
Fitness center with two pools, gym, sauna
Basketball and squash courts
Spa treatment wing
The 170 rooms are divided among three wings, including an adults-only wing. Nearby attractions include Agamon Hula Nature Reserve, Mount Hermon, and the Banias Reserve.
Kibbutz Kfar Blum
Pastoral Hotel Kfar Blum – Hula Valley, Upper Galilee
Opened in 1957 as a six-room guest house, Pastoral Hotel Kfar Blum now offers 192 5-star rooms, a spa, tennis courts, an Olympic swimming pool (seasonal), a restaurant, and a conference center.
Guests are close to Hula Reserve wildlife, boutique wineries, museums, and parks. Discount coupons for activities such as Jordan River kayaking are available to hotel guests.
Kibbutz Merom Golan
Merom Golan Resort Village
This resort features 32 studio rooms and 46 two-room cabins, all with kitchens. The kibbutz offers:
Horse ranch
Indoor swimming pool
Playground
Basketball court
Kosher meat restaurant
Nearby Mount Bental has Coffee Annan, considered Israel’s highest café.
Kibbutz Ginosar
Nof Ginosar Hotel – Galilee region
Situated on 40,000 square meters of green landscapes near Tiberias, the hotel offers:
168 rooms and suites
Private beach and seasonal swimming pool
Tennis and basketball courts
Hiking/jogging paths along the Tzalmon River
Kosher restaurant
An adjacent Resort Village adds 69 rooms and four family suites.
Kibbutz Lavi
Kibbutz Lavi Hotel – Eastern Galilee
This 184-room kosher 4-star hotel is 10 minutes from Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret). Started in 1962, the two-wing hotel includes a restaurant, meeting halls, and access to the kibbutz:
Swimming pool
Dairy farm
Furniture factory
Guests come from Israel and abroad, including France, Italy, Spain, South America, Germany, China, and the U.S.
Kibbutz Nahsholim
Kibbutz Nahsholim Seaside Resort – Mount Carmel
Located on Dor Beach with blue lagoons and small islands, guests can choose from various unit types, some decorated in a sea motif by designer Nir Gilad. First-floor rooms have private pools. A kosher gourmet dairy restaurant is on-site.
Kibbutz Ma’ale Hachamisha
Ye’arim Hotel & Sekoya Events Hall – Jerusalem Hills
This 220-room hotel provides most of the income for the privatized kibbutz. Amenities include:
Indoor pool and spa
Gym
Restaurant
Private gardens
Kibbutz Ramat Rachel
Ramat Rachel Hotel – Jerusalem
Overlooking Bethlehem and the Judean Hills, the hotel has:
165 guest rooms
Kosher restaurant
Health and treatment complex with semi-Olympic heated pool
Fitness center, spa, tennis, and basketball courts
Archeological site tours
Kibbutz Ein Gedi
Ein Gedi Hotel – Dead Sea
Once two wooden cabins, Ein Gedi Hotel now has:
166 mini suites and rooms
Luxury spa and swimming pool
Tennis courts
Natural sulphur pools and mineral mud baths
Kosher restaurant amid landscaped gardens and a botanical gardenNew York Jewish Travel Guide
