In Jerusalem, it is “location location location”. The city is large yet its tourist attractions are concentrated in the Old City and the streets of Mamilla and Ben Yehudah. Since sleeping in the Old City is not recommended, if you want to be within walking distance from everything, you would want to stay not too far from Jaffa gate.

The most luxurious (and most expensive…) choices would be the David Citadel Hotel and the King David Hotel. The newMamilla Boutique Hotel is also a good choice. Less expensive but still on King David Street is the Eldan hotel. In my experience, the Harmony Hotel is the best value, and since it is at the bottom of Ben-Yehudah Street, it is still within walking distance from the Old City and right above a busy and nice pedestrian zone.

There are a number of hotels that are all just beyond walking distance, but still not too far from the Old City.  These include the Mt. Zion,Dan boutique, Inbal, King Solomon and Dan Panorama hotels. Another surprisingly nice accommodation experience is at the St. Andrew’s Guest House. If you have a car you would also like the Dan Jerusalem Hotel, on Mount Scopus, or the Holiday Inn Crown Plaza, near the parliament and the central bus station. If a family, perhaps you would prefer to rent a house. Nice example can be Barons-Suites, located in the heart of Baqa’a.

Tel-Aviv’s attractions are spread over a large area, so you will most likely use a taxi to get around. Most of the hotels are located on the beach strip, along Hayarkon Street and they are walking distance from the shore, and from many restaurants either on Hayarkon Street or on Ben-Yehudah and Dizengoff Streets in the back.

The most luxurious hotel in Tel-Aviv (in my opinion) is the David Intercontinental Hotel, although to access the beach you have to cross a busy street. The Hilton Hotel has a beach that is almost private, but the 40 year-old building could use some remodeling. The same can be said about the Dan Hotel, the Dan Panorama , the Sheraton, the Crowne Plaza, and the Renaissance.

There are some nicely remodeled hotels along Hayarkon Street including the Savoy Hotel, the Carlton Hotel, and the former Moriah Hotel (now called Herod’s Hotel).

Many small new hotels offer nice, and often cheaper, alternatives, including the Melody Hotel, and the Art Plus Hotel. Also check the Prima Tel-Aviv Hotel, and the Shalom Hotel. If you like fancy boutique hotels, the Montefiore Boutique Hotel would be a wonderful choice.

Eastern Galilee/Golan: If you are traveling around the Sea of Galilee, the Upper Jordan Valley, and up the Golan Heights, the most luxurious place to stay would be at the Mizpe Hayamim Spa Resort (my favorite hotel in all of Israel!). The Scots Hotel, in Tiberias, is also quite nice. Further north, the Pastoral Hotel, in kibbutz Kfar Blum, is also a good choice. If you are seeking some Jewish spirituality after a tour of Safed, a stay at the Ruth Rimonim Hotel would be a wonderful experience.

If you want to stay in Tiberias but the Scots Hotel is a bit over your budget, other big hotel alternatives would be the Leonardo Club Hotel, the Leonardo Plaza Hotel, or the Leonardo Hotel. If you want a child-friendly experience, go for the Gai Beach Hotel. It is outside the city, but has a great waterslide park that the kids will love!

There are also MANY nice B&Bs, which are cozy wooden huts in farms in the Galilee and the Golan. They usually include a Jacuzzi and some also have pools. These “Zimmers,” as they are called, are very popular among the Israelis. Websites that list Zimmers are www.zimmer.co.il , www.weekend.co.il , or www.rrr.co.il.

Western Galilee: If you are exploring the western Galilee, stay in Haifa at the trendy Haifa Colony Hotel, or on The Carmel at the Holiday Inn Crown Plaza. Even though the Dan Carmel Hotel and the Dan Panorama Hotel have beautiful views of Haifa Bay, I do not like these older hotels as much. In the Carmel Mountains the exclusive Carmel Forest Spa Resort is also a good choice.

In Akko,the Akkotel is a nice boutique hotel built in the walls of the old city. The only drawback is that the old city is a bit gloomy after dark.

In Nazareth, the nicest hotel is the Nazareth Golden Crown Hotel, but there is no nightlife in the area if that is what you like. Just as in the northeast, a B&B (zimmer) can also be a nice place to stay.

A dip in the Dead Sea is a MUST when touring Israel and can be done during a one day tour to Masada from Jerusalem. But if you are heading further south, you should stay a night in one of the Dead Sea hotels. The Isrotel Dead Sea Hotel is the most luxurious (and expensive) option, and other great options would be the Royal Rimonim Hotel, the Meridian Hotel, and the Daniel Hotel. They each have a nice spa, but to go into the Dead Sea water you have to cross a busy street.

Of the hotels that are on the water, the biggest are the Crowne Plaza Hotel and the Leonardo Club Hotel. The renovated Hod Hanidbar Hotel and the Lot Hotel are smaller but are very good values.

The Eingedi Guest House in Kibbutz Ein-gedi is a charming option mostly because of the views and the botanical garden, but the hotel facility and the spa desperately need renovations.

Despite the lack of Casinos, Eilat has the feeling of Las Vegas – a remote desert location with a wide choice of deluxe hotels. Instead of gambling you can swim in the Red Sea or scuba dive to discover its unique colorful coral reef. Eilat can also be an anchor for tours in the Eilat Mountains, as well as a long one day tour to Petra.

The most luxurious hotels in Eilat are along its northern shore – Royal Beach Hotel, Hilton Queen of Sheba Hotel, Dan Eilat Hotel, and Herod’s Hotel. If you have a car, I personally prefer the Princess Hotel near the border with Eilat. It is a rather remote location, but a spectacular setting and it has a private beach! There are many less expensive hotels, guest houses, and hostels, of which I would recommend the Agamim Hotel, the Magic Palace Hotel, the Dan Panorama Hotel, the Neptune Rimonim Hotel, and the Eilat Youth Hostel.