Best Hotel Bargains

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

Saint Mark's Lutheran Guest House (Jerusalem, tel. 02/628-2120): 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. Depending on the value of the German mark, a double could run from $70 to $75.

Jerusalem Tower Hotel (Jerusalem, tel. 02/620-9209): At this well-run moderate hotel located on the upper floors of a high-rise, you're right in the center of everything-restaurants, cafes, shopping-but high above the street noise, and with luck, you'll have a dazzling view. It's around $130 for a double, but on El Al's Sunsational Package the rate can be under $60.

Jerusalem Inn Hotel (Jerusalem, tel. 02/625-2757): Just a short walk from the Old City, and 1¹/2 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 for $68 to $86, depending on the time of year. The management constantly upgrades the rooms with new equipment and services, yet keeps its rates the most reasonable in town for this quality.

YMCA Three Arches Hotel (Jerusalem, tel. 02/625-7111): This is in no way your average YMCA; instead, it's a respected hotel frequented by savvy travelers. For $145 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. Remember, you'd pay three or four times as much across the street!

Saint Andrew's Hospice (Jerusalem, tel. 02/673-2401): One of the most dramatic and atmospheric sites in West Jerusalem, on a vista-sweeping hilltop overlooking the Old City, this Church of Scotland guest house offers simple rooms in an interesting 1930s-style building, and a hearty, welcoming staff.

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.

Church of Scotland Center Guest House (Tiberias, tel. 06/672-3769): With its 19th-century buildings, beautiful terraces, and overgrown gardens looking out on the Sea of Galilee, this well-run guest house seems almost like a villa on the Italian coast, and welcomes visitors of all faiths. Rooms are simple but have recently been redone; doubles go for $80.

Ein Gev Holiday Village (Sea of Galilee, tel. 06/665-9800): The Ein Gev Kibbutz has bungalows, caravans, and basic doubles set in 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 in the kibbutz package, and the price becomes very reasonable.

Vered Ha-Galil Guest Farm (Galilee, tel. 06/693-5785): 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.

Bed-and-Breakfast in a Galilee Arab Village (tel. 04/990-1555): This program introduces both foreign visitors and Jewish Israelis to the many Arab Israeli communities of the Galilee countryside. You can make a special request to stay with a family in residence, or you can choose a guest flat where breakfast will be brought in by the owner from his or her own house. Either way, your room will be immaculate, and filled with amenities and personal touches that convey a real sense of hospitality.

Howard Johnson Ruth Rimon Inn (Safed, tel. 06/699-4666): In a country with few really romantic, atmospheric hotels, this upper-moderate-range inn, a collection of beautiful buildings from Ottoman times, is a real 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.

Isaac H. Taylor Youth Hostel (Masada, tel. 07/658-4349): Right at the base of Masada, overlooking the Dead Sea, this large, modern Israel Youth Hostel Association establishment allows you to overnight in the desert and make the ascent to Masada in the cool dawn hours. Midweek during off-season, you can often arrange a private double with bathroom for around $45.

Isrotel Riviera Apartment Hotel (Eilat, tel. 800/552-0141 in the U.S.): A block from the beach, units built around a pool can accommodate two to four people, and are equipped with kitchenettes, TVs, and other useful amenities. Although not a kibbutz guest house, a double here can be booked as part of the Kibbutz Guest House 7-Night Package Plan (see chapter 2), the most affordable way to have nonscruffy accommodations in costly Eilat.

Sanafir Tourist Village (Sharm-el-Sheik, Sinai, tel. 20 62/600-197): With an inventive architectural design that draws on traditional Middle Eastern khans, or travelers' inns, Sanifir 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.

Mount Zion Hotel (Jerusalem) Incredible vistas of the Old City Walls, and a gardened swimming pool overlooking the Hinnom Valley made this architecturally interesting, upper moderate range choice a standout.