A brand new lavish hotel has, excitingly, sprung up in Zichron Yaakov, on the Carmel Coast, on the west side of the city, overlooking the verdant mountain coastline. It’s spacious, modern, with an exhilarating sea view from every bed in every guest room, from the dining room, from the lobby, and from the lawn. And yes, from the shower. The new hotel is called Gordonia Zikhron Ya’akov, and it cost NIS 200 million shekels to build. 

The Gordonia hotel chain is named for the bearded Zionist pioneer Aharon David (A. D.) Gordon (1856-1922), who believed in honoring nature, in manual labor, and in settling the Land of Israel.  His followers in the Gordonia youth movement, which was based on A.D’s teachings, founded Kibbutz Ma’ale Hahamisha in 1938. In 1940, pioneers opened the first convalescent home in the Judean Hills near Jerusalem. The Gordonia hotel chain owners preserved the historic name. An earlier project was the luxury renovation of a hotel in Ma’ale Hahamisha. They have also taken over the ownership of the upscale, charming Elma Hotel in Zichron Yaakov. 

Gordonia Zikhron Ya’akov is the chain’s first hotel built from scratch. The project has been in the planning for a decade, and has moved ahead despite the tourist-challenged years of the COVID pandemic and a two-year war in Israel. The view, over hillside fields and fishponds and sea, captured the imagination of the owners, the management company, and the architects – who all sought not to disturb the area’s natural beauty. 

The 141 deluxe guest rooms and suites make copious use of natural materials, such as wood and stone. The lobby opens up onto a grand plaza, with an infinity swimming pool lining the cusp of the mountainside. 

I recently took part in a journalists’ peek of the hotel. Wrapped in a mid-November warm breeze, a projected three months before its slated opening, I stood at the edge of the 81-meter-long pool as the sun set. I had to hold myself back from slipping into Israel’s longest swimming pool, even in its unheated state. Once the hotel opens, that glorious pool will be heated year-round to 28°C. 

A private pool? 

For those who also like their own private pool, there are deluxe guest rooms with small private pools, too. Seeking the ultimate splurge, you can also book the 109 sq. m. Presidential Suite, which features two bedrooms, a living room, and a huge terrace with a private pool and jacuzzi. And, of course, you can soak in boundless, magnificent views. 

Chapeau to the Gordonia movement for maintaining earthy tones in the interior: cinnamon and camel, buff, bronze, and beige. 

A novel touch is that the afternoon refreshments offered in the lobby are all included in the price of the room. Want a cappuccino, or better a glass of Cabernet in this wine region? Just ask. No one will enquire for your room number. 

Families will want to note that the hotel does not welcome children under the age of 10, except for the Jewish holidays. There are no plans for kiddie clubs or wandering clowns. There is, however, a kiddie pool, if you’re there with toddlers on the holidays. 

The spa spreads over two floors, with 11 treatment rooms. The piece de resistance is a Watsu therapy pool that resembles a large mikveh, which offers treatment to music above and below water. There are also a large jet pool, wet and dry saunas, a Turkish bath, and even an ice bath. Although there are archaeological, historic, and culinary sites nearby, the management encourages vacationers to stay on the property to relax and enjoy. 

The cuisine, says the chef, reflects the region, with its mix of venerable Jewish settlement (Zichron Yaakov was founded in 1882), and nearby Arab villages. You can watch the chefs at work, preparing, for example, meat, chicken, and fish on three charcoal tandoors, or cylindrical clay ovens. And of course, there will be plenty of wine. The kosher certificate is issued by the local rabbinical authority. 

The hotel will be managed for the next 25 years by the Kerem Management company, in cooperation with Efraim Kremer of Eshet Tours, and headed by Gadi Priver, whose personal story of bellboy-to-chain-manager is film-worthy. 

Priver’s theory is that Israelis want to feel like royalty when they go on vacation and are willing to pay high prices if they feel they are getting good value for their hard-earned money. Hence, the Gordonia chain emphasizes self-indulgence, excellence, and pampering. The price for the run-in period is about NIS 3,000 a night for half-board for a couple, plus VAT for Israelis. 

As the hotel isn’t yet open, I can’t evaluate the comfort level of the beds or the lavishness of the breakfast. I hope I’ll be back. I’ll try to remember to pack lightly, because my one complaint about its planning is having no closed closet space to hang up my skirts and dresses. There is something like a chin-up bar over the suitcase holder for hangable garments near the bedroom. 

A second Gordonia hotel will open this year on the Kinneret, at the site of the Luna Gal waterpark that veteran Israelis, like me, will remember fondly as a place of family fun. While we were in Zichron Yaakov, Priver unveiled a dazzling list of new hotel ventures planned throughout Israel, in a vote of confidence for local and international tourism.