TRAVELLERS’ NEEDS - Jerusalem and the Holy Land - page 244

WHERE TO STAY
Jerusalem offers an impressive

country's nature reserves, and have
cheaper, more basic rooms. By the
Dead Sea there are many hotels and
health resorts, while by the Red Sea
and along the Sinai coast, large tourist
villages offer water sports and diving.
Those who want to cater for them-
selves will also find many options
at a range of prices, from rented
villas and apartments to the
many excellent youth hostels
and camp sites. The listings on pages
256-65 give details on a selection of
accommodation to suit every budget.

range of accommodation: from
the luxury of the King David
and the American Colony hotels,

to the plain but welcoming hospices
of the various Christian communities,
which cater for pilgrims and tourists
alike. You will find even more varied
accommodation in the rest of the
Holy Land. Across Israel, kibbutz
hotels offer moderately priced
accommodation with good facilities
and attractive country settings. Field
schools are located near many of the

Doorman at
the King David
Hotel

For disabled
travellers, many
hotels have wheel-
chair access, and
bathrooms and
other facilities
which have been
specially adapted.
The largest hotels
in the Jewish areas
are also equipped
to satisfy the needs
of practising Jews.
These are classed
as kosher hotels,
and they observe
the main Jewish
religious laws,
especially those
concerning the
Shabbat and
Kashrut . Many
have synagogues
and automatic lifts
which can be used
during the Shabbat rest.
Larger hotels and tourist
villages, such as those by the
Red Sea, offer private beaches,
scuba diving and a range of
water sports; while the Dead
Sea hotels, often more akin to
health resorts, are ideal for
those in need of pampering,
with their therapeutic hot spas.

and Jewish holidays, so make
sure to verify the price before
booking. The price of a room
almost always includes break-
fast, but not other extras. In
Israel the room price also
includes local taxes, although
you can avoid the 17 per cent
VAT by paying in foreign
currency or on credit card. US
dollars, especially, are taken
almost everywhere, and all
major credit cards are accepted.
In Jordan and Sinai the
situation is slightly different.
In the large hotels and tourist
villages in Sinai all costs over
and above the basic room
price are subject to double
taxation if paid together with
the final bill, or on credit
card. You can avoid this by
paying in cash at the time.
Also, listed room rates in Sinai
and Jordan exclude tax, which
can be as much as 23 per cent,
so make sure that you know
the final cost. Credit cards are
accepted in both Sinai and
Jordan, but when using cash,
note, that while most major
currency is taken in Sinai, you
can only use dinars in Jordan.

The towering Sheraton Hotel, Tel Aviv

GRADING AND FACILITIES

At least for the moment,
there is no official hotel
grading system in Israel,
although hotels in Jordan do
have their own rating system,
with the best (4-5 stars) being
comparable to a standard
international hotel. Most of
the Israeli hotels lie within the
medium to high price range,
with excellent levels of service
and amenities. Rooms are
normally equipped with air-
conditioning, televisions and
minibars, with other facilities
often including fitness centres,
pools, and business suites.
Most hotels also have bars
and restaurants, as well as a
dining area where a large
buffet-style breakfast is served.

BOOKING A HOTEL

PRICES During certain periods of

the year, such as Christmas
and Easter, or during Jewish
holidays - Passover, Rosh ha-
Shanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkoth
and Hannukah (see pp36-9) -
finding accommodation can
be a real problem, especially
in Jerusalem. In Israel as a
whole, you may also have
difficulty finding a room
during the hottest months of

Compared to Western
standards, hotel prices in
Israel and Jordan are usually
rather high, although the
same level of accommodation
and service will cost you
significantly less in Sinai.
Hotel rates fluctuate widely,
depending on the season and
the various Christian, Muslim

Diners at a restaurant overlooking the harbour at Old Jaffa