Years ago, when my children were young, I had plans on a vacation at the Hacienda Forest View hotel in Western Galilee at Ma’alot-Tarshiha. Somehow I found myself going there now, when they are older. Nevertheless, I found that it is well suited for families, couples, and adults of all ages. There is everything there – a pool, a spa, a kids’ club, sports facilities, outdoor games, and more. The vast natural spaces of the hotel make you feel like you are almost alone, until you enter the dining room, where you are suddenly aware of the presence of other guests.
We arrived at Hacienda in the afternoon. The entrance is impressive. The lobby looks like a Spanish mansion with terracotta tiles, a fireplace, elegant Spanish chandeliers, and plenty of artworks. The hotel is situated in a rural area and surrounded by large lawns and a green landscape.
The hotel has spacious rooms that are especially convenient for families. The rooms are renovated and modern and have everything you need for a comfortable stay. Our suite had a flat screen TV with plenty of channels, an espresso machine, and a huge private hot tub.
Spending time in Israel during the summer or holidays can be challenging due to the heat and crowds. But at Hacienda, you’ll find a refreshing change of pace. Located at an elevation of 600 meters, it is much cooler than the rest of the country. The 17-acre grounds offer plenty of space for hotel guests to relax and enjoy, and for the children to run around.
Here, you can spend hours enjoying the outdoors without suffering from the heat. During the hottest hours of the day, you can cool off in the recently renovated pool, which includes a toddler pool. The pool is 25 meters long, so you can swim even a kilometer without a problem. We even enjoyed a night swim.
The hotel is ideal for families who want to spend days here without leaving the premises. In addition to the swimming pool and the spa, there is a gym, a basketball court, a giant walk-in chessboard, and mini golf, all of which are free of charge. Guests can borrow from the reception a wide variety of board games such as Rummikub, Taki, and others. They can relax in the lobby; laze around on the grass or on any of the seating throughout the hotel. And if that’s not enough, there are plenty of exciting, changing activities for children, such as rope climbing and a zip line.
In the winter, you can sit by the fireplace and enjoy the spa. The spa has a jet pool with a waterfall, a dry sauna, a Turkish bath, and a variety of body and mind treatments. Hot drinks, fruits, and cookies are served in the sitting area overlooking the green landscape. Next to the spa is a small terrace under a grape arbor. It was our favorite place to sit at any time of day, drinking coffee, reading, or playing board games.
It is recommended to stay here for several days and explore the surrounding area. There are many things to do, including visiting Monfort Lake, an artificial lake with a variety of attractions; walking in Tarshiha, a charming village with churches, galleries, and small cafes; going to the coastal area to Rosh Hanikra or Acre; visiting Ein Hardalit, a short trail with a water walk that is suitable for the entire family; or swimming at Achziv Beach.
Culinary
The hotel’s restaurant on the second floor serves buffet-style meals with a wide variety of dishes. Breakfast includes a made-to-order omelette, a variety of shakshukas, and even oven-baked pizza. The dessert section includes Belgian waffles and yeast cakes, and a variety of coffees, including espresso, cappuccino, and latte. There is a station where you can make your own orange juice. Twice a week in the summer, there are festive barbecue meals in the hotel courtyard with grilled meats. The tables are set with white tablecloths, and there is a live music performance. Children can run around and enjoy the free ice cream stand.
The hotel also has a coffee bar and a pool bar with meat at noon. Guests can also find plenty of good places to eat around the area when going out for a trip.
Hummus Shuka at Ma’alot
This small hummus restaurant is strictly kosher and serves a limited but delicious menu. The hummus is served warm and rich, and is a complete meal in itself. For example, there is classic hummus, Sabih hummus with eggplant and egg, Mashausha, Shakshuka hummus, and more. However, it is also recommended to combine it with other dishes, such as a chopped salad and a green falafel. For those who need some meat, there is also schnitzel in pita. You can eat in the restaurant or order take-away. A satisfying, cheap, and extremely tasty meal is guaranteed!
Hummus Shuka, Sderot Mem Gimel Hamaapilim, Ma’alot-Tarshiha, +972-4-858-4469, facebook.com/hummusshoka/, [email protected] Kosher Lemehadrin
300 gram restaurant in Betzet
A strictly kosher meat restaurant in the coastal area that offers particularly affordable business menus. The dishes are fairly priced (cuts of beef between NIS 120-140), and at lunch you get a drink and appetizers at this price. The most affordable meals are from the set menu. We had a meal deal for two at the price of NIS 199 per couple, which included house bread with a selection of tapas; Arais and veal chorizos with sauerkraut for an appetizer, and a main course of varied meats: veal sirloin steak, ribeye meatballs, and chicken thigh steak cooked in a boiling plancha pan with baby potatoes and green beans. There are also children’s dishes and a selection of desserts.
300 Gram, Betzet, +972-72-395-1758, https://300gramchef.co.il/, Kosher Lemehadrin
C-hotels chain
The C-Hotels hotel chain offers pastoral hotels with an Israeli atmosphere, located in the Hacienda Forest View Hotel and the Jerusalem Mountains (Neve Ilan Hotel, opening soon). The hotels are suitable for romantic, family, or business accommodation, as well as for hosting customized conferences and events.
The C-Hotels hotel chain will soon open a new hotel, Almond, a boutique hotel in Neve Ilan that offers a luxurious and pampering vacation for adults. The hotel has a variety of spacious rooms, including rooms with private pools, garden-facing rooms, and rooms with balconies overlooking the stunning views. It also has a luxurious spa complex, a rooftop pool with panoramic views, and a restaurant.
A Women’s Thursday will be held at the Neve Ilan Hotel on October 12-13, 2023. The event will include a numerology workshop, a life dance workshop, and a visit to a winery.
A “Broadway Israel” concept vacation will be held at the Hacienda Forest View hotel between November 19-21 and 21-23, 2023. The event will include a reception, a show Around the World with the singer Avi Ventura, lectures, a Sixties party, and a Broadway show The Phantom of the Opera with the famous star of the musical and Tzachi Seton from the Habima theater. The show will feature the musical’s greatest hits and the best songs from classic musicals.
For more informationhttps://c-hotels.co.il/eng/ +972-73-3133181
The writer was a guest of the local businesses mentioned in the article.
