Author Topic: Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?  (Read 8253 times)

Offline Sawadeeka

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Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?
« on: August 19, 2008, 01:33:37 PM »
Okay, my last post didn't get too much attention hope someone can answer this one..

Hoping to stay at a bunch of starwoods, can anyone comment about the properties or recommend things to do nearby? Also which ones might have kosher breakfast?!

Jerusalem Sheraton:
Obviously have to stay here a few days, is shabbos worthwhile? anyone have any idea what the additional fees would be for meals? is it worth it? And if staying there over shabbos, what is there to do? I don't suppose it's walking distance to the kotel...

Tiberias Sheraton:
Thinking of spending a night here, should I be here longer? anyone have any experience with nice places to go from here? Golan? is the breakfast buffet cholov yisrael and all?

Dead Sea Meridien:
Is one night enough or would two nights be better? I figured I would do matzadah, dead sea and ein gedi from here... anything I'm missing? breakfast kosher?

Eilat Sheraton:
This property doesn't seem good at all, but the meridien is an extra $60/night so don't think I'll be doing that... Planning on staying here two nights... What is there to do in Eilat and surrounding areas? any nice snorkeling? am I better off going and paying a private hotel resort which is out of Eilat and quieter (Isrotel Yam Suf)?

We're going to have a car, traveling with spouse and baby.  I think that's it. Thanks so much for your help
« Last Edit: August 19, 2008, 01:37:11 PM by Sawadeeka »

Offline yossik

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Re: Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2008, 01:20:25 AM »
Jerusalem Sheraton:  I was never in the rooms but I heard their nice but used.  It is walking distance to the kotel, about 25 min.

Tiberias Sheraton:  A really nice place on the water, very nice rooms, very good service.  If you are just passing through, one night may suffice.  However, there is so much to do in tiverya itself, and even more in the vicinity,  that I would recommend staying at least one more night.

Dead Sea Meridian:  In my opinion is a nice place, but very overrated.  You can do massada, ein gedi in one day.  I would take the extra night up north.
 
Eilat Sheraton: Don't really know anything about eilat, sorry.  Not far is be'er sheva, there's an air force museum there which is interesting and informative on the history of israel,(coming from someone who can't stand museums).  It's outdoors for the most part.  There is also michtash rimon which is a mini grand canyon, they have jeeping and hiking there.

For  a nice night, you may want to consider haifa.  It's a nice hotel and good service very nice views.

As for kashrus you must speak to an american avreich living in israel THAT YOU TRUST!  Good luck and enjoy.


Offline Sawadeeka

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Re: Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2008, 06:22:10 AM »
Thanks a lot yossik. Haifa has a two night minimum stay, is it really worth going (might be able to pull something off  and stay only a night...) not sure whats in the area...

From tiberias any ideas what I can do in the area? any nice places in the golan? would hotel have this type of info? is it worth considering a shabbos in sheraton tiberias? (or any other nice ideas for a shabbos?! seems like most my friends are  no longer in ISrael, and gone are the days of just showing up in a settlement and crashing.)

Any idea what the Jerusalem sheraton charges for shabbos meals (and for a toddler)? and is parking expensive? Thanks a lot!

Offline coralsnake

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Re: Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2008, 01:38:14 PM »
Parking at the Jeruslam Sheraton is 20 Shekel per day.
"Here at DansDeals we don’t do buses." -Dan

Offline sns

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Re: Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2008, 11:22:21 PM »
Haifa has a two night minimum stay, is it really worth going (might be able to pull something off  and stay only a night...)
book 2 nights then call up and cancel 1 night. worked 4 me.

Offline kingsfan33

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Re: Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?
« Reply #5 on: August 24, 2008, 10:11:30 PM »
im trying to book the sheraton plaza for succos for the entire family. 9-10 rooms. first i hear that its way too late then i hear they have room. online shows unavailable. anyone have any ideas for booking it?
also, would it be an option to pay someone cash for starpoints for this?
thx

levi

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Re: Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?
« Reply #6 on: August 24, 2008, 10:15:40 PM »
im trying to book the sheraton plaza for succos for the entire family. 9-10 rooms. first i hear that its way too late then i hear they have room. online shows unavailable. anyone have any ideas for booking it?
also, would it be an option to pay someone cash for starpoints for this?
thx
The Plaza is sold out for Succos its not possible to get rooms using points or money even with the Platinum override. I myself have some extra rooms PM me for more information
« Last Edit: August 24, 2008, 10:20:12 PM by Levi »

Offline kingsfan33

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Re: Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?
« Reply #7 on: August 24, 2008, 10:57:59 PM »
thx

Offline Dan

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Re: Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?
« Reply #8 on: August 25, 2008, 03:57:32 AM »
Definitely start with these:
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/2581
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/2738

Here's some more info:
-I'm going with the assumption that you are using Starpoints-(if not, why are you only looking at Starwood hotels?)
-As far as I know, the only Starwood in Israel with mehadrin food is the Sheraton Jerusalem.
-If there are no (2,800+$45) Cash and points awards for your dates at Sheraton Jerusalem you should use a 5th night free or nights and flights award.
-Sheraton Jerusalem is very walkable to the old city and kotel.  I didn't eat shabbos meals there but they are probably a good option if you don't have friends/relatives there.  There's so much to do here that you can't spend enough time based in Jerusalem.
-Artzeinu has a nice tour of Chevron/Kever Rochel that leaves from the Sheraton with an armed guard and bulletproof bus.
-You can spend a day in Tel Aviv while still sleeping in Jerusalem very easily.
-The breakfast at the Sheraton Jerusalem is $10/person if you're staying with points. I'd say it's worth it just for the convenience alone.

-Sheraton Tiberias makes a great launching pad for Tzfas and the Golan and all of the kevarim in the north.  Definitely worth a few nights.

-Le Meridian Haifa is definitely worth a night-just book 2 nights and have Starwood cancel 1 out. Other Starwood hotels in Israel play the minimum stay game as well with weird restrictions, just book what they want you to book and cancel what you dont want, you won't have a problem.

-Le Meridian dead sea: 1 night is plenty here.  The Dead sea takes just a few minutes to experience and is sure to reveal every scratch on your body.  Ein Gedi is nice, but many golan hikes are nicer.  The Metzdah light show is pretty cool, but only runs on certain nights, and you have to take derech arad to get there from the back end.

-Eilat is hugely overrated.  Maybe this is because I was there in August, but it's got absolutely nothing on places like Hawaii.  Rocky beaches and subpar snorkeling don't justify the drive down IMO.
We stayed at Herod's palace and got a mind-boggling SPG gold upgrade that made the long trip down to Eilat worthwhile, but alas Herod's is no longer part of Starwood. 
The mehadrin restaurants, pizza lek and the felafel at felafel tubal are well above average.
If you do go down check out timna park on the way.
Oh yeah, getting an Egyptian passport stamp was actually very cool, and with an American passport you should be able to sweet-talk the Israeli border control into waiving the departure tax.


OK,that's enough for now...more to come bl"n.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline ash

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Re: Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?
« Reply #9 on: August 25, 2008, 05:24:25 PM »
my friend stayed in sheraton jerusalem for shabbos with his kids i think he told me it was like fifty an adult and half that for the kids
and the food was crap and that he ate the kids meal

but the breakfast that i had in the morning ....... incredible for $10

Offline moish

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Re: Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?
« Reply #10 on: August 25, 2008, 06:21:59 PM »
shabbos is $50 a meal. fri nite is waiter service and shabbos day is buffet. as far as eilat is concerned i would reccomend crossing the border to the taba hilton which is basically on the border which is cheaper and theres a coral reef right off the hotel beach and if you just stay there you get the border fee back after crossing into israel.

Offline Sawadeeka

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Re: Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?
« Reply #11 on: August 27, 2008, 02:38:30 PM »
Thanks a lot Dan (and others) for your input... Greatly appreciated... Dan, re eilat would you recommend I totally skip it? I thought it might be a nice break from all the hustling in Israel to take a day or two and relax there, but if you say it's nothing special I'm not sure..... (is the scenery worth it? the drive down from the Dead sea? underwater observatory? some camels?)  Would I be better off spending a night in Haifa (if so what would I do there? rosh hanikra?) 
Don't think Egypt is an option, years ago I went to Cairo/Giza, but don't think I would take wife there... also I was interested in using SPG points...

Is the tour to chevron worth the $60? or should I just take egged? (also I think they only go on Thursday...)

If paying for a sheraton Shabbos meal in Jeru I suppose the day meal would be much better ?! (buffet style)...

Do all Starwood point stays in Israel charge $10 for breakfast? kashrus wise is breakfast a problem at other hotels?

Any ideas what to do in Golan and if it's worth it?

Here's my itinerary, any suggestions what to do greatly appreciated;
Arrive Wednesday - Tiberias for two nights (visit Golan from there)
Shabbos up north at friends
Sunday - Tuesday (2 nights) Jerusalem Sheraton
Tuesday night Dead sea
Wednesday - Friday (2 nights) Eilat
Friday - Monday (3 nights) back to Jerusalem
Monday leave TLV.....

THANKS AGAIN SO MUCH

Offline coralsnake

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Re: Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?
« Reply #12 on: August 27, 2008, 04:27:16 PM »
There are many tours to Chevron/Kever Rochel and if youve never been there, then it is definitely worth the trip.

Hoffman tours in Mea Shearim also has busses that go pretty often (http://www.hoffman-tours.com/).

Egged will be alot cheaper, but with any of the tours, you will get a tour guide who is extrememly knowlegeable and will take you all the historically-rich spots in Chevron and learn their history. Egged will not give you that.

Kashrut-wise, Sheraton Jerusalem is the only Mehadrin SPG hotel, and with this year being Shmitta, you can run into many halachik problems with vegetables at any non-Mehadrin establishment (not to mention the kashrus issues themselves).

There is alot to do in the Golan. If you like hiking, there are many great places to go. There are many kevarim of tzaddikim up north as well.

But if youve never been their wither, I would certainly recommend spending some time in Tzefat as well- make sure you take a nice dip in the mikvah of the Ar"i Hakkodosh.
"Here at DansDeals we don’t do buses." -Dan

Offline moish

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Re: Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?
« Reply #13 on: August 28, 2008, 09:54:46 AM »
if youre interested theres a 4 am bus fri mornings from kikar shabbos which goes to kever rochel and davens neitz at maaras hamachpela and i think its only 40 nis per person

Offline moish

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Re: Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?
« Reply #14 on: August 28, 2008, 09:57:55 AM »
also about egypt its really not a big deal to take your wife you dont have to take any taxis to get to the hilton as its a 10 second walk from the border into an extremely secure environment. for $130 you get a brand new hotel and a free coral reef

Offline Sawadeeka

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Re: Starwood in Israel, what do you recommend and what to do?
« Reply #15 on: August 31, 2008, 03:16:27 AM »
thanks guys... Dan you still around?!!?