We all love TLV Pride Week – but once the wild parties are over, the body, soul and mind all need a bit of rejuvenation. Check out these gay-friendly chill spots across Israel to decompress
Be transported to Arabian nights - Ghattas Turkish Bath in Akko
Whoever’s seen Italian-Turkish director, Ferzan Özpetek’s movie, Steam – The Turkish Bath knows the hammam well: an ancient bath house that combines a heady mix of humidity and heat - waking up all your senses. Not many of them have survived throughout the centuries, especially not in Israel, but the censored chapters of the Arabian Nights are still not completely gone. This traditional hammam in Acre offers an ultimate experience of relaxation and sensuality, without being tacky. Note: this is not a gay sauna, and you won’t find anyone to hook up with – but you can book a soap foam massage treatment and get spanked by hot water (yup, that’s a thing in hammams), and even rent out the whole place for your own party for two, or more.
ghattasbath.com
© Erik Sahlin
Get deep in the woods - Carmel Forest Spa in Haifa and Eilat
Don’t decide if you are going north or south - just decide you’ll go all exclusive. Before the spa-la-la culture became a thing in Israel, this wellness center surrounded by the green forests of the Carmel hills was already accepting guests from all over the world. This island of chill is one of the very first spas of the Middle East, and now they operate several luxurious facilities across Israel. Note to rainbow families: kids under 16 can’t visit the spa – so get yourself a babysitter, and indulge.
isrotelexclusivecollection.com/spa
Lay back by the lake - HaSeuda HaAchrona in Amirim
"Zimmerim” are Israeli versions of bungalows and bed & breakfasts – rural, cozy, cabin-like spots with a whole lot of charm. There are some that are beyond luxurious. HaSeauda HaAchrona – meaning, "the last supper” is a collection of stylish, gay-friendly holiday homes, overlooking the majestic Sea of Galilee. Leave the party scene behind for a weekend and rejuvenate in the hot tub outside your private terrace, cool down in the pool, and indulge with an all vegan, all delicious breakfast prepared by Bella, the lady of the land (who looks exactly like Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia,
by the way).
haseudah-haacharonah.com
Take a Bauhaus break - Poli House Spa in Tel Aviv
If the “balagan” of Tel Aviv gets you down, get high at the hippest rooftop bar above the Carmel Market: one of the city’s most iconic Bauhaus buildings recently got a fancy makeover. The house on the corner of Allenby and Nachalat Binyamin street was taken over by Brown hotels, a group specializing in high-end boutique hotels in Israel and abroad, welcoming LGBTQ travelers. Egypt-born American interior design genius Karim Rashid dreamt up a futuristic theme for the Poli House, including a black, diamond-shaped rooftop pool, patterned mirrors by the beds, and a super-fancy spa studio with a sauna and gigantic hot tub.
© Assaf Pinchuk
A weekend in the country - Yakir’s in Ein Hod
Ein Hod is the perfect alternative for those who want to get away from the big city life, but don’t wish to travel too far from Tel Aviv. The tiny artist village is just a half an hour north of the White City, and it offers the ultimate chill, with a priceless view of the ever blue sea. Yakir’s home is an old, authentic villa, where he lives downstairs, sharing his kitchen and garden with vacationers, while upstairs three rooms await travellers seeking peace and quiet. A jacuzzi on the balcony, picturesque walking paths to the center of the old town, a gay-friendly attitude and a stone’s throw away from the sandy beaches of the Mediterranean are all on hand.
Hof HaCarmel, Ein Hod (050-5543982)