If you have never considered a trip Israel for your vacation, you are making a huge mistake. I have travelled to my fair share of countries and I have never been to a country as diverse as Israel. Road tripping thru Israel was a once in a lifetime experience for me. This post isn’t about the best time to visit or even what to do when you are there. It’s all about the ideal place to stay when visiting. I’d like to first clarify Israel as a whole isn’t a cheap country to travel in, however, this list will showcase the best affordable places to stay in Israel in accordance to quality and price.
Below are the 6 best affordable places to stay in Israel!
Nearly all the places listed below are hostels however most have private rooms. I have personally stayed at each of the places listed and I was not sponsored to write about them! This is a completely unbiased post about my true experiences. They’ve each made the list for very different reasons!
One quick note: Please try and book with the places directly. Most of them are quite small and privately owned. You’d be helping them save on the high commision if you do! These hostels are also a part of a highly useful association called ILH. You stay at one place, take a discount card and move on to the next hostel with 5% off the price. Or you can book directly on ILH’s site with the discount card’s code. Without further delay.
Number 1 on the best affordable places to stay in Israel is…
1. Golan Heights hostel
Website: http://www.thegolanheightshostel.com/
Location: (Moshav) Odem
Simple yet homey view of the hostel from the park across from the entrance *Picture not mine*
Huge kitchen with everything you need available. *Picture not mine*
My personal experience:
We arrived extremely tired from the drive and the morning activities. The plan was to stay one night then head towards the sea, however, the minute we walked in the front door, we felt a certain calmness and knew immediately we might stay another night. It’s hard to describe as anything but magical. And we did end up making a booking for the second night a few short hours of our stay.
My boyfriend and I have both travelled extensively and we can safely say this is by far one of our favourite hostels. The whole vibe was very chilled and homey. We found the staff very casually chilling in the backyard and we were checked in quickly with the natural breeze cooling us down.
We arrived on a Friday evening, therefore, the start of the Sabbath. At this hostel, they nearly always offer affordable and yummy vegan meals in the evening. (Oh yes, it’s a vegetarian community so please do not grill steaks etc. in the kitchen!). We booked the dinner and did not regret it! They also have (again affordable!) organized small tours and adventures in/around Golan Heights.
So, if you ever venture North, be sure to stop by, stay and say hi to Liad (the awesome and super friendly owner).
At mount Bental in Golan Heights. Two UNs watching the border.
What makes it special:
- The only hostel we’ve stayed at in Israel where there are an equal amount of (returning) locals staying as there are foreigners!
- It’s located in a Moshav. Quite a surreal experience to try!
- The layback hippie vibe
- Delicious (vegan) dinners
- All the games available (for free) to use
- Detailed guide to where to go and what to do in Golan Heights
- Surrounded by park, garden and even a basketball court
- Surreal sunset on the hill behind the hostel
- Extremely comfortable beds and comforters
What to do while visiting:
- Mount Bental
- Nimrod Fortress
- Banias Nature Reserve
- Hexagon
- One of the many wineries
2. Fauzi Azar Inn by Abraham Hostels
Website: https://abrahamhostels.com/nazareth
Location: Nazareth
Second-floor lounge area. Full of history and a must visit if you are in the area. *Picture not mine*
My personal experience:
We arrived at this hostel without making a booking around nine in the evening. As we’ve just spent 3 hours driving around super lost in Palestine, we really wanted to just crash. Unfortunately for us, we didn’t realize the city centre of Nazareth has very narrow and nearly impossible streets to navigate even with a small car. We’d be driving along a street where it suddenly turns to stairs!
Here’s a piece of advice if you are driving into the city; Make sure you do it when there’s still daylight so you can easily figure out where you are going! Luckily for us, we eventually found our way to the hostel (on foot with our car illegally parked in front of a stranger’s house. Don’t do it or else be prepared to be yelled at when you come back!).
Finally, we were able to check in and man was it worth it! The courtyard was softly lit up in the evening with such a warm glow. Our double private en-suite room was heavenly. We didn’t realize we’ve taken a step back in history until we saw the hostel in the morning light.
Fauzi Azar is a 200-year-old Arab mansion hat turned into a guesthouse! The hostel is actually named after the original owner and builder. The current owner is a direct descendant of Fauzi Azar and uses to spend her childhood holidays here with her grandmother. Although it’s under Abraham hostels chain it’s nothing like their high capacity hostels.
The narrow streets in Old Nazareth. Where there are market stalls open a few hours a day.
What makes it special:
- The history of the building (hostel) itself
- Hostel structure is beautiful, as is the courtyard
- Stories you get to hear from the owner about the relationship between Jews and Arabs to make this hostel happen!
- Location! It’s in the old historic city of Nazareth
What to do while visiting:
- The hostel’s walking tour. It’s not just about history of the city but about the people
- Basilica of the Annunciation. This church is surreal and shouldn’t be missed
Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth. One of the most amazing church ever.
3. The Green Backpackers
Website: http://www.thegreenbackpackers.com
Location: Mitzpe Ramon
View of Mitzpe Ramon and Carmel mount from the outdoor patio of the hostel. *Picture not mine*
My personal experience:
Mitzpe Ramon was on our list of must-visits and we were happy it was! It is a hiker’s paradise. You can read about our hiking experience in this post. We picked The Green Backpackers because of its ideal location. It is literally on the first row of buildings with a view of Mount Camel from the chill out area.
The whole hostel has a very homey vibe which we noticed is very typical in smaller hostels in Israel. The owner interacted with the guests regularly and she always checks if anyone needs hiking tips for the next day before she leaves for the evening. Also, she has a huge but very sweet dog that follows her around and is always looking for some love. We spent two nights and three days of hiking in Mitzpe Ramon. The hostel is really in the perfect location with a nice kitchen and indoor plus outdoor chill out area!
Sunset behind Mount Camel.
What makes it special:
- Location, location, location!
- Helpful tips and maps on hiking trails
- Comfortable big kitchen and lounge area
- Clean rooms and bathrooms
What to do while visiting:
- Sunset on Mount Camel
- Hiking and lots of it
Sitting at the edge of Mitzpe Ramon Crater. Breathtaking view.
4. Beachfront Hostel
Website: N/A
Location: Tel Aviv
Rooftop lounge area of the hostel. Front row view of the beach. *Picture not mine*
My personal experience:
By this point of our trip, we’ve already been to Tel Aviv. We were only looking for somewhere close to the beach that is affordable. This hostel fitted the criteria. As you can guess from its name, the Beachfront hostel is located right across from the beach! The staff there were very nice when spoken to however they didn’t try very hard to include the travellers. We checked out and had to stay around until our flight super early the next day. The hostel was really nice to let us chill out on the rooftop until 3 am the following day!
View from the window of our room.
What makes it special:
- Location, location, location!
- Rooftop hangout with beautiful view
What to do while visiting:
- Visit the numerous beaches
- Old Jaffa city
- Walking along Sderot Rothschild
- Shopping in Carmel Market
- Eating out in amazing restaurants
The beach right across the street.
5. Dead Sea Adventure Hostel
Website: http://www.deadseaadventurehostel.com/
Location: Arad
Indoor chilled area by the reception. Clean and modern. *Picture not mine*
My personal experience:
This hostel isn’t actually right beside the dead sea. It’s a short drive away to Masada and the dead sea. Originally, we booked our stay at another hostel (Desert bird) but no one was there to check us in. We actually waited around for more than an hour which felt much longer since it was after a full day of driving and hiking. We showed up at Dead Sea adventure hostel looking for a place to chill and call the previous hostel. The staff were so understanding and friendly.
While we waited, they offered us hot tea and use of the kitchen to make our dinner. In the end, we decided to stop waiting to hear from Desert bird (who never even replied our calls/emails) and just book with the Dead Sea. This is a vegan hostel so they forbid any cooking that doesn’t respect this rule. We chilled and chatted with the own Gilad for quite some time. This hostel is by far the newest and cleanest one we stayed at. The bathroom was a dream!
Sunrise at Masada. Rewarded for our 15 min uphill hike.
What makes it special:
- Close to Masada and dead sea
- Atmosphere was extremely clean and homey
- They offer a different kind of tours. Adventure filled ones or a simple Segway tour!
- Pancake breakfast
What to do while visiting:
- Sunrise at Masada
- A swim in the Dead Sea
- One of the adventure tour they offer
Me attempting to float in the Dead Sea. Don’t visit with any burns, cuts or injuries. It burns!
6. Port Inn
Website: http://www.portinn.net/
Location: Haifa
The outdoor area of the inn. Plenty of greenery and dining area. *Picture not mine*
My personal experience:
Port Inn is located in central Haifa. It’s extremely clean and affordable with a great location. There’s a nice indoor and outdoor lounge area to meet fellow travellers. One of the only downsides is the bare-essential kitchen they have.
View of Haifa from the top of Bahai gardens.
What makes it special:
- Few minute walk to Bahai gardens and the main street
- Affordable and clean
What to do while visiting:
- Bahai gardens
- Carmel beach
- Acre
- Rosh Hanikra
Carmel Beach near Haifa. Beautiful clean beach. *Picture not mine*
This concludes my shortlist of best affordable places to stay in Israel. If you have anything to add or ask please comment me directly or leave a message in the comment below!