Last Updated on October 23, 2021
How much can I expect to pay for my family’s holiday in Israel – Summer 2017?
Got that holiday feeling? It’s summer time in Israel, and time to take a well deserved vacation. How much will it cost you this year? We went online to research this and compared different hotel options. We looked for the cheapest accommodation and most basic room type within each hotel chain (*includes breakfast). Expect to pay more for extra services like flexible dates, free cancellation and less for pre-paid bookings.
Our 2017 Price Comparison
- We chose a 7 night stay from August 13th- August 20th
- Number of people: 2 adults + 1 child. (3 people per room limit)
These prices were advertised on the official hotel chain’s website on June 5th, 2017. There are a limited number of rooms at these prices. The prices quoted here are not part of any package deal. Anglo-list cannot guarantee these prices at the actual time of booking. This is a guideline only.
Price are quoted in Shekels (inclusive of VAT).
A cheaper alternative is kibbutz hotel accommodation, but however hard we tried, we could not find any accommodation available during these dates
| Hotel Chain | Jerusalem | Eilat | Dead Sea | Tiberias | Tel Aviv | Haifa | Ashkelon |
| Dan Panorama | 7,064 | 9,750* | – | – | 9,988* | 7,978* | – |
| Holiday Inn/Crown Plaza | 5,387 | 6,698 | 6,104 | – | 9,224 | 5,653 | 7,208* |
| Leonardo | 7,177* | 12,622* | 11,756* | 12,041* | 9,223* | 9,892* | 7,225* |
| Isrotel | 12,493* | 12,699* | 9,427* | – | 7,732* | – | – |
| Club Hotels | – | 9,820 | – | Full | – | – | – |
| Prima Hotels | 6,281 | 6,594* | 5,757* | 5,640* | 8,696* | – | – |
| C Hotels | 8,309* | 6,545* | – | – | – | – | – |
| Kibbutz Hotels | Full | Full | Full | Full | Full | Full | Full |
So, it looks like Holiday Inn/Crowne Plaza in Jerusalem is the cheapest option from our selection, for our specific dates. Perhaps it’s worth looking at other destinations. On Hotels.com, the Central Hotel in Sofia, Bulgaria offered us a 7 night stay 13th-20th August), family room for $540 (prepaid, not flexible, no cancellation or refund) – flights not included.
Airfare to Eilat
The starting price of airfare from Ben Gurion Airport to Eilat (Ilan & Assaf Ramon Airport) – on August 13th is 290 shekels per person and reaches 366 shekels (Arkia Airlines)
The starting price of airfare from Eilat to Ben Gurion on August 20th is 154 shekels per person and reaches 366 shekels (Arkia Airlines)
Some packaged holiday deals may offer rates inclusive of airfare.
Discounts, Special Deals & Holiday Packages
For packages and special deals we suggest you refer to sites like Daka90 (Hebrew site), Arkia and ISSTA (both in English)
Important Info
The HotelStars European classification system forms the basis of the official star ranking system in Israel. There are 270 criteria to obtain rankings. At this stage, the classification is voluntary, but many hotels are expected to join the Israeli Tourism Ministry-led initiative to provide transparency and standardization in hotel classification. Israel hotels are not allowed to publicize hotel star ratings for sales or marketing purposes other than those under the Hotelstars system.
We cannot urge you enough – before making your reservation, make sure you read and take note of hotel reviews by visiting international sites like Tripadvisor or local sites like Trivago or Hotelist
Extras
Some of the hotel accommodation we’ve listed above includes breakfast, but in addition to that you will also have to factor in extra meals and favorite foods for the family. You can expect to pay in the region of:-
- 17 shekels for a falafel
- 32 shekels for a schwarma in a pita
- 45 shekels for a combo meal at Mac Donalds
- 60 shekels for a large salad – enough for 2
- 80 shekels for a family sized pizza at Pizza Hut
- 12 – 15 shekels for a Coke or similar soft drink
- 20 – 30 shekels for a beer
Entrance fees at these tourist attractions
- Jerusalem Biblical Zoo – 55 shekels/adult
- Underwater Observatory Eilat – 94 shekels/adult
- Coral Beach Eilat – 35 shekels/adult
- Diaspora Museum Tel Aviv – 45 shekels/adult
- Gan Hashlosha (Sahne) Afula/Bet Shean – 39 shekels/adult
All considered; hotel accommodation, extra meals for the day, entrance fees and activities for the family, you will likely have to budget between 1,500 – 3,000 NIS/day for a hotel holiday.
Cheaper Lodgings
Guest cottages, hostels, camping or even apartment swapping are considerably cheaper than hotel accommodation.
Zimmerim – Cabins, Chalets & Guest Cottages
From 500 – 1,000 shekels per night. Most, but not all, include breakfast. Some offer luxury accommodation with spa facilities and swimming pools. Check for child-friendliness and facilities for the observant community.
Hostel Accommodation
For a unique family experience, you might want to try hostel accommodation. It’s an economical alternative and the hostels are conveniently located near all the major tourist sites. On the Israel Hostels website, we found accommodation from 100 NIS (for a bed) and up to 500 NIS/day for a family room and as much as 750 NIS/day for a yurt (Mongolian tent) up in the Golan.
Go Camping Instead
If a hotel, guest cottage or hostel is out of your reach and you’re the outdoorsy type, camping is a great alternative. Hurshat Tal, set in an ancient oak forest in Northern Israel, is our all time favorite – 63 shekels/adult/night and 53 shekels/child/night for camping. Grass hut accommodation starting at 300 NIS/night is also available as well as more expensive bungalows. The Sahne (Gan Hashlosha near Bet Shean) is also a popular camping spot. The Israel Nature & Parks Authority at Parks.org.il run these and other sites. Prices are standard.
Learn the Words
Do you know the Hebrew word for ‘entrance fee’ or the word for ‘hostel’? You’ll find these and more in our free word sheets with Hebrew, English and transliterations.
Wherever you decide to go and whatever you decide to do, travel safely, have a wonderful holiday and a fun-filled time!
