Kayma is one of those places that once you get there, you won’t want to leave. In fact, if I could have, I would have hidden away in a closet in the Presidential Suite, and it could have been weeks before anyone found me.
Kayma is the first hotel built at the Dead Sea in 20 years, Lior Raviv, CEO of Isrotel, told journalists at the official opening of the hotel, with a ceremony affixing the mezuzah at the front door.
“The Kayma Hotel redefines the concept of a luxury hotel and sets a new standard for the Israeli tourism industry. Kayma is on the level of the most exclusive hotels in the world,” Raviv said.
The hotel has just 44 rooms and cost NIS 128 million to build. Its construction took eight years, and the whole hotel has a feeling of luxury. The lobby is beautifully decorated, with comfortable couches and chairs and tables set with beautiful plates and stemware – all in desert colors of shades of sand and brown.
In the center of the lobby is a table with refreshments for all arriving guests – dates stuffed with walnuts, chocolate truffles, and small cookies. To drink, there is chilled Gamla Brut sparkling wine in champagne flutes, as well as freshly squeezed juice. Although I arrived just after 11 a.m., which is a little early to start drinking even for me, I couldn’t resist a glass.
The hotel opened one day before Rosh Hashanah and was fully booked for the chagim (holidays). On the day I visited, part of “acharei hachagim” (after the holidays), the hotel was at 78% capacity.
“We only have 44 rooms and suites, so it’s not hard to fill them,” Raviv said with a smile.
The hotel only allows children over age 10, and they are not allowed to share rooms with their parents, but there are some connecting rooms. Pro-tip: If you can, leave the kids at home and enjoy the beautiful hotel.
From the lobby, you can walk right into one of the two infinity pools that even have chaise lounges sunk beneath the water. There are comfortable lounge chairs by the pool, which also offers a view of the Dead Sea beach below.
Almost all of the rooms open directly onto either the pool or the beach. It is not a private beach for the hotel alone but has a large roped-off area for swimming and comfortable lounge chairs.
The rooms are quite large and have the same color palette as the lobby. All of the linens and towels are top of the line, and each guest is given a straw basket and straw hat, as well as flip-flops that they take home as a gift. A very nice touch.
There is a small but well-equipped gym and a beautiful spa. If I ever win the lottery, I’m treating myself to a spa treatment there.
What about the food?
What about the food? The lobby is also the dining room for breakfast, which offers a different experience than most hotel breakfasts.
“We use the highest quality products – for example, the cheeses come from our dairy at Mitzpe Hayamim (an Isrotel hotel in the Galilee),” Amir Kalfon, the head chef of Isrotel, told The Jerusalem Post. “But it’s not a buffet. You order from a menu, and we care deeply that every guest has a good experience.”
After breakfast, the lobby turns into a fish and dairy restaurant for lunch and dinner. Journalists invited to the hotel opening were able to taste some of the dishes on the hotel menu. From the appetizers, I particularly enjoyed the carpaccio of fresh figs served with stracciatella cheese (similar to fresh mozzarella), date honey, and candied almonds.
From the main dishes, I loved the mushroom risotto with chestnut and parmesan, as well as the fresh corn polenta served with pecorino and asparagus.
As a restaurant critic, I can assure you that the food is as good as or better than any restaurant in Israel. The restaurant is also open to the public and would make a great stop on the road to Eilat.
How much does all this cost? This kind of luxury does not come cheap. Prices during the week start at NIS 2,682 for bed and breakfast before a 5% discount for booking online and a 10% discount for members of the Isrotel Club.
Weekends start at NIS 3,709 before the discounts.
The writer was a guest of the hotel for its opening.