Ein Bokek – Dead Sea Hotel & Resort Area
Ein Bokek is a popular tourist area on the Israeli shores of the Dead Sea, one of the lowest points on earth. It is located towards the southern section of the Dead Sea. The Ein Bokek hotel area consists of about 30 hotels and resorts of varying levels of luxury. Even the more affordable accommodation may be found in the form of B&B in the nearby Neve Zohar village. Two of the hotels in the Dead Sea was awarded the best hotel in Israel 2011 prize.
The Ein Bokek hotel and resort area includes several beaches that are open to the public at no cost and have reasonable facilities.
There are two small shopping centers, one along the beach and one by the northern entrance to Ein Bokek (with the McDonald’s sign on top of it).
A gentle warning: please be aware when you book a hotel, in most hotel web sites you will see a picture with the sea, but most of them are across the road and require a short walk or a ride to the beach. It is recommended to select a hotel with a beach nearby – although almost all of them have a salt water spa with sea water inside the hotel.
The hotels on the beach at the Dead Sea hotel resort center include (from North to South): Hod, Tsel Harim, Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, Lot, the Leonardo Dead Sea Hotels, the Leonardo Plaza and the Leonardo Club. I would recommend the Crowne Plaza which is the most modern, and Lot which provides a more continental touch.
The water in all the hotels rooms is not for drinking and you should fill your drinking bottles in one of the many coolers spread all over the place.
Ein Gedi Kibbutz Hotel
Another tourist center is located at the Ein Gedi beach, but accommodation is available only across the main road inside the Ein Gedi Kibbutz.
A youth hostel is located at the northern entrance of Kibbutz Ein Gedi. The Ein Gedi Kibbutz Hotel has a great location and is only a five-minute drive from the Dead Sea. The entrance to Ein Gedi’s private beach and nearby spa mineral pools is free. It also has a beautiful botanical garden. Since it has a good location, the hotel affords you with beautiful views of the Dead Sea and the surrounding streams, desert, and hills.
Isrotel Ganim Dead Sea
While it is not directly set on the shores of the Dead Sea, Isrotel Ganim is only a two-minute walk away from the beach. It has been recently renovated and you can see and feel the improved changes there. It offers two indoor pools — one with the Dead Sea water and another with freshwater. Like many other hotels, it offers other services such as spa treatments. The front-line staff is very friendly and professional, and the food is particularly good. Prices may change depending on the season.
Other Dead Sea accommodations
Other possible accommodation is available on northern Dead Sea villages such as Vered Yericho, Kalya and Almog, but they all require a short drive to one of the five beaches near them.
General Dead Sea safety
It is strictly forbidden to walk along the Dead Sea beach in a non-marked (non-designated) beach as the risk of opening and falling into sink holes is very high. When you drive near Ein Gedi you can see the detour in the main road that was paved after a huge sink hole opened in the middle of the main road. After bathing in the Dead Sea you need a shower to remove the salt – again another reason to use designated beaches.
Things to do in the Dead Sea – Ein Gedi – Ein Bokek Area
There are many things to do in this region – see for example Dead Sea activities – Masada – Ein Gedi – Ein Bokek.
But we can list only a few (for now) of the best things to do in Ein Gedi and Ein Bokek in this article. The gloriously sandy beaches and a pleasing-looking promenade make Ein Bokek an attractive beach destination. There are lifeguards (7:00 to 18:00 in the summer, 7:00 to 16:00 in the winter), shaded shelters, beach chairs (reserved for paying guests), open-air public showers, changing rooms, gym equipment and private bathrooms.
Aside from enjoying the gravity-defying floating in the Dead Sea, you can also do hiking and canyoning, try stargazing in the hot springs, take a tour at the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve and go on a rip-roaring Jeep tour around Judea. You can even rent a Segway and cruise around on the boardwalk.
Also check out some more Dead Sea Photos