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We've closed you a corner of Valentine's: a perfect romantic getaway in an unexpected area in the country - Walla! Tourism

2020-02-13T07:31:14.147Z


We went for a short romantic weekend at a luxurious hotel in the heart of the Judean Mountains, loaded up wine in the winery, rubbed our eyes at a jewelry factory, grilled pizzas at an orchid restaurant, had a chocolate workshop and had enough ...


We've closed you a corner of Valentine's: a perfect romantic getaway in an unexpected area of ​​the country

We went for a short romantic weekend in a pampering hotel in the heart of the Judean Mountains, loaded wine in the winery, rubbed our eyes at a jewelry factory, grilled pizzas at an orchid restaurant, enjoyed a chocolate workshop and absorbed enough romance for all the Valentine's days on the way. Men, so surprise you with the perfect Valentine's gift

When I shared friends invited to stay at a hotel in Neve Ilan, the first response was "What do you have to look for in Neve Ilan?" Good question. After all, it's just almost Jerusalem, it's nothing to drive away from home so you don't really feel like you've gone on vacation, and if you're not into a megaphone shouting at a networked camera, then really - what else is there to look for there? I packed a suitcase and a mate and went to check.

We arrived at the C Hotel in Neve Ilan, in the heart of the Judean Mountains, overlooking a stunning mountain landscape. A bit of detail: The hotel offers a variety of conference venues, including 173 luxurious guest rooms, a children's complex with unique activities and activities such as the "Breakfast Club" - hospitality combined with enriching lectures on Friday mornings, Jerusalem folklore and Lily Market tour packages.

Already at the entrance we were impressed by the endless lobby of the hotel which requires a long settlement. We got the "Garden Room" on the first floor that the only difference between it and the standard room is the access to the garden, so we had fun too (although we heard from our lucky friends that there was also an enviable room with a hot tub next to the bed. We would pay extra - if We would pay at all, proper disclosure). After a long time trying to pin the key to the door handle and it didn't open, I realized that I had to put it in the keyhole and rotate ("innovative" concept in hotels nowadays). The first thing in the room that caught my eye is its size, especially after the boxes of sardines where we were staying on our last vacation abroad. We have a hotel room swap tradition, even though we always fall on the lesser rooms and also that the neighbor's lawn is greener. The room was clean, beautifully designed and we would have fun for hours if we didn't have a tight schedule to meet. Pee and we set off.

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Entrance to the Hotel Neve Ilan Hotel (Photo: Gary Reznikovsky)

Entrance to the Hotel Neve Ilan Hotel (Photo: Gary Resnikovsky, official website)

The hot tub in the hotel (Photo: Gary Reznikowski)

Jacuzzi at the C Hotel Neve Ilan (Photo: Gary Reznikowski, official website)

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Flame Winery

The first stop on our tour was at Plum Winery at Eshtaol Junction. The winery was established in 1998, when there were only five wineries in the area (within a decade the number rose to 40). Flam Winery was established by Golan and Gilad Plam and their mother Kami in order to produce high-quality wine in Israel. We arrived at the venue, where we were expecting a festive table of cheeses and empty glasses of wine that would soon be filled with three of their classic wines from the Classic and Reserve series. We celebrated the cheeses, enjoyed the tastings and as we walked away in light zigzags, we spotted a woodpecker located in the heart of the vineyard, where they sat an awfully romantic couple enjoying a glass of wine against the spectacular view of the Judean Mountains. Even if you are not in a romantic section, you can reach a place with friends and enjoy, among other things, workshops offered by wine lovers. Worth a visit.

Hours: Sunday - Thursday - 10am - 5pm, Friday - 10am - 3pm.

Romantic here. Plum Winery (Photo: Gary Reznikowski)

Plum Winery (Photo: Gary Reznikowski, official site)

For wine lovers. Plum Winery (Photo: Gary Reznikowski)

Plum Winery (Photo: Gary Reznikowski, official site)

Every employee - a jewel

Satisfied and perfumed, we reached the visitor center of the international jewelry brand Yvel, which is located in an ancient and impressive preservation building on the outskirts of Jerusalem. We entered a small movie theater, watched the company's promotional videos, one dealing with the brand owners - Orna and Itzik Levy - and the other on the local employees - all new immigrants who were recruited into the company as part of a project from Jamriya ("Genesis" in Amharic), designed to help immigrants acclimatize in Israel in occupational and social terms. Definitely a sacred goal. Just then the screen was raised to the "big moment of exposure" where we got to see the people behind the scenes, literally, the local staff. But then the screen went up and nobody was there. The reason: We arrived late and the employees - most of them single mothers - had already cut home. Besides, Thursday today. Who doesn't cut home early on Thursday? Obviously not me, Boss.

From there we went on a tour of the beautiful Yvel building (in case you were wondering, this is Yvel's reversal of Levy, the owner's last name) in the center of which is a huge jewelry showroom. I'm a man. Gay, but still a man. I do not pretend to understand jewelry and although this sparkle certainly did well for my eyes - I made my way to the smaller and more impressive winery down the hall (that is, I officially came to a winery at home) and snatched nachos over a glass of wine. I was sure that this is where the tour ends - only when I was led to another compound designed in the atmosphere of an Ethiopian village where we were presented with a stunning collection inspired by the country of origin of the people of Jamaria. Again, I don't understand jewelry, but Pierre - the collection was very impressive and the prices are not terrifying. I admit that I even stopped to look at some of the jewelry when we were already asked to move to the next stop on our tour - the exit door. Oh - and they also blended us authentic black coffee. Thanks, but I prefer my coffee to milk. I went back to the winery to drink more wine.

Hours: Sunday - Thursday - 9am - 5pm, Friday - by appointment. Closed on Saturday.

How flashy there. Yvel (Photo: Gary Reznikowski)

YEVL (Photo: Gary Reznikowski, official website)

On the way to the winery at the Yvel factory (Photo: Shlomi Shalom and Eitan Tzur)

YVEL (Photo: Shalami Shalom and Eitan Tzur, PR)

From Gemmarya, the place where magic happens (Photo: Gary Reznikowski)

YVEL, Majmarya (Photo: Gary Reznikowski, official website)

The orchid incubator

Next destination: Orchid incubator restaurant. "There's nothing like a hot orchid on a wintry day," I thought to myself. We walked into a restaurant that was almost to zero as it was noon-evening - not when I expected the place to be bustling - and from there I was led with the crowds to a real orchid incubator, the plant not the drink. "Oh yes, of course. Orchids, plants," I played the same voice as the warm orchid dream dissolved.

The story of the place, which is decorated in a pastoral country atmosphere, is fascinating. In fact, until about two years ago the place was a whole orchid incubator, but since it was a very unprofitable business - the only way to save the incubator from closing was to turn it into a restaurant. Half of the place was allocated to it and the other half remained as an orchid incubator. The combination is interesting: the smell of Italian-Israeli cuisine fills the greenhouse and the luxurious orchids "invade" them into the restaurant. The restaurant offers milky, vegan and gluten-free pizzas and anyone who wants to can also buy a new pottery for the home after the meal. There, too, we were served a selection of cheeses - because we hadn't pushed any cheese into our throats for a long time - and later pizzas that seemed to have been prepared at home, but their taste matched and even transcended the taste of the Tel Aviv pizzas that fill my daily menu. It was perfect - and a small word to the chef: Add to the hot orchid menu. Believe me, there is no one who does not cost his selfie drinking an orchid against orchids.

Hours: Sunday - Thursday - 08: 30-22: 00, Friday - 8: 30-15: 00.

Orchids decorate the restaurant (Photo: Gary Reznikowski)

Orchid incubator (Photo: Gary Reznikowski, official website)

Orchid greenhouse pizzas (Photo: Gary Reznikowski)

Orchid incubator (Photo: Gary Reznikowski, official website)

Orchid incubator (Photo: Eldad Maestro)

Orchid incubator (Photo: Eldad Maestro, PR)

Gilta - The chocolate farm

After our bodies were filled with cheese, it was time for dessert. By the way, we are expecting a rich dinner at the hotel in an hour and I and Tomi have yet to get stuck in Borax before the tour because I was worried about getting hungry for dinner. The Galita Chocolate Farm at Kibbutz Zuba was our last stop on the tour. "How does chocolate fit me now," I said, explaining to those around me that I firmly believe in the approach that sweet has a separate stomach. At the entrance to the place we passed a chocolate bar rich in pralines, chocolate tablets and ice cream made by Gilta and the mucus had already started to accumulate at the bottom of the rim. Only then did I find out about the purpose of the visit: a chocolate workshop. That is, before we get to taste the chocolates, we have to make them. I poured a bowl of melted milk chocolate here, calmed down and went to work.

In the workshop we were asked to design chocolate tablets and pralines from the sweet raw materials that were placed on the table. The wonderful local staff assisted us and was definitely enjoyable. You can see my artwork below. While the chocolate was freezing, we entered the kitchen with such Israeli audacity and asked to watch the chocolate making process. When you come, you can also watch a movie that explains and demonstrates the chocolate making process. Since the hotel was already waiting for us at dinner, we had to give up the movie, take the chocolate off when it was not frozen enough and chop it off on the bus. There we finished our tour and on the way to the hotel the token fell: so what did we actually have here? Diamonds, flowers and chocolate - the holy triangle of romance. That way, without any attention, we embarked on a romantic outing (with another 20 people, but we're open to ideas) that covers my duty to impress at the upcoming Valentines.

Hours: Sunday - Thursday - 10am - 6pm, Friday and Holiday evenings - 10am - 4pm. The place is kosher and closed on Saturdays and holidays

Creating chocolate in an experiential workshop (Photo: Gilta - Chocolate Farm)

Gilta - Chocolate Farm (Photo: Gary Reznikowski, official website)

Pralines prepared in the workshop (Photo: Gary Reznikovsky)

Gilta - Chocolate Farm (Photo: Gary Reznikowski, official website)

Did I look beautiful?

Chocolate in Gilat (Photo: Doron Pinkas, official website)

Back to the hotel

Seventy and tired we returned to the hotel and from there straight to the dining room. We said "just savored" and somehow finished with four full plates. The food was rich and delicious. Even a banal dish like pasta in tomato sauce was exaggerated. The lovely chef, Hagai Asraf, offered us wine and accidentally gave me a slight cry of "Laaaa", but my friends with the upper stomach enjoyed a few glasses of whiskey instead. We went to bed and got up early for breakfast, also rich in cheese in case we missed it.

Time to recap: The hotel is ideal for couples and families with children. He is not "Genesis" but he does not pretend to be like that (in fact he is going to pretend to be like that. We will talk about that soon). Other than a slight isolation problem in the room (we're pretty sure we heard when the guy from the top came in for a shower), we had no complaints. On the contrary, there was a mush. We would have fun spending another night there if Walla would have us full weekend. Besides, the service was courteous, the hotel beautiful, the food - as you already understood - excellent and its odd location - which turned out to be attractive due to the many attractions surrounding it - definitely suited to a romantic country holiday.

Prices: Monday night - NIS 900-1,300, Weekend (Friday) - NIS 1,200-1,980. Prices for a couple + 2 children include breakfast. Oh and remember we said "Genesis"? So the chain has announced an expansion and is going to launch a luxury hotel for 60 couples only this year, including 20 with private pools, a spa complex, a lounge and a rooftop pool overlooking the Judean Mountains. By then the prices will be less sane than these. We will come, obviously we will come.

* The writer was a guest of the C Hotel Hotel Neve Ilan and Yehuda Tourism.

Boutique Hotel Rooms (PR, Si Hotel Neve Ilan)

Boutique rooms in Neve Ilan (Photo: Si Hotel Neve Ilan, PR)

Hotel Desserts (Photo: Gary Reznikowski)

C Hotel Desserts at Neve Ilan Hotel (Photo: Gary Reznikowski, official website)

The mesmerizing breakfast at the hotel (Photo: Eran Kendall)

Breakfast at C Hotel Neve Ilan (Photo: Eran Kendall, official website)

View of the Judean Mountains (Photo: Eran Kendall)

The view from the hotel (Photo: Eran Kendall, official website)

Source: walla

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