Hotels in Israel have always been expensive, even before the global price hike of the last year.
Many preferred to spend time in "all inclusive" hotels in Turkey, Greece or even in the nearby Sinai, for a similar amount or even cheaper, compared to a stay of single nights in Eilat, the Dead Sea or in the north.
Not only the Israelis complain - the tourists who come to Israel are also amazed by the high accommodation prices.
In Eilat, for example, the hoteliers explain the high prices due to the general cost of living, the geographical distance and transportation prices, because of the bureaucracy, strict operating conditions from the authorities, kashrut, insurance and more.
But the tourists, Israelis as well as foreigners, are not really interested in these excuses and they point with their feet and often vacation in neighboring Aqaba or Taba, immediately after landing at Ramon Airport.
Post Hostel Jerusalem, photo: Courtesy of the Post Hostel
But slowly and quietly, it seems that worthy competitors have arisen for the expensive Israeli hotels.
Along with the flourishing of AIRBNB apartments in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other tourist centers, hostels and hotels are starting to be new options for lodging away from home.
Unlike the hotels in the Dead Sea or Eilat, for example, which are relatively isolated from the local attractions, the new hostels and hotels are often located in the heart of the cities and the centers of events.
For the most part, the crowd in these places is younger, and it is a matter of changing the attitude of tourists around the world and not only in Israel.
"The new traveler, known as "Pete" (Free Independent Traveler), is no longer looking for the comfort of hotels, he is looking to connect with the place he visits," Roni Bitten, CEO of ILH, the community of guesthouses and hostels in Israel, tells me.
She also says that in recent years, the hostels have become a magnet for families and young people who are mainly looking for a clean place to shower and sleep and less a place to stay after eating breakfast.
And this is perhaps one of the significant differences between hotels and hostels - while the hotel usually seeks to keep its guest within the hotel's boundaries through a pool, shows and food in an "all-inclusive" format, the guest who stays at the hostel leaves it and enjoys what the city he is visiting has to offer.
Bitan explains that "this is a different type of tourism. People today, in Israel and in the world, are not looking for facilitation, they are looking for a location and an experience or an interesting story."
Along with organized group visits of "Tagalit", for example, guests who come in a private setting easily connect to the city through the unique atmosphere of each hostel, depending on the city or region where they live.
Thus, and unlike hotels that may feel a bit "foreign" to the area where they are located, the hostels and guesthouses are often designed in a style that communicates with the outside environment.
Among other things, and in order to create a unique atmosphere for the place, parties, performances and shared breakfasts are held.
Post Hostel Jerusalem, photo: Kobi Amsel
One of the goals of the community of guesthouses and hostels in Israel is also to expose the guests to different cultures, customs and lifestyles.
For example, during Hanukkah and Christmas, parties were held in the guesthouses "Abraham Hostel" and "Cinema Hostel" in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem where the foreign guests could get to know the Jewish holiday of lights a little more closely, and on the other hand quite a few Israelis came to get a small taste of abroad in the heart of Tel Aviv and the capital.
At the same time, there is a reason why many Israelis avoid staying in hostels, because of their image as a place that does not always maintain adequate maintenance of the rooms or the lesser comfort compared to hotels.
"We are interested in maintaining a high level of both the guests and the staff members in the hostels, so we define some standards," Bitan explains.
For example, the image of the "arrangement for teenagers" is no longer correct and nowadays minors will usually not be able to stay alone in hostels: "Most hostels will also have someone at the entrance to prevent noisy or drunk guests from entering. The rest and tranquility of the guests is important to us."
Scattered in Israel are about 25 hostels and hotels registered with the ILH Association for the Promotion of Tourism in Israel, and they are required to maintain a high score on Google and the Booking website in order to remain members of the association, this is to improve the image of the hostels from the annual trip.
Their advantage over the "regular" hotels is, as mentioned, in their affordable price, with a price range of between 500 and 1,200 shekels per night on average for a family of five.
Post Hostel Jerusalem, photo: Sharon Ginzburg
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