Dead Sea

[escribador]

I'm planning a trip to the Dead Sea this fall and wonder if anyone has been there.
Since it is so far and so expensive, I'm thinking of staying in a quest house instead of the major hotels. Has anyone had experience with this ?

I'd appreciate any info or thoughts you have to offer.

Thanks,  Escribador

California, USA

[weeme]

Hi
Mattellie, is the one to ask.

maria

[mattellie]

Hi Escribador,

You only really have hotels to choose from, however there are some appartments that are located about 6km away from the main area of hotels and clinics.

Another member of this forum tried this out last April and he said the little money you save was not worth the hassle.

A few years ago the trip was even more expensive, but Israels tourism is suffering at the moment and this is reflected in the costs and dosn't make alternative accomodation very viable. I paid £400 less last month than I was paying 16 years ago.

The travel company most brits use is You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login and I know for a fact nearly all the Americans I meet over there use them as they are far cheaper than American based agents.

For more info click here * dead sea *

Paul

[reginapok]

  I see that salts from the dead sea , are sold, for bathing...
 would it be any good ...would anyone know....      
                                 
                                        thank you....Regina

[SJ]

Hi Regina

I use LaCure's range of dead sea products after discovering them a few months ago (if you take a look at the top of some of the forums you'll find an URL plus we at PHO get 15% off if you mention us when ordering).

I have pretty much kept a bad flare up at bay after illness by using salts and salt moisturiser, so I fully endorse the fact they really do ease P. Although the plaques are there, they are pinker and there is very little flake at all...not like a usual flare for me at all.

SJ

[saas]

Alright mate,

Ive been checking the accomodations around the dead sea and unfortunately i havent found something to refer to as 'cheap'. On the other hand Pauls right, hes helped me on this before and after working out the prices, the youth hostels and guests houses arent that great in savings. Paul mentioned the deadseatravel agency, they're cheap and totally worth looking into. The prices include, half board meals, return flight, transfers from and to the airport as well as good quality accomodation.

Hi Paul, Just wanted to ask would you recommend the Novotel and carlton hotels? They both seem to be the cheapest, if you can buds let me know the ups n downs for both of these hotels!!

Also is it worth taking the travel insurance plan for £50 quid, and where is the best place to exchange currency with cheapest rates? (I dont wanna get it done from barclays, they charge a tiny percentage)

Thanks

[SJ]

Paul has very kindly offered his expertise on the Dead Sea to me over the last few weeks. It just seemed such a confusing thing to look into when you have no experience whatsoever...

I am also looking into the other 'side' of the Dead Sea...and have found Jordan has a similar set up as Israel with a medical centres and treatments for P sufferers within hotel grounds etc.

I thought Jordan might be more 'interesting' for me as I like a little culture with my holidays (my P isn't really bad at the moment...but would like to get clear for the rest of the year, which the dead sea would no doubt do for me). I reckon I'd get bored in Israel (as everyone says, there ain't nothing there but the sea and the hotel), whereas Jordan has Petra, the desert, Amman, Lot's Cave all within a hundred KMs of the area I am looking at.

Will keep you posted. Haven't booked anything as yet and not 100% sure (but better get my skates on as I have only got 3 weeks!). Interesting that a deluxe room in a 5* hotel with a medical centre attached is HALF the price of Israel  :-/ But don't know if a 2 week stay in Jordan would actually be cheaper than Israel...we shall see.

SJ

[saas]

SJ that sounds like a great alternative!!

Ive been to the dead sea durin ma teens with my bro and others, and i typically thought it would be better to go to the same place with some past experience for my personal assurance cos this time im going alone.

But when i hear the term 'CHEAP' my eyebrows pick up all the heat and i start gettin excited. There is sooooo much reading material in regards to the dead sea from the Israeli half, so it kinda helps to make plans with proper organisation. Can you suggest websites and links online or brochures for jordan, the hotels, dead sea packages - im going in september hopefully for 4/6 weeks, so i hope i can look into jordon before finalizing plans.

Thanks

[SJ]

Hmmm. I am not that clued up mate!

I have a contact in Jordan who tells me that like israel, there is really only one 'real' resort on the Jordan side of the Dead Sea.

At this resort you have one leading Jordanian derm clinic called the 'Zara Medical Centre'. It is in the grounds of the Movenpick Hotel. There is also an excellent Spa next to it that offers Dead Sea Water Flotation therapy!

Like the DMZ (?) Clinic in Israel, you pays your 100 quid and get a similar treatment regime.

Now the Movenpick is a top styleeeeeee luxury hotel. It looks breathtaking and is set in its own gardens which are irrigated and full of plants and flowers (unusual for the area for obvious reasons!). A top deluxe room there costs about 60 quid...unlike a bog standard room at a 5* on the other side of the lake which costs nearly twice that.

That's about as far as I have got...haven't had time to research anymore. But when I do, I'll let you know  

It's not that I am dissing Israel at all...but I am aware that my P is pretty mild (for me) at the moment and I know I'd like to take a few days out from sunning myself to do something 'else'. There is very little to do or see on the other side, whereas in Jordan there is loads!

Plus, no disrespect to any Israeli members, I have a wee problem with the israeli government at the moment (not a religious thing you understand, more a political thing!).

I think I'd rather visit Jordan and put my money in their economy at the moment. I hope no one has taken that the wrong way... :-/

SJ

[mattellie]

Hi Saas,

The Novotel is quite a way away from the main area. It is too far to walk and is served by a very unreliable bus service to get to and fro. John Bann from the forum stayed there last October and felt very isolated. Otherwise it is a very nice hotel with good facilities and roof solarium.

The Carlton is quite close to the public solarium in the main area. Apart from that I do not really know that much about it as not too many Brits stay there, and I have only been inside once and that was donkeys years ago. But I cannot remember hearing a bad word said about it.

I take enough shekels out with me. But most peeps use a currency exchange inside the petra centre opposite the Hod and Tzel Harem hotels. Avoid using the hotels.

I would not travel without insurance.

With reference to Jordan, I was with three peeps in May in Israel who had tried Jordan the previous October. They said the main thing to be aware of is the resort is on a shallow part of the Dead Sea which means there is a much thinner "ozone layer" hanging over the area which means you burn far quicker, and in turn the time you can spend in the sun without protection is greatly reduced. The other down side is you do not see too many people with p. They said they were concious of their skin all the time, unlike Israel.  That is why they returned to Israel. On the plus side they said the hotels and food were much better than in Israel and the people friendlier. But, as all Dead Sea regulars say, they are only here for their skin and do not give two tuppneys about anything else.

But, as I have said before, if you want to combine a holiday with improving your p, don't bother with Israel try Fuerteventura, Jordan etc and take the family. If you are serious about getting shot of the p, then give Israel a go but leave the family behind.

Paul