9 Best Hotels in Haifa, Haifa and the Northern Coast

Set by itself in the Carmel Forest, this spa-resort 25 km (15 miles) south of Haifa is the ultimate escape, thanks to a top-of-the-line spa and tasteful lodgings designed to pamper guests in a calm and healthy setting (no cell phones or children under 16). From the hillside are stunning views of pine trees and the Mediterranean. Rooms on the second and third floors have balconies overlooking the Ofer Forest. Spa treatments include massages, aromatherapy, body peels, and seaweed wraps. Green wicker chaises let you relax with a cup of herbal tea as you contemplate nature through the solarium windows. A sample day? Consult the nutritionist, strike out on a forest walk, enjoy a sesame-oil massage, and then sit down to a gourmet meal prepared with all-natural ingredients. Day guests are welcome.

Beautifully situated on the heights of Merkaz Carmel, this longtime favorite has stately charm and a devoted staff. Guest rooms are decorated in soothing hues and feature sleek, modern furnishings and narrow balconies with views over the city or bay below. The pool area, surrounded by a large garden with potted geraniums and many trees, is pleasant and breezy. The concierge can direct you to several excellent restaurants within an easy walk of the hotel. Several dining choices are available in the hotel as well.

The glitzier younger sister of the Dan Carmel up the road, this 21-story hotel is popular with business executives, thanks, in part, to a comfortable second-floor lobby with a circular bar. Rooms are spacious with blue-and-yellow design and pale-wood furnishings. Many look out onto the gold-topped Baha'i Shrine and the bay, while the rest have lovely city views. The hotel is connected to the Panorama Center mall, with casual eateries and boutiques.

This romantic boutique hotel has great views of the sea and is a five-minute walk to the beach, making it a perfect couples' getaway. The modern rooms and lobby tend to the small side, but guest rooms are freshly decorated in earth tones with sparkling ceramic fixtures. The attentive staff will greet you with a cold drink and a warm smile.

Step into the palm-shaded courtyard here to enter the world of the German Templers: the three-story lodging is in the center of the German Colony, amid the neighborhood's carefully restored red-roofed homes. Guest rooms retain the original geometric-tile floors and other graceful touches. Ask for one with a gorgeous view of the Baha'i terraces. A dozen rooms have hot tubs, and all include freestanding bathtubs in spacious bathrooms. A spa room offers several massage options, and the rooftop terrace has eye-popping views of the port. Room service is delivered from a nearby restaurant, and breakfast is served in the charming dining room.

Plain but pleasant, this lodging has three floors of small rooms; each room has wicker furniture, beds with fluffy duvets, and good reading lights. The public areas have some comfortable seating in sunny spaces. A healthy breakfast is served cafeteria-style, and you can enjoy it on the patio. Beth Shalom is on a busy street, but the front rooms are quiet thanks to the double-glazed windows. The manager, a licensed tour guide, runs minibus tours.

Catering to a business crowd, this modern, well-designed hotel is built into a pine-shaded slope. The glass-domed lobby, with mauve and silver couches set off by floral arrangements, opens onto a restaurant that has spectacular views and serves Moroccan dishes. The executive floor has a fully equipped and well-stocked 24-hour business lounge and billiards room. Half the rooms, which have wooden furniture and soothing tones, have gorgeous bay views, especially the ones on the sixth floor with balconies.

A haven for budget travelers, this inn occupies a beautifully renovated Arab house that's painted shades of pale yellow and is set in a neighborhood filled with interesting shops. The dormitories with bunk beds mainly interest backpackers (one is for women, one for men, and two are co-ed), but there are 10 double rooms with private bath, and several apartments (with kitchens) that accommodate up to five.

The facade may look ordinary, but this chic boutique hotel's interior is unlike anything else in Haifa. The guest rooms are sleek and stylish, in a variety of styles: some have dove gray curtains, charcoal wallpaper, chrome lamps, and black leather hassocks. Many have whirlpool tubs, and some have balconies. A tufted-leather sofa adds a homey touch to the small lobby, while white leather chairs distinguish the glass-enclosed dining room. There's a hot tub and sauna on the rooftop terrace, as well as a tranquil garden outside, where lunch and dinner is served à la carte. The location is ideal, putting you within easy walking distance of shops and restaurants.