In the morning, I left my room at Dolphin Village in Moshav Shavei Tzion, and on my way to breakfast, I saw the hotel owner raking dry leaves that covered the path – and this is probably the magic of the most charming hotel in the Western Galilee: Simplicity on one hand and attention to detail on the other, combined with a refined experience of a holiday resort by the sea.
There are places you visit for the pool, others for the breakfast or the luxurious lobby with the piano that no one actually plays. But sometimes all you need on a vacation is a room key, a pair of bicycles, a path leading to the sea and a slight feeling that someone thought of the little things. This is what Meital and Ran Weinrebe do, a very cute couple with three children, who moved from the center of the country to Shavei Tzion and purchased the place three years ago, renovated it and opened it for hosting. "We took over the place six months before October 7 and we wanted to create something different," Meital says. Ran, her partner, was previously a partner in the Olive hotel chain, and the idea was to create a family holiday place, close to nature and the sea, but without the feeling of another large and crowded hotel.
Then the war arrived. Like many businesses in the area, Dolphin Village also considered closing, but then they were approached by the Western Galilee Tourism Association, which asked them to open the place for evacuees from the region. "In this period we hosted doctors, council heads, educators and other people who were forced to leave their homes, and we also provided them with three meals a day," she says.
From a family room to a villa
But to understand the Dolphin of today, one must remember the Dolphin of the past. For decades, right next to the Village stood the mythological Dolphin House (established in 1942) – the hotel considered one of the pioneers of boutique hotels in Israel – which hosted presidents, intellectuals and international celebrities like Kirk Douglas and Sophia Loren, becoming one of the symbols of tourism in the region. After long years of neglect, during which it stood abandoned and crumbling, the historic building was demolished earlier this month to make room for a new hotel project. This closed a chapter of more than 80 years in the history of Israeli tourism.
Dolphin Village has 22 accommodation units (some with an attached and heated dipping pool when needed) and most of them are family units – for a couple with three children – and there are also two large units suitable for up to seven people. Right across from the recently demolished Dolphin Hotel, Meital and Ran bought a large three-bedroom villa (Villa Dolphin) that accommodates up to 10 people and is available for rent. The price ranges between NIS 4,500 and NIS 5,500 per night, depending on the season. On the roof, there is a pool shared with a private summer house located above the villa.
Until recently, the Western Galilee and its coast suffered quite a bit from the unstable situation in the region, but the quiet of recent weeks has brought back the travelers. The July-Art events taking place this month in this region are also an excellent opportunity for an Israeli and very cost-effective summer vacation. How cost-effective? A weeknight stay in July for a couple and three children will cost starting from NIS 1,358 in a family room, and this includes an excellent breakfast and all the facilities that Dolphin offers. In August, you will pay about an additional NIS 300 (starting from NIS 1,684), on weekends you will have to pay for a two-night minimum, and the price will rise around NIS 5,000 plus-minus.
But hosting at Dolphin does not end with bed and breakfast (and I must linger on it for a moment, because it has everything you need and more for a nutritious, healthy and delicious meal. Big kudos). In the complex itself, there are quite a few corners that invite you to stay a little longer, and all are at no additional cost. You will find a sauna, jacuzzi, ping pong table, coffee and tea stations and pleasant seating areas in the common spaces – all, as mentioned, at no extra charge. Outside the buildings awaits a well-kept garden with palm trees and blooming vegetation that gives the feeling of a small island in the Western Galilee, and reminded us a bit of a small surfers' village in Costa Rica.
Three minutes and you are in the water
One of the great advantages of the place is the location. A three-minute walk separates the rooms from the small beach of Shavei Tzion – an exceptionally calm beach, almost without waves, which makes it ideal for families with children.
And those who want a bit more space can continue along the shoreline to Haski beach, one of the most beautiful and less familiar places in the area – a relatively pristine and secret beach, located only about 500 meters from the Village, where the monument to the victims of the Ansariya ambush is located.
At Dolphin Village, they do not settle for sending guests to the sea with a towel and a hat. The place provides beach equipment free of charge, such as snorkels, SUPs, a beach cart for carrying equipment, binoculars, fins and even matkot. Meaning, everything you need to turn two hours at sea into a small family operation – just without paying for each item separately. What else awaits guests for free are bicycles, including children's bikes. You can simply take a few pairs and go for a ride on the Nahariya promenade (we will return to it later) up to Mosh's Beach which is adjacent to Achziv. Truly one of the most beautiful promenades we have in the country and perfect for a summer ride with stops.
Five minutes by bike and you are on the Nahariya promenade
One of the advantages of a vacation in Shavei Tzion is that you do not have to start the car. Thus, for example, right next to the Village is the ancient Byzantine church mosaic that can be visited, or you can walk over to the Breakfast Club for a good brunch, and there is also The Cow and the Trough – a pub that also features music and stand-up performances – all within the moshav.
If you are into pedaling, within about a five-minute ride you reach the Breeza complex, located at the beginning of the Nahariya promenade. True to its name, it is a place where you will meet the sea breeze by day and by night. Along the promenade, food and coffee trucks operate with a variety of options. For example, Rapidos which offers hot dogs, including a vegan option; Ganesh with Indian food; and Pausa with pizzas and desserts. Everything comes with seating tables facing the sea and in shaded areas if you come during the day. The food trucks usually operate from 12:00 to 22:00, and on Fridays until 16:00. And in the evenings, small performances are also held there.
On the beach itself, there is also everything for an Israeli summer vacation: A lifeguard tower, shade pergolas, a kiosk and a bar-restaurant offering beers, popsicles and of course French fries (it is just a shame it is sold for NIS 48 for a large portion. But at the La Pampa food truck in the Breeza complex, you get a nice portion for NIS 15).
Riding along the promenade itself is one of the fun activities in the area: On the way, you will encounter fitness facilities, zula seating areas, a huge lawn (synthetic, unfortunately) with the national flag and of course the local stamp of the Nahariya Municipality in the form of a variety of signs and slogans.
The route continues until Rosh Hanikra, and on the way, you also pass through various points on the relatively new Sea Trail – a route that has already become one of the most beautiful places for a walk along the coast in the Western Galilee.
The secret of simple things
When I said goodbye the next day to this pleasant couple who manage the holiday resort like some couple with an INN in the mountains of Spain or Austria, Ran was just varnishing the deck in the jacuzzi area – the place still needs fine tuning and maintenance as it suffers from erosion caused by the salt and wind – there is a price for staying by the sea.
But in the end, Dolphin Village does not try to be another flashy resort with water slides and aggressive marketing. Its charm lies precisely in the simple things: A sea within walking distance, bicycles waiting by the door, a beach that children can enjoy, prices that are pleasant for the family pocket and a smile upon arrival and departure. The secret of simple things.
The writer was a guest of Dolphin Village.