Dive deep for an underwater experience you won’t forget

Eilat by Jane Archer

Eilat by Jane Archer

Dive deep for an underwater experience you won’t forget

Huge variety of activities maintains resort’s appeal

Huge variety of activities maintains resort’s appeal

ANYONE going to Eilat for a seven-day holiday can take part in an activity every day and never do the same thing twice.

The sheer variety of things to do is one of the resort’s key selling points – the winter sunshine, with temperatures in December and January near 23C and easy access from the UK by charter or scheduled flight are others.

The resort, a five-hour flight from London, is at the southern tip of Israel, between the Red Sea and Negev Desert. The location means visitors can explore the desert by Jeep in the morning and cool off on the beach in the afternoon. Or you can start with a trip to the depths of the Red Sea in the submarine at Corel World and saddle up for a camel safari in the afternoon.

Another day can be spent at Dolphin Reef, where visitors can swim, snorkel or scuba dive with the dolphins and another day can be filled trying snuba diving – an Israeli invention which allows beginners to dive deep, attached by breathing tube to a tank in a boat on the surface.

Alternatively, clients can opt to take a five-day learn-to-dive Professional Association of Diving Instructors’ course. Beginner packages cost about £170 and can be booked with most UK operators.

For the evenings, there is an underwater restaurant, where diners can eat as they watch the fish go by, or Bedouin nights where guests enjoy a traditional meal under the stars with local music and dancing.

The next day there are water sports to try, glass-bottomed boats on the Red Sea, the underwater conservatory to visit, or you can take a longer excursion into the desert to Timna National Park.

The Dead Sea, Jerusalem and Petra in Jordan are also within reach for a day trip.

Of course, visitors can choose simply to relax around their hotel pool, knowing that they could be active if they wanted.

A building boom over the past five years means there is plenty of choice of accommodation – there are now a total of 10,000 beds shared between hotels ranging from two to five star, although it is heavily weighted at the top end with properties including the new Herod’s Sheraton Resort, the Dan Eilat, Le Meridien and Hilton’s Queen of Sheba.

Take it easy: if you’re not feeling energetic, there’s always the beach

hotel check

Dan Eilat, Eilat

Location: in the North Beach area of Eilat in the heart of the resort’s hotel land. There are plenty of restaurants and the town is only a short walk away.

Accommodation: there are 378 rooms, all with balconies and views across the Red Sea. The accommodation includes 24 Club Deluxe rooms and 18 family rooms. There are also 24 terrace rooms and seven suites, including the Presidential, which have access to a 14th floor lounge with private check-in and refreshments throughout the day.

Facilities: leisure pool, children’s pool, fitness gym, Turkish bath, Finnish sauna, massage, squash courts, Jacuzzi, spa, foreign currency exchange, 24-hour room service and babysitting. There is also a Danyland children’s club which offers day trips, shows, disco nights and puppet theatres.

Service: friendly, but check-in is slow at busy times.

Bar/restaurants: the Al Bustan restaurant serves Lebanese cuisine or there is a self-service buffet Food Fair, French-style cuisine in the Rotisserie, or Oriental dishes at the Moby Dick. There is also the poolside Grotto bar. Expect to pay £4.80-£5.80 for an aperitif and £2-£3 for a beer.

Overall opinion: the hotel has adequate style andfacilities to suit business people. Families would feel at home here. Design is striking and adds to the fun, relaxedatmosphere.

Cost: a standard room is from $120 per person per night including breakfast for stays of up to three nights. A family room costs from $177 per person per night.