Eilat, Israel, Master Thread

[shiframeir]

Current Kosher restaurants?

Don't know your level, but when i was there in January 2013 there was a rabbanut mehadrin cafe cafe in the large mall next to what was the Le Meridien (called the Mall Hayam, get it, with a big superPharm inside, and about a five minute walk away where McDavids used to be (an outdoor concourse where kids pay to ride moving dolls kinda slow) there was a Mehadrin Burgers Bar that was pretty good. Big Apple used to also have a mehadrin location more in town in Eilat with free delivery (see ridic review here, but havent been there in years: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g293980-d4603498-r185914252-Big_Apple_Pizza-Eilat_Southern_District.html http://www.redseaeilat.com/dining-and-nightlife/eilat-restaurants/list/bigapplepizzaeilat.aspx)

[shimino1]

Don't know your level, but when i was there in January 2013 there was a rabbanut mehadrin cafe cafe in the large mall next to what was the Le Meridien (called the Mall Hayam, get it, with a big superPharm inside, and about a five minute walk away where McDavids used to be (an outdoor concourse where kids pay to ride moving dolls kinda slow) there was a Mehadrin Burgers Bar that was pretty good. Big Apple used to also have a mehadrin location more in town in Eilat with free delivery (see ridic review here, but havent been there in years: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g293980-d4603498-r185914252-Big_Apple_Pizza-Eilat_Southern_District.html http://www.redseaeilat.com/dining-and-nightlife/eilat-restaurants/list/bigapplepizzaeilat.aspx)

Can confirm the cafe cafe and the big apple pizza, they also have another mehadrin big apple pizza in the new ice mall which is in itself worth a visit.
There is also a sepherdic meat resturent with a machpud hecsher called Haleluya on rechov hatamar iinm.
Never heard of a mehadrin burgers bar in eilat.

[shimino1]

Theres also a couple of bakeries and felafel shops in the city center.

[@Yehuda]

Don't know your level, but when i was there in January 2013 there was a rabbanut mehadrin cafe cafe in the large mall next to what was the Le Meridien (called the Mall Hayam, get it, with a big superPharm inside, and about a five minute walk away where McDavids used to be (an outdoor concourse where kids pay to ride moving dolls kinda slow) there was a Mehadrin Burgers Bar that was pretty good. Big Apple used to also have a mehadrin location more in town in Eilat with free delivery (see ridic review here, but havent been there in years: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g293980-d4603498-r185914252-Big_Apple_Pizza-Eilat_Southern_District.html http://www.redseaeilat.com/dining-and-nightlife/eilat-restaurants/list/bigapplepizzaeilat.aspx)

Thank you! I eat Rabbanut Yerushalayim Mehadrin, but don't know the comparison.

Can confirm the cafe cafe and the big apple pizza, they also have another mehadrin big apple pizza in the new ice mall which is in itself worth a visit.
There is also a sepherdic meat resturent with a machpud hecsher called Haleluya on rechov hatamar iinm.
Never heard of a mehadrin burgers bar in eilat.

Thanks!
TA reviews of the ice mall were actually pretty negative - said it's very small and entrance fee is expensive. Do you have a different opinion?

[sky121]

Thank you! I eat Rabbanut Yerushalayim Mehadrin, but don't know the comparison.Thanks!
TA reviews of the ice mall were actually pretty negative - said it's very small and entrance fee is expensive. Do you have a different opinion?

I can't remember the price but it is very small. I went with some Israelis who'd never been out if Israel so for them it may have been worth it. Personally I'd skip it.

[@Yehuda]

I can't remember the price but it is very small. I went with some Israelis who'd never been out if Israel so for them it may have been worth it. Personally I'd skip it.

Right, that's what I thought. Best way to get tickets to the aquarium?

[sky121]

Right, that's what I thought. Best way to get tickets to the aquarium?

At the aquarium

I think you may be overplanning here... I like planning things too but a part of the fun is figuring things out as you go along and kinda going with the flow. 

[@Yehuda]

At the aquarium

I think you may be overplanning here... I like planning things too but a part of the fun is figuring things out as you go along and kinda going with the flow.

Yeah but when you save money by booking online in advance...

[shimino1]

TA reviews of the ice mall were actually pretty negative - said it's very small and entrance fee is expensive. Do you have a different opinion?

It depends on your expections.
Its basiclly a cute oval shaped shoping mall with an Ice skateing rink in the middle.
I would do it as a evening activity or on a friday afternoon. Look around the mall shops, go ice skateing, and eat at the pizza place or the new cafe cafe that just opend at the ice mall (check out the hechsher to make sure its ok)
About the price: normaly its 70 shek for about 1:15/1:30 hours of skateing (It goes by time slots, not by when you enter the rink).
Theres a promotion from egged (the bus compeny) that you show your bus ticket that you used to get to eilat at the ice skateing counter and get 50% off making it 35 shek.
If you dont go down to eilat with egged you can use my move: go to the centrel bus station and get tickets from people coming off the bus or pick them off the floor :-)

[chuchem]

To save 35 shekels you go to the bus stop and shnoring tickets? Isn't that a little cheap?

[sammy n]

To save 35 shekels you go to the bus stop and shnoring tickets? Isn't that a little cheap?

+1

[shimino1]

To save 35 shekels you go to the bus stop and shnoring tickets? Isn't that a little cheap?

A. Im a yeshiva guy, id do anything to save 35 shek ;-)
B. Its not that big a hassle as most pepole dont need thier used bus tickets and just throw them away. People on this forum do much more diffuclt things to save 10$
C. Its not the money itself, its the kick I get out of saving it.

[@Yehuda]

It depends on your expections.
Its basiclly a cute oval shaped shoping mall with an Ice skateing rink in the middle.
I would do it as a evening activity or on a friday afternoon. Look around the mall shops, go ice skateing, and eat at the pizza place or the new cafe cafe that just opend at the ice mall (check out the hechsher to make sure its ok)
About the price: normaly its 70 shek for about 1:15/1:30 hours of skateing (It goes by time slots, not by when you enter the rink).
Theres a promotion from egged (the bus compeny) that you show your bus ticket that you used to get to eilat at the ice skateing counter and get 50% off making it 35 shek.
If you dont go down to eilat with egged you can use my move: go to the centrel bus station and get tickets from people coming off the bus or pick them off the floor :-)

Can you go into the mall w/o paying for the skating rink?

[chuchem]

Yes

[shimino1]

Yes

+1

[@Yehuda]

That will be fine for the experience. If we also decide to go skating, 70 shek ($20) for an 1-1.5 hours of skating is not much more expensive than skating in America.

[bb_sam]

I have a trip to Eilat planned for right after Succos.  So far, the best deal is at the Dan Panorama -- it seems that others on this board have positive things to say about the DP.  My question relates to the room types -- I booked one of their "Terrace" rooms -- which apparently has a hot tub on the terrace.  From looking at pics of the building -- are these the rooms that appear to be on the corners of the building -- with what look like massive balconies?  Another question, these rooms also come with access to the Dan Lounge -- is that an actual postive benefit? 

Last time I was in Eilat, I stayed at the Hilton -- we were upgraded because of my gold status -- in a massive 1 bedroom suite.  Seems to me that the DP is a bit more dated -- but it's hard to find pics of each room type.  Any advice would be appreciated.

[Drago]

I have a trip to Eilat planned for right after Succos.  So far, the best deal is at the Dan Panorama -- it seems that others on this board have positive things to say about the DP.  My question relates to the room types -- I booked one of their "Terrace" rooms -- which apparently has a hot tub on the terrace.  From looking at pics of the building -- are these the rooms that appear to be on the corners of the building -- with what look like massive balconies?  Another question, these rooms also come with access to the Dan Lounge -- is that an actual postive benefit? 

Last time I was in Eilat, I stayed at the Hilton -- we were upgraded because of my gold status -- in a massive 1 bedroom suite.  Seems to me that the DP is a bit more dated -- but it's hard to find pics of each room type.  Any advice would be appreciated.

Did you look into the (former?) Le Meridian? All of the rooms appear to be 'suites'.

[chuchem]

The dan I wrote about is the dan and not dan panorama

[bb_sam]

Did you look into the (former?) Le Meridian? All of the rooms appear to be 'suites'.

Looks like the reviews on the Le Meridien (now the U Suites) are mixed (at best) on TA.  Seems to be a dated property -- not surprising since they lost their SPG status.