Pack shorts but you can forget the pedometer
THE TAXI ride from the airport to the hotel in Eilat always feels like arriving at a toy town. The place seems so small and compact, with everything you need for your stay so close — hotels, shops, restaurants and entertainment. I have always felt like this about Eilat, through my dozens of visits — but this time even more so. Because for my latest trip I was staying at the Dan Eilat, where, on arrival, I realised I could get through the whole stay if I wanted without ever walking for more than about 200 paces in one go.
From the entrance and reception desk, in a hop and a skip you are outside in the pool area which, as a result of clever architecture, feels like the centrepiece of the hotel. There you have pools and a water slide, as well as the all-important ice-cream parlour.
From the pool area, the Red Sea and its soft sand beckon you to visit. You do not need to worry about packing up and taking your stuff — it is just a matter of grabbing your towel and popping it into one of the hotel’s beach deckchairs while you dip in the sea.
Within a minute you can be back on your poolside chair and in a couple of minutes back in your room, soaking in a bath, lounging on the bed or looking out at the views. Alternatively, you can stroll along the promenade to shops, bars and cafés.
The Dan Eilat manages that rare achievement of melding Eilat-style informality — and this resort is informal even by Israeli standards — with European-style attention to detail and service. There are always people cleaning and polishing the place, curtains are drawn and beds turned down at night time and management has thought really carefully about the guest experience — resulting in small touches that make a big difference, such as baby food served anywhere in the hotel.
You can wear your shorts and sandals in the dining room but still have the full dining experience, such as an evening meal with fine cuts of meat, good wine lists, fancy desserts and sometimes also special features such as a barbecues or perhaps a gourmet burger station. At breakfast, many guests have just slipped something on top of their swimsuits, as they will be heading straight for the beach or pool. You can while away a good part of your morning at breakfast, which does not close until midday, trying foods from all the different sections — fish, cheeses, Chinese, pizza, salads, olives breads, pastries, cereals and more.
It is all good brain food for cracking the conundrum of Eilat. If you are eating every dairy dish, fish and salad you know, as well as Chinese food for breakfast and hunks of meat for dinner, what is worth eating for lunch?
It is mere steps to the pool and ice-cream parlour’