Beresheet Bamidbar
Tips on Visiting the Beresheet Resort

Beresheet is a desert resort at the edge of the Mitzpe Ramon crater.  Beresheet is one  of the Isrotel Luxury Collection hotels. Whereas most of the luxury hotels are not family hotels, Beresheet allocates a small number of rooms for families. Babies are also allowed at this resort.  Despite the diversity of guests, the resort is quiet and relaxing.  Tones are low key throughout most of the resort and there is a lot of space. When the resort is at full capacity you will not feel crowded.


Getting to the Resort
The Rooms
The Lay of the Land
The Facilities
Dining
Internet Access
The Weather
Rates and Reservations


Getting to the Resort:
The resort is at the entrance to Mitzpe Rimon. Driving south, when you enter the city there is a traffic circle with service station around the bend. Beyond the station you will see some of  the stone chalets.  This is where you are going. A freshly paved service road along the side of the station will take you to the gate of the resort.  Stop at the gate and a guard will make sure that you are listed. Enter the gate and follow the guard’s direction to the parking lot.
Private cars are not allowed on the campus of the resort. While you are parking the guard will call a golf cart to meet you at the parking lot.  The cart will drive you and your luggage up to the main building, and after check in you will be driven to your chalet in the golf cart.


The Rooms:
The resort is made up of individual stone chalets laid out in a large arc around the main resort building.  Most of the chalets house two double rooms: one on ground level and a second double room one floor up an outdoor flight of stairs. There are about 20 wooden stairs to the second floor room.

Your chalet is your home at Beresheet.  The resort is new and modern, and the rooms are unusually spacious and beautifully appointed.  There are slightly over 100 rooms at the resort.

The majority of the rooms are the standard ground floor or patio rooms. These rooms have a dressing area, a mini-bar stand with an electric tea kettle, a desk in an alcove, a spacious bathroom with a separate shower and tub, and the bedroom with a seating area that is a convertable fold-out couch. The beds are roomy and comfortable. Each has its own pin-point reading lamp. There are plenty of electrical outlets, lighting and conveniences. A flat screen TV swivels to face either the sitting area or the bed.  You will have the feeling that they thought of everything.

Ground floor rooms have a ground floor patio through the bedroom. Upstairs rooms are identical with a porch outside the bedroom.  Approximately 40 ground floor rooms have private pools on the patio. There is a premium charge for these rooms.  The pools measure about 5 x 5 meters and are 1.2 meters at their deepest point. There graduated steps getting into the pool, which is not covered. The sun is quite intense in the middle of the day and it is cool for outdoor swimming in the evening. See weather.

Note that the chalets are arranged in a semi-circle facing the crater. A small number of rooms are on a higher elevation and will have a better view of the crater. The patios and the pools in each room are visible from the other rooms in the semi-circle.

There are a small number of 2-bedroom guest rooms appropriate for a family with two children or 4 friends.  The main bedroom is the standard double room and the second bedroom has two single beds and a TV.  The extra guests carry a separate charge.


The Lay of the Land:
All of the resort activities take place in the central  building. The building houses reception and lobby, the dining room, the bar, the spa, an indoor pool and an outdoor pool, fitness facility, children activities and the gift shop. 

There is no public vehicular traffic on the Beresheet campus. Transportation between your chalet and the main building is by electric golf cart or by bike.  Bikes are available free of charge. Chalets closest to the main building are within a short walking distance. Some of the Chalets can be a 10 – 15 minute walk from the main building.  This can be a pleasant traffic-free stroll in the evening but in the heat of the day you will appreciate a ride. A stable of electric golf carts are parked outside the entrance to the main building. Drivers will be pleased to drive you to/from your chalet at any time. You can call a driver from your chalet to pick you up.  In fact there is a “golf cart” button on your room phone.  Golf cart transportation is free of charge.

The Facilities:
Beresheet has a number of sports facilities, the most prominent are the indoor and the outdoor pools. These are state of the art facilities, new, and spanking clean. Both pools and the spa are on the lower floor of the main building. There is an elevator between the two floors providing full handicap access from the entrance to the building.

The half  Olympic size indoor pool  has a small outdoor area at the far end.  You can access the outdoor section from within the indoor pool.  The outdoor section has a bench with an air-driven water massage.  Soft music is heard only under the water.  A lifeguard is on duty from 8am at both the indoor and outdoor pools.

The spa is adjacent to the indoor pool. The spa is a  quiet and relaxing respite from the rest of the resort. A good number of massage treatments are offered in private massage rooms. The Turkish Hamam is  located in the spa area and there is a fee for its use.

In addition to the resort facilities guests can arrange jeep tours of the crater and bike tours offered by commercial interests,  through the hotel concierge.

Dining:
The resort has a large dining room where breakfast and dinner are served. There is also a poolside café and you can have light foods and drinks at the bar.

The main dining room has an indoor area and an enclosed porch facing the view. The meals at the dining room are generous, tasty  and filling. The large variety of foods ensures that everyone in your party will find foods to their liking. The breakfast buffet includes a grand selection of vegetables, a fine assortment of Israeli cheeses and fish. There is a large variety of breads, rolls and pastries. Hot dishes such as pancakes, shakshuka, and more are also offered. Egg omelets and coffee are served at your table.

Dinner start with a generous open salad bar. This includes bread and a large variety of fresh and cooked vegetables. The elaborate and attractive display is as impressive as it is tasty.
Main courses and desserts are served to you at your table.  The staff will explain the options and take your order for the main course and the dessert.

Note that the resort plan is bed & breakfast, and dinner carries an extra charge.  If you are vacationing at the resort for several days, some days you may choose to have a lighter dinner at the bar or at the poolside café. There are also restaurants in Mitzpe Ramon. The Pundak Ramon hotel  (Isrotel) offers excellent meals to guests of the hotel and outside visitors. Kashrut: Rabbanut. Tel: 08-6588822 and ask for the restaurant. Dinner is NIS 135 adults, nis 70 for children in the dining room. Pundak Ramon also serves food in their lobby. It is advisable to reserve in advance.

Most guests of the resort will be arriving from locations in the center of the country, passing very close to Beer Sheva on your way south. There are several good restaurants in Beer Sheva where you may want to stop for lunch on your way down. We recommend Ringelblum Restaurant for a fine dairy lunch or Yakota Restaurant for an exotic Moroccan meat lunch. The eLuna 10% discount coupon does not apply to the business lunch, but present the coupon and maybe the restaurant will be generous. See restaurants in Southern Israel,  www.eLuna.com


Internet Access:
Wireless Internet access is available from the rooms but you will need your own laptop computer. Users can sign up directly with Smartnet through the browser without the aid of the hotel. This service has become a standard in many hotels. There is an hourly fee or you can purchase a 24-hour package at a reduced fee. Payment is by credit card on line. Wireless reception in the chalet that we occupied was very good.


The Weather:
Mitzpeh Ramon is in the desert, and the weather at the cusp of the crater may surprise you. In the daytime the sun can be very intense and the temperature hot.  Humidity is low most of the day. At sunset the air starts to cool down and the weather becomes very pleasant. Nights are windy and cold, even in the summer. This is probably one of the few places that you can escape the Israeli summer heat. We advise that you bring a sweater for outdoor activity at night. Evening is a great time to enjoy one of the outdoor balconies,  but at night you will need some heavy clothing.

Rates and Reservations:
Click here for rates and to make reservations through our online service. Enter all your information and we will process your reservation. Usually you will receive acknowledgement of your request within 3 - 4 hours and confirmation of your reservation within 24 hours.

Please enter all the fields on the reservation form. eLuna does not charge your credit card. Payment is made at the resort when you arrive.