Shoresh Hotel: Head for the Hills
by gilabrand
Shoresh, a small hotel in the Judean Hills, is not the best I?ve ever been to. But if you want to wake up to the chirping of birds instead of the roar of traffic, like the idea of accommodations outside the city, and don?t mind d?cor that is a little shabby and out of date, this is not a bad option.
We spent a winter weekend here for a family get-together. In all, we were 21 people, a motley crew of couples, singles and families with children, coming from different parts of the country. Shoresh is a 15-minute drive from Jerusalem, and just off the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway.
You can stay in a standard room in the main hotel building, where the dining hall is, or choose a 2-room bungalow nearby. These bungalows are good for couples with 2-3 children, or a group of singles. Again, nothing fancy, but you get a small refrigerator and an electric kettle. There are newer country-style cabins a little way down the hill, which you have to specifically ask for. They seem to be very popular (they were booked solid on the weekend we were there). These units are called ?Yarok Bakfar? (Village Green) suites.
Our room had a sliding glass door opening onto a little porch surrounded by greenery and a beautiful view of the hills. The beds were okay. The color scheme was sort of tired and non-descript. The bathroom could have used some bleach around the tiling, but it served the purpose.
The dining hall is attractive, with huge arched windows overlooking the landscape. The food was quite good ? a cut above what I expected ? with many types of salads and desserts and several main dishes. As it was the middle of winter, the outdoor pool was closed. Instead, our afternoon activity consisted of a tour of Moshav Shoresh, the cooperative village that runs the hotel. An old-timer who has been living there for 56 years took us around and gave us some historical and geographical background.
Nearby attractions are the Masrek nature reserve, Rabin Park, Latrun Abbey, Mini Israel, Aquabella, Abu Ghosh, Kiftsuba and more.