Hi everyone, about a week ago I really wanted to go to Tiberias, so I packed my bag and asked my friend if he wants to join me for the weekend. There were a few earthquakes before we came and extreme heat, but I didn’t want to miss the opportunity. I said: “The Sea of Galilee is there. That’ll cool us down”.
So… We stayed at the Tiberias Hostel, a nice hostel I’ve already stayed at about a year ago. It’s a real budget hostel and and has all a backpacker needs.
Here’s a video produced by DIY Travel Reviews on the hostel, if you want to see it in video:
Here are the major points I have to say about Tiberias Hostel today:
Its location is very central. Tiberias Hostel is located on Rabin Square in the very heart of the city. It’s a very short walk from the promenade and from the shoreline. Though, you should know that most beaches near the hostel charge an entrance fee (which I personally think is ridiculous). There’s one free beach just a few minutes away from the hostel, but it isn’t maintained at all and there isn’t a lifeguard. For better beaches, you’ll need a car during weekends.
There are also great restaurants within a walking distance from the hostel. Pasta Basta, for instance, is just around the corner.
The staff members were nice. The staff were always very attentive and answered all our questions patiently. Though, I must say that when we asked them about restaurants that were open Friday evening, their knowledge was lacking. They said no restaurants are open Friday evening, but when we checked, it turned out that there are a number of restaurants that are open. Maybe they are a bit pricey, but they were open.
The common spaces are large and really fun! Last time I was here, I stayed in a 4-bed private room on the lobby floor and didn’t have much time to wander around. Now we stayed in a double room, also on the lobby floor, but we had time to wander around.
The hostel’s lobby area
The lobby floor is great. It has a free tea and coffee corner and a space with sofas. In between the sofas are tables and on them are all kinds of games, like Rummikub, 4-in-a-row and chess. But when reception closes at 11PM, they turn off the lights in the lobby area, too, and then you can’t do much there.
We decided to see what there is to do on the upper floor. They have a beautiful common room area with sofas, tables, a variety of games and… a billiard table! I really loved this space. You can turn on the lights as you please. And there’s also a TV room with a huge TV and with super cool A/C! One floor up is the amazing rooftop!
The billiard table (forgot to photograph the balls)
Outside the TV room it’s hot. Very very hot! I think the only place in the hostel with a brand new A/C is the TV room. In other spaces of the hostel, you depend only on fans and it can get really hot! We were in the hostel during extreme heat, so… it was unbearable at times. And the A/C in the room was old, very very old. The A/C worked fine in the room, but you have to make sure it doesn’t go under 25 degrees and that it doesn’t work for too many hours, because then it will start leaking. I don’t know how it is in other rooms.
The showers are clean and spacious. On our last day in Tiberias we checked out early, but wanted to leave late, so we asked permission to come back for the showers. The shared showers are beautiful! There are plenty of showers, each one has a colorful shower curtain, there’s a bench where you can lay your things… inside the shower itself there isn’t a shelf for laying things on, but that’s fine. They are really great showers!
The rooms are basic. The double room we stayed in was basic. It had a bed that was built up from two mattresses, which weren’t very comfortable (very springy). There is a mini-fridge and a cable TV, which is a plus, but the shower was small and very basic. You get towels and there’s also soap, but if you need shampoo, you need to bring your own.
This is the double bed we got
Last time I stayed in a 4-bed private room, which didn’t have a TV or fridge, but if I remember correctly had beds that were much more comfortable.
Other than those two rooms, there are a variety of dorms.
The kitchen is huge! And beautifully designed. When we first entered the kitchen and dining room, I was amazed by the size and the beautiful design. There are plenty of tables, there’s a big fridge, a microwave, a stove and all the pots and dishes you need.
Part of the kitchen…
Breakfast isn’t included, but if you want you can order breakfast in advance for about 20 NIS per person. It isn’t too much and I understood it includes quite a variety compared to other breakfasts in hostels.
There’s no elevator. The Tiberias Hostel is located in a building of about 3 floors. To get to the reception, you need to go up two flights of stairs, then another two flight of stairs to the dormitories floor and then another to the rooftop.
Beach towels are given free of charge. Towels are given in the rooms, but you can’t take them out to the beach. You can ask for beach towels at the reception and they’ll give you a towel free of charge. You’ll need to leave a security deposit and return the towel afterwards.
And some things I’ve missed… There’s free WiFi, the reception can help you book tours in the area and if you’re coming with a car, you can find a free gravel parking lot just a few meters from the hostel.
To sum it all up – This is a great hostel for budget-travelers, with an awesome vibe, located next to the Sea of Galilee. The rooms are a bit basic, but the common areas are well maintained, well designed and well equipped with all a traveler needs, and the common areas are the most important thing in a hostel!
This review was written July 2018. If anything has changed, please update me.
Hope you have a great time in Tiberias and the Lower Galilee area!
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Yours,
Lior