Carmela Boutique Hotel in Haifa – A Boutique Spa Hotel
Carmela Boutique Hotel, located in the heart of the green and historic Carmel area in Haifa, now operates as an intimate boutique spa hotel, designed primarily for couples, friends, and solo travelers seeking a quiet, indulgent, and stylish getaway.
The hotel is housed in a restored historic Templar building at 130 Hatishbi Street, which resumed operation as a boutique hotel in 2017, and today offers a hospitality experience that combines a high-quality private spa, meticulous design, and advanced amenities in every room. This is a calm and personal hotel, intended for lovers of fine details and for those who appreciate a perfect location in the heart of Mount Carmel.
The hotel features only 20 suites and rooms, each with a unique character. Some overlook the sea, others include a spacious balcony, a charming patio, or a relaxing garden, and there are also rooms with a large seating area or a cozy lounging corner. Hotel and spa guests also enjoy private covered parking.
The beautifully designed spa at Carmela Hotel offers a variety of body and wellness treatments in single and couple treatment rooms, aimed at renewing energy, strengthening vitality, and improving overall well-being.
Treatments are performed by professional therapists working to international standards. During their visit, guests receive a robe, slippers, and a towel for personal use, and enjoy fully equipped bathrooms, a relaxation garden with seating areas, a Jacuzzi, and light refreshments.
The building, constructed in 1913, originally belonged to Martin Schneider, a German priest who headed the “Carmel Mission,” and features classic Templar architectural elements such as a red-tiled roof, arches, and prominent balconies. After years of various uses and a long period of abandonment, the structure underwent an extensive preservation process and was transformed into a unique boutique hotel that maintains its historic character alongside modern comfort.
My husband and I stayed at the Carmela Hotel, and the experience was simply wonderful. It is a beautiful, quiet, and intimate hotel that feels from the very first moment like a bubble of calm in the heart of the Carmel. The rooms are designed beautifully, with great attention to detail, very clean, and pleasant to stay in. The design is meticulous, modern yet warm, and gives the impression of a place where the guests’ experience was truly thought through.
The service at the hotel was courteous, professional, and delightful — the kind that makes you feel welcome and cared for effortlessly. Every request was answered with a smile and genuine care, and that is absolutely part of the magic of the place.
The hotel’s location is excellent: near the zoo, within walking distance of the Louis Promenade and the Bahá’í Gardens, with the green and relaxing atmosphere of the Carmel. In addition, there are restaurants and cafés just a short walk away, so everything is close and accessible — without needing to use a car.
The morning starts in a particularly pleasant way — the hotel provides a voucher for breakfast at a nearby and tasty restaurant (our recommendation: Gal’s Bakery — a patisserie/restaurant in a garden, with a special atmosphere and fun food), and at the hotel entrance there is a small buffet bar with hot drinks and cookies, available to guests freely and at no cost throughout the day.
One of the highlights of our stay was definitely the spa — we received an amazing massage, very high-quality, professional, and relaxing, the kind that leaves you with a true sense of pampering long after it ends.
Overall, the Carmela Hotel is a perfect choice for anyone looking for a quiet, pampering, and high-quality vacation, with the right combination of location, design, service, and a high-level spa. It is definitely a place we would love to return to.
Carmela – 130 Hatishbi Street, Carmel Center, Haifa.
04-8302040
And if you are already in Haifa – do not miss a visit to these two special restaurants:
Tatami Restaurant, Haifa’s leading destination for modern Asian cuisine, returns in a new complex at 13 Moriah Boulevard with a terrace and parking, and launches a new menu for the whole family.
Tatami has become a kosher restaurant and offers dishes suitable for pregnant women, people who are sensitive to gluten, as well as vegetarian and vegan diners — all without compromising on taste or the quality of the ingredients. The chef carefully developed the menu, using high-quality and fresh ingredients, with the goal of allowing every guest to enjoy a rich, balanced, and precise Asian dining experience.
My husband and I enjoyed every dish we ordered — we had egg roll, sushi, noodles, Caesar salad, and also bao kapao, and everything was simply excellent: fresh, full of wonderful flavors, beautifully presented, and truly fun to discover and get to know. Definitely a place that goes straight onto our list of restaurants we’d love to return to.
Napo Bowl & Roll brings the future of Japanese cuisine to Israel with a unique combination of technology and culinary spirit. The chain uses advanced Japanese robots to prepare precise, consistent, and hygienic sushi, ensuring freshness and a high standard in every bite.
The flagship branch in Yokneam offers an urban dining experience with a diverse menu that includes sushi, poke bowls, salads, and vegan dishes, alongside the option to build a personalized meal.
At the additional branch at the Technion in Haifa, students and employees enjoy fast, healthy, and innovative meals.
Napo Bowl & Roll succeeds in combining automation with a human soul, with the robots handling precise execution and the staff providing personal service and a welcoming atmosphere.
The chain is kosher and operates in Yokneam and on the Technion campus.
Roger & Gallet launches a festive Ginger Berry scented gift set.
The iconic skincare and fragrance brand Roger & Gallet, launched in Israel this year, presents a special Ginger Berry scented set that includes a perfume, body cream, shower gel, solid soap, and an elegant Parisian toiletry bag.
The fragrance combines spicy ginger, mandarin, raspberry, and pomegranate.
It is fresh, energetic, and mysterious, with 92 percent natural ingredients and formulas produced using traditional methods combined with clinical research. The fragrance was created by master perfumers Alberto Morillas and Amandine Clerc-Marie.
The set includes:
Eau de Parfum 10 ml, iconic solid soap 50 g, shower gel 50 ml, body cream 50 ml, and a chic Parisian-style toiletry bag.
Price: 199 NIS.
IL MAKIAGE launches revolutionary eyebrow and eyelash serums to encourage growth and strengthen hair.
The beauty brand IL MAKIAGE introduces two new products: an eyebrow serum and an eyelash serum, based on the ProCelinyl™ molecule, an innovative technology developed using bioengineering and artificial intelligence and currently pending patent approval. Both serums are designed to encourage regrowth, strengthen fibers, and thicken hairs, for a natural, full, and healthy appearance.
The eyebrow serum is designed for fuller, thicker-looking brows. It contains peptides, ginseng, and pea sprout extract that help strengthen the hair, increase thickness, and reduce the appearance of gaps. It has a lightweight texture that dries quickly and is suitable for daily use. Vegan and cruelty-free.
Price: 249 NIS.
The eyelash serum strengthens, thickens, and lengthens lashes through a combination of ProCelinyl™, peptides, apple stem cells, and red clover extract. It is suitable for sensitive eyes, hypoallergenic, and can be used with mascara. Not suitable for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Price: 249 NIS.
Both serums promise visible results after daily use for eight weeks.
Available on the website and at IL MAKIAGE stores.
Careline expands its Bold mascara series and launches a new-generation winter mascara – Bold So Skinny Tubing Mascara, in a particularly flattering and trendy deep burgundy purple shade.
The mascara is based on advanced tubing technology that wraps each lash in a micro-tube to create a rich, elongated, and separated lash look, with a fan effect that mimics professional lash extensions. The formula is long-lasting, does not smudge or clump, and can be easily removed with warm water only. The mascara is hypoallergenic and free of parabens, wax, fragrance, or talc.
Recommended consumer price: 69.90 NIS.
Available at pharmacy chains and on the Careline website
The French dermo-cosmetic brand La Roche-Posay launches Effaclar Duo+M Patch, transparent patches for immediate treatment of pimples and skin blemishes. The patches are ultra-thin, almost completely transparent, water-resistant, and can be used under makeup.
The product is suitable for all ages, including teenagers and adults with acne-prone skin, and helps reduce the size and redness of pimples within eight hours. Clinical trials showed high satisfaction among 94 percent of users.
The patches come in a pack of 22 units, including 12 small and 10 medium patches.
Price: 79.90 NIS.
Available at pharmacy chains, private pharmacies, health funds, and online sites
Eden Desserts, Israel’s leading company in the production of individual desserts, launches for the first time in Israel a line of pareve desserts in individual portions. The new move was born out of the needs of kosher-observant consumers and those sensitive to dairy, and is initially offered in three flavors: Bavarian cream, tiramisu, and kadaif.
According to Naor Barzani, one of the company’s owners, over 60 percent of Israelis define themselves as traditional and maintain separation between meat and dairy, yet until now there was almost no solution for an individual dessert after a meat meal. Following a development process lasting over a year, the company launched a new line based on high-quality ingredients and designed packaging by Baruch Naeh.
The desserts are sold at a price of 7–8 NIS and are available at food chains and private stores.
Eden Desserts, owned by Eli Boaron and Naor Barzani, operates a factory in Ashkelon and produces approximately 50,000 individual desserts daily, making it the largest supplier in Israel in this field.
New from the world of health and nutrition by Herbalife: the new-generation Formula 1 series expands and launches a new flavor – Chocolate Cookies. The new shake offers a combination of indulgence and rich taste alongside a balanced nutritional profile, and is ready in seconds, ideal for a modern and dynamic lifestyle.
Formula 1 Chocolate Cookies flavor is lactose-free, gluten-free, and suitable for vegans when prepared with milk alternatives, and is certified TOP-K Holland, Mehadrin pareve. The shake is suitable for consumption at any time of day, as a light breakfast meal, a convenient lunchtime solution, or as part of a balanced lifestyle and weight management program in the evening.
Each serving contains 9 grams of protein, 5 grams of dietary fiber, 25 vitamins and minerals, and only 94 calories.
Preparation is simple: blend three scoops (26 grams) with 250 ml of water, low-fat milk, or milk alternatives such as soy or almond. It can be enriched to taste with oats, nuts, or fruit.
Recommended consumer price: 253 NIS per package (550 grams, 21 servings).
Available through the company website and distributors.
Super-Pharm launches a donation campaign for the “My Piece of the Puzzle” association.
Super-Pharm is launching a fundraising campaign in support of the “My Piece of the Puzzle” association, which works to strengthen and empower at-risk youth and youth with special needs. As part of the campaign, a designed magnetic shopping list will be sold for NIS 10, with all proceeds donated in full to the association. The lists can be purchased at all Super-Pharm branches and on the Super-Pharm Online website.
Founded in 2014, the association operates joint programs for ages 12–21 from both populations, with the goal of developing life skills, encouraging social involvement, and assisting integration into society and the workforce. The association’s activities include summer camps in Israel and the United States, student exchange meetings between schools, a pre-military preparatory program, and a support program for autistic candidates prior to enlistment.
Carmel Domb, Human Resources Director at Super-Pharm, notes that the collaboration is intended to expand exposure to the association and support the continuation of its activities. Jenna Elbaz, founder and CEO of the association, adds that the partnership will help develop new programs and expand the circle of impact.
The campaign will take place from December 10 until January 10, or while supplies last.
FoxMind launches “Taktika.”
FoxMind presents “Taktika,” a dice-based party game in which players must close numbers on the board according to the dice results.
The goal is to close all the numbers or achieve the lowest score.
Suitable for ages 7 and up.
Price: 99.90 NIS.
Available at toy and book stores and on FoxMind’s online sales sites.
Eldan by Neopharm launches a defibrillator rental service and debunks important myths.
Eldan, the exclusive representative of Defibtech in Israel, launches a subscription for a home defibrillator at a monthly cost of 99 NIS, including home delivery, personal instruction, and full maintenance. At the same time, a new e-commerce site was launched for purchasing defibrillators and first aid kits.
The Lifeline AED defibrillator is an advanced resuscitation device that is safe for use even without any medical training, featuring voice instructions in Hebrew and English, a seven-year battery, and automatic self-tests. The device can also be purchased with up to eight years of warranty.
Debunking common myths:
“Only a doctor can use it” – incorrect. The device provides step-by-step guidance and is suitable for anyone.
“Suitable only for adults” – incorrect. It can also be used on children, with dedicated pads for those under age eight.
“Expensive and complicated to maintain” – incorrect. It is easy, accessible, and requires minimal maintenance.
“Found only at MDA” – incorrect. It is also available in private homes, offices, high-tech companies, hotels, and more.
“Can be used if the person is unconscious” – correct. The device analyzes the situation and decides whether to deliver a shock.
“Operates only with electricity” – incorrect. It is battery-powered and suitable for outdoor use.
Rapid defibrillator use saves lives: Use within one minute can increase survival chances to 90 percent.
Naomi Nam Horowitz launches her book “The Creator Within Me,” a work that offers a personal, contemporary, and mystical interpretation of Sefer Yetzirah, one of the oldest and most mysterious texts in Jewish tradition. The book combines ancient esoteric wisdom with the inner spiritual journey of a modern individual, written in poetic language and from an experiential perspective.
Horowitz, who was born and raised in Thailand in a rich spiritual environment, brings deep influences from Eastern culture into the book, including listening, cyclicality, meditative aesthetics, and respect for nature.
Her journey toward Judaism and conversion connected with questions that accompanied her since childhood: what is creation, what is the role of humanity, and how the soul is formed.
The encounter between Eastern philosophies and Jewish Kabbalah created a new and refreshing reading of Sefer Yetzirah.
In addition to her spiritual work, Horowitz is active as an entrepreneur and visionary, establishing initiatives in the fields of culture, awareness, creativity, and female leadership.
In her words: “The East taught me to breathe.
Judaism taught me to create.”
The book is available in book chains and in a digital edition.
Israeli home design directions for 2026.
According to interior designer Moran Mor, 2025 marked a significant shift in home design in Israel, moving away from predictable minimalism and “safe” color palettes toward a more personal, emotional, and material-oriented design, with an emphasis on calm, authenticity, and connection to nature.
Prominent trends in 2025 included:
Deep calm – serene spaces with earthy colors, rounded furniture, and matte textures.
Authentic materiality – the use of wood with natural imperfections, raw stone, ceramics, and terrazzo.
Hidden technology – smart homes that minimize the visibility of devices and lighting.
The kitchen as part of the living room – islands and natural furniture, concealed storage, and soft lighting.
Styling with depth – art objects, artistic textiles, and solid wood items.
For 2026, new trends are expected to expand these principles:
True biophilic design – spaces with natural ventilation, breathable materials, green walls, and large openings.
Fluid and rounded lines – furniture, walls, and windows with an organic and soft language.
Smoky earth tones – charcoal brown, peat green, dark terra cotta, and plum to create depth.
Multi-functional furniture – interchangeable benches and islands, cabinetry that serves both function and aesthetics.
“Micro-art” – small items with meaning, such as Israeli ceramics, handcrafted woodwork, and handmade textiles.
Moran Mor concludes that 2026 will be a year of warmth, humanity, and precision.
Less rigidity and templates, more life, depth, and personal character in the Israeli home.
