Beach Front House

The fully equipped kitchen had everything we needed, and the villa was stocked with sheets and blankets. It sits right by the nature reserve, about a 10-minute walk from the beach, with lovely views of the reserve, Caesarea spring and Arches beach. The villa has plenty of charm, though it feels a little dated. You may want to check the pool's condition before your stay. I also enjoyed the challenge set by one of the owners, Moshe Tzuriel, who lives there. He offered a 30% discount on the payment to anyone who could solve one of the puzzles he had prepared.

We had a really fun stay for what we paid per person. From the garden, there's free access on foot toward the sea, and it's about a 7-minute walk to the beach. You can hear the waves, and the sunset is stunning. The villa has six bedrooms and around 20 beds, most comfortable, though a few less so. Every room has air conditioning, and there's a small, pleasant pool plus indoor and outdoor dining space for the whole group. The place is generally nice, but the building and upkeep aren't to a high standard. The beds seem to have accumulated over the years, the snooker table can't be used, and the outdoor table football is unusable. The pool filter could use an upgrade.

There wasn't much in the villa besides cutlery, which wasn't kosher if that matters to you. Not even salt. The place is large and the rooms are comfortable, but it wasn't clean enough. There's a pool table, though no cues or anything else to use with it. The owner was rude. He tried to be nice, but didn't keep his word and eventually threw us out in a disgusting way using bug spray. He kept walking between us and throwing our children's toys in the trash. And don't get drawn into his riddles: you have no chance, and he comes to hang out without really understanding when it's time to leave. In short, it wasn't worth the money.

Such a lovely spot, with a wonderful view and a really distinctive feel.