Golden Tulip Club Hotel Dead Sea (Former Nirvana)

The hotel feels old, and the building work brought constant noise and dirt. Our room smelled of sewage. The pool and spa are much too small for the number of guests, and although the food seemed ordinary, I ended up with food poisoning. Reception was terrible, and nobody spoke English clearly. Administrator Hofit was extremely rude and made a scene. Parking is limited, with no spaces available. Security rummages through guests’ bags when they turn away. During checkout they go to rooms and make lists of guests who are a little late, then charge a 250 shekel fine. Honestly, I’d recommend finding a better hotel.

The location was great, the food was good, and the services were nice. We stayed at the Enjoy Dead Sea for three days over the Channukah holiday, with breakfast and dinner each day. Service was generally very good, and we especially liked the spa’s hot pools. We had a lovely few days there.

Our Royal suite was spacious, with a huge wooden-deck balcony facing the sea, lots of storage, a large comfortable bed, and a roomy bathroom. The bathtub was large, though it used to be a jacuzzi, and there was another large jacuzzi with seating on the balcony. The equipment is dated and maintenance reflects that, but when a sliding door jammed and a balcony door wouldn’t lock, both were fixed quickly. Cleanliness in the suite was reasonable, and the hotel makes a clear effort to keep rooms and shared spaces clean. The spa has several warm and hotter saltwater pools, one leading outside, plus a cold pool and sauna. The dining room was decent, with good, varied food. I didn’t see another dining room for VIPs. The temporary business lounge, while the original is being renovated, was disappointing: one beer or glass of red or white wine, no hard liquor, and no cakes included. You can pay 34 NIS each for a choice of three cakes, and there’s one scoop of ice cream. The “desert” platter was a pleasant surprise, with several cheeses, salad, a salmon roll, and olives. The entrance is beautiful and the lobby well kept, though the building itself shows its age. There’s a large pool and several others that aren’t in use, and parts of the hotel are closed or being renovated. Staff are friendly and try to help. Parking right by the entrance is limited, so it’s worth letting the hotel know in advance if you’re arriving by car to try to reserve a spot, though that isn’t always possible. The hotel aims for a luxurious feel. It isn’t cheap, but I felt it was worth the price.

I had a spa day and really enjoyed the facilities and lunch. There’s a Dead Sea water pool, two types of sauna, a cold pool, and a hot pool. Recommend a visit.