St. Gabriel Hotel Nazareth

The staff were friendly and clearly doing their best, but the hotel itself was a real letdown. The rooms weren't properly clean, the bathroom was old and the shower didn't work right. A power socket was coming out of the wall, which felt dangerous, and the sheets were too small for the bed. On the rainy night, water leaked through the roof, luckily not beside that socket. Then, on our last morning, the fire alarm went off more than five times. I haven't stayed in a worse hotel in a long time. It's hard to see this place as a serious hotel.

Tucked into the hills, St Gabriel Nazareth Hotel feels like a little hidden find. The courtyard gives you a glimpse across all of Nazareth. The rooms are small but tidy, and there's a decent range of food for international guests. The host family and staff really make an effort to keep people comfortable.

The strong smells, the food, the bathroom, the room, the cleanliness, and the service were all a mess. It was the worst experience I've had. The place looks nothing like the pictures, so don't be fooled by them. I refused to spend the rest of my trip there, but they wouldn't return my money. I couldn't get myself out of the situation, but I hope this review helps someone else avoid it. Please take my advice.

I was here for a hackathon at the hotel, so I can only comment on the shared spaces, not the guest rooms. The hotel sits on hills north of Nazareth, looking down over the city, with the eastern Yizra'el valley to the south. It's a nice panorama when the haze clears, though it often doesn't. The location has a lot going for it, but the hotel felt cramped and poorly maintained. The courtyard could have been a lovely garden and patio facing the view, but it's mostly bare tiles. Lunch in the dining room was okay, just uninspired. Like some of the other spaces, the seating area was cramped and badly under-air-conditioned. The lobby was cool enough, though its furniture looked worn. The lobby bathrooms were clean but also needed maintenance. It's in a prime pilgrimage area, but I couldn't tell who the hotel is meant to serve, and it didn't feel geared toward that kind of stay.