Warm Winter: How to Choose a Hotel in the North with a Heated Pool?

Looking for a hotel in the North with a heated pool? Brown Hotels and Israel Canada offer 4 winter hospitality experiences in Northern Israel: The Kfar Giladi Hotel in the Galilee Finger, offering a huge indoor pool (perfect for families); Galei Kinneret in Tiberias for a luxurious spa vacation right on the water's edge; Lake House with access to hot springs; and Galilion in the Hula Valley, combining a spa, wine, and culinary excellence.

This guide will help you choose the exact vacation for you by outlining the features of each hotel and nearby attractions. Ready?

Which Heated Pool in the North Suits Your Vacation?

To help you choose the perfect hotel with a heated pool, here is a quick breakdown of locations and pool types:

The Hotel	Who is it for?	The Location	Type of Heated Pool
Kfar Giladi Hotel	Families, hikers, and lovers of open Galilean landscapes	Galilee Finger (Upper Galilee)	Indoor, heated semi-Olympic pool
Galei Kinneret	Couples' vacation, classic luxury, spa, and culinary	Tiberias (Right on the water's edge)	Heated Jacuzzi pool within the spa complex
Lake House	Couples and families looking for open spaces and nature	Tiberias (Overlooking the Sea of Galilee)	Hot springs complex (Hamei Tiberias) adjacent to the hotel
Galilion	Lifestyle vacation, wine lovers, and haute cuisine	Hula Valley	Seasonal heated semi-Olympic pool

4 Hotels, 4 Experiences of a Warm Winter in the North

1. Kfar Giladi Hotel: Galilean Nature and Attractions for the Whole Family

At the foot of the Naftali Mountains, facing the spectacular Golan Heights and Hula Valley, lies the Kfar Giladi Hotel. Amidst extensive lawns, you'll find 158 pampering rooms and suites. This is a hotel in the North with a heated indoor pool, providing a combination of health and pure pleasure when the air outside gets cold. The hotel also offers a relaxing spa complex, a sauna, a gym, and a dining room offering a culinary experience in a Galilean atmosphere.

• What's nearby?Banias Waterfall, Snir Stream reserves, Tel Dan, and Tanur Waterfall. For families - ice skating at the nearby Canada Center, and a historical visit to the Tel Hai Courtyard.

2. Galei Kinneret Hotel: Historical Luxury on the Water's Edge

The legendary Galei Kinneret Hotel offers an unparalleled luxury resort experience. Beyond the chef's restaurant and the private beach, the highlight during the winter months is the spa complex. You are invited to enjoy a peaceful, beautifully designed, heated indoor pool, accompanied by world-class spa treatments.

• What's nearby?Galei Kinneret Hotel is located in Tiberias, close to the promenade, excellent restaurants, and the lake's beautiful beaches.

3. Lake House Hotel: Spaces, Relaxation, and Hot Springs

The Lake House Hotel is situated on a mountainside and surrounded by huge lawns overlooking the open view of the Sea of Galilee. In winter, the hotel offers a unique experience—access to the Hamei Tiberias complex adjacent to the hotel, where you can dip into hot, relaxing thermomineral water pools that provide warmth and healing, just like at leading resorts in Europe.

• What's nearby?About a 15-minute drive from Tiberias city center, and a short distance from the Switzerland Forest and Jordan Park.

4. Galilion Hotel: Galilean Lifestyle at its Peak

If you are looking for a boutique hotel in the North that combines wine, good food, and a panoramic view of the Naftali Ridge and Mount Hermon, Galilion is the place. The hotel offers a rich spa complex ("Galilion Spa") including a heated indoor pool, saunas, and treatment rooms. This is the ideal location for a romantic couple's vacation when it's raining outside.

• What's nearby?Close to the Hula Lake Park (ideal for the bird migration season in winter), boutique wineries in the Galilee, and Agamon Market.

With all due respect to the pampering water of the heated hotel pool, you'll want to make the most of your time in the North. Winter here reveals experiences unlike any other season—rushing waterfalls, lakes full of migrating birds, and heated boutique wineries overlooking beautiful landscapes. Let's look at what you can do when you're ready to step outside the pool:

So, what should you do in the North when it rains?

Between the Rains, Wild Winter Nature Awaits

Winter in the North is the only season when nature shows its true power. When the rain stops, and the (deceiving, one might say) sun peeks out, it's time to head outside:

• Waterfall hunters:Winter is the only time of year when the Saar Waterfall flows with power. The Tanur and Banias waterfalls (located up to 30 minutes away from the Kfar Giladi Hotel) also look their best after a few days of heavy rain. Not far away are also the Parod waterfalls, and without a doubt, this powerful water flow is a sight you simply must not miss.
• The magic of the Hula Lake Park:The winter months (November to March) are the bird migration season (cranes, pelicans, and even flamingos). This is a perfect nature trip for families and couples, located about a 5-minute drive from the Galilion Hotel.
• Mud extreme:RZR and jeep tours in the Golan Heights and Hula Valley become much more fun when there is mud, huge puddles, and a deep green landscape all around. Suitable for those looking for adrenaline (and who don't mind getting a little dirty).
• The white magic:If you're lucky (or plan well), a drive to Mount Hermon or the Odem Forest when they are blanketed in white is an amazing winter experience. The Kfar Giladi Hotel is the perfect starting point for this, located only about 30 km from the Hermon site.

Which Activities in the North are Suitable When it rains?

When it's pouring rain outside, or the wind is simply too cold, you need closed, warming, and elegant options.

• Boutique wineries facing the window:There is nothing more romantic than sitting in a closed, heated winery, with huge windows overlooking the rain outside, drinking a glass of red wine. Golan Heights wineries, or the Galil Mountain Winery and Pelter Winery, offer a perfect winter hospitality experience.
• Boutique workshops (for couples and families):Chocolate workshops, like at "De Karina", ceramics workshops, or even baking and food workshops, offer a high-quality and enjoyable outing in closed, well-air-conditioned complexes.
• Ice skating:The Canada Center in Metula offers a fully enclosed indoor attraction that evokes a somewhat European atmosphere. The center is located about a 10-minute drive from the Kfar Giladi Hotel—perfect for families!
• True pampering at the spa:If you're staying inside, do it right. GALEI Spa at Galei Kinneret, the Galilion Spa, including a Turkish hammam, or the Hamei Tiberias complex adjacent to Lake House, are the places to spend a gloomy day, because honestly, there is nothing like dipping in a hot pool and watching the rain fall outside.

Which Restaurants are Recommended in the North in Winter?

And after all those activities, you'll certainly want to try the local cuisine. Here are some restaurant recommendations for winter in the North:

• Meat restaurants and stews:Look for restaurants that offer smoked meats and slow-cooked stews, with a burning wood-burning fireplace in the background. The Tibi's restaurant at Vered Hagalil Farm is a perfect example of a warming, winter cowboy atmosphere.
• Chef culinary facing the view:For a more refined experience, the LOTTE restaurant at Galei Kinneret offers a Galilean interpretation for cool winter days, and the "Shaknai" restaurant at Galilion offers meticulous dishes with a rich local wine menu.
• Small cafes:Short stops for a cappuccino and a good pastry at cafes in Rosh Pina or the colonies surrounding the Sea of Galilee are always a great idea on cold winter days. And if you're brave, look for the coffee carts dotted throughout the Galilee; they are excellent, too!

Winter Checklist: Things to Know Before You Head Out

To make your winter vacation flow smoothly, here are some tips for changing weather:

• The onion method:A must. It's best to pack clothes that you can peel off. Start with thick sweaters for morning hikes, and don't forget lighter shirts for the moments when the sun comes out at noon. Most importantly, don't forget a raincoat and boots.
• Don't forget your swimsuit!Even, and perhaps especially, when it's cold outside, you must have your swimsuit to enjoy the heated pools and spas at Brown Hotels in the North, including the Kfar Giladi Hotel, Galei Kinneret, Galilion, and Lake House.
• Checking traffic routes and floods:Winter in the North, especially in the Golan Heights, can bring road closures due to snow or high water. It's important to always stay up to date with the news and the Nature and Parks Authority websites before heading out on a trail.

Frequently Asked Questions