Now open, the 110-room resort on the eastern shores of the Kinneret Sea flies the first international flag of the renowned Setai Hotel in Miami (and the short-lived outpost in New York City), soon to be joined by the Setai in Jaffa. The Setai resort boasts the largest spa complex in Israel, with indoor and outdoor pools, a fitness center, treatment rooms, sauna, steam room, and a traditional Turkish-style hammam. Many of the rooms and suites feature sweeping sea views with the city of Tiberias and the Golan Heights in the distance. Standard rooms, called Deluxe, offer a seating area with a sofa bed and 49 inch televisions, while upgraded Kinneret Villa rooms feature a private hot tub and tanning beds on the balcony. Top-level rooms offer private plunge pools and larger seating areas inside the room. Other amenities include a lobby cafe and bar, full dining room, poolside snack bar, 24-hour room service, and a children's club. Free WiFi and complimentary bicycle rentals are also included. The glossy photos on the website look absolutely stunning, with a gorgeous seafront pool and elegant porte cochere, although the guestrooms are a little sterile for our tastes. But the rates are stunningly high to match, with a standard room going for $362 a night in the pre-opening season. We're having some trouble imagining how high the rates will climb once things are in full swing. Needless to say, this will be the "it" hotel in the Kinneret area. Meanwhile, we'll wait for the rates to hopefully go down.
