A Luxurious Shabbat Getaway at the Ritz Carlton Herzliya

One of my favorite things about living in Israel is that on a whim, you can pick up and go to a kosher, shabbat observant hotel and have the most relaxing, spiritually fulfilling, pampering shabbos. If that’s not reason alone to make aliyah then…

Look there are perks to everything in life but this perk feels much more like a luxury. Especially if you decide to go to the Ritz Carlton Herzliya. In just 1 hour you land in the seaside resort with its understated elegance transformed into an appropriately chic Shabbos atmosphere. Let me explain.

Candle lighting happens in the lobby after which you can enjoy a view of sunset from either inside (through the glass lobby wall) or outside (on the lobby deck). The Shul, just two flights up, is wonderfully full and the Kabbalas shabbos signing with beach views is just transformative.

Almost every dinner table (set for shabbos with challahs, a kiddush cup and grape juice) has a view of the marina and Mediterranean. Dinner is buffet style with a selection of sushi, carpaccio, sashimi and smoked fish that all taste as fresh as if they jumped right out of the sea and onto your plate.

The salads are bountiful, soup is “on tap”, and the carving station along with local comforting delicacies like marak couscous and dolma are abundant but not overdone. You can special pre-order (ideally by Wednesday) machpud kosher certified meat and with a smile they will serve you an impressive platter of sliced fillet, cooked medium, unless otherwise requested, direct to your table.

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Dessert is a feast for the eyes (and for that, the calories are free!). Featuring exotic fruit and a curated collection of haute pâtisserie, translation: high-end, sophisticated, artistic desserts. (From which you should set aside a few at the beginning of the meal b/c everyone eats at a different pace and you don’t want to miss out on tasting anything.) You’ll feel like a kid in a candy shop as you peruse the gummies which somehow have been plated in a way that looks elegant. In fact you’ll even feel a little more elegant yourself on Shabbos. It’s the Ritz ambiance and osmosis. It’s a real thing (I think!).

Breakfast is served extra long Shabbos morning as that’s considered your kiddush/lunch. It works really well for the shorter winter shabbosim and I love the exciting rare occurrence to enjoy dairy on shabbos day.

Don’t worry about check-out time on Shabbos. Through the end of February complimentary late check-out is included in your Shabbos reservation at Ritz Carlton Herzliya. Just be sure to let them know when you are booking that you’re coming for Shabbos so that you can reserve your dinner table and benefit from any special packages and promotions that may be running over the course of your planned stay.

Shabbat Shalom & Bitayavon!