Location

It’s 4 minutes walk from Yafo Center Light Rail Station. It’s in the prime location of Jerusalem with easy access to both the Old City and to Mehane Yehuda Market. Lots of restaurants around. So, it’s ideal!

I took this picture in 2018 when I stayed at Shammai Suites (Read my experience!). I noticed this abandoned theatre, little did I know… it became a hostel in a year!

Isn’t it beautiful after reconstruction?

The entrance is on the left. Now, let’s go to the “Cinema”!

Check-In

The staff at the counter was local. I asked him why this hostel has an age restriction (18-45)?  He said…  “it’s not a strict rule, just a recommendation.”  

Well, such “flexibility” is so common in Israel. But I don’t think age defines a person, someone who is 60 but still young at heart, might still share the value of staying in a hostel!

So I asked him if I could take a picture…. and he gave me this pose, haha!

The check-in went well, but what happened next upset me. The room key failed 3 times!! I had to come down for 2 times, all the way down!! I wasted at least 10 minutes just for “trying” to get into the room. When it failed the third time… I gave up and left.

What I didn’t like about Cinema Hostel

Unfortunately, I immediately found what I didn’t like about Cinema Hostel. Well, you are supposed to make your own bed.  First, pick your pillowcase, bed sheet and quilt cover behind the reception…

Why I don’t like this? Well, I’m lazy and there’s no guarantee that someone else isn’t as lazy as me! While this reduces the workload, it gives doubts to guests. Is this place clean?

I wouldn’t risk this. (If I was a hostel owner…)

And the second thing I didn’t like about cinema hostel …. there’s no elevator.

When I saw there wasn’t an elevator, the first thing that came into my mind was… I miss the Post Hostel!

The Facility

There’s plenty of space to socialize in this hostel. There’s a huge balcony, and it certainly looks cozy!

Cinema hostel has its own pub! It’s on the second floor! I didn’t go of course, but maybe some people will find this pretty convenient!

Don’t worry about the noise factor because all the rooms are on the third floor. I didn’t hear any noise!

There’s a complete and spacious kitchen! It looks great!

And finally… the common room! It’s spacious, comfortable, fun, hippy, just everything you want in a dream hostel!

Okay, let’s be honest, I wanted to stay here because of the design It’s visually appealing!

So that small area is the kitchen. All rooms are behind the kitchen!

The Rooms

All rooms are located in this area.

I was in a 12-person dorm. When I got there (I came back after dinner and finally I got a new key that worked!), I was too shy to take a picture… I took this picture in the morning….

So let’s see their official pictures!

There’s a basket below every bed. (2 baskets below bunkbeds). Your quilt and pillow are placed inside the basket. I didn’t know this because the staff didn’t tell me (was I supposed to know?)

There’s a personal cupboard for socket and light near where your head lies. I like this design because you don’t have to worry about electronics being stolen. BUT! The previous guest left trash here and it wasn’t removed… This isn’t hard to miss if the dorm room was cleaned… And that is the reason why I doubt everyone would properly make their own bed…  (but good thing that while I am observant and opinionated, I don’t have a high standard for cleanliness. I slept well! Haha!)

I like how spacious the room was!

The shower-room looked like this. The sink is in the middle. Shower and toilet are separated.  I didn’t have trouble waiting, even though I stayed in a 12-bed dorm!

Maybe I was lucky to have polite roommates? I’m not sure!

Breakfast

This is the “very good breakfast”. Included in the room price. Available from 7am to 9 am.

The breakfast station looks like this. Cereal, eggs, cheese, tuna, milk, vegetables.  Well, if you are eating breakfast at home, I guess you don’t eat with this many options. So I guess this is fine for a few days before it gets boring.

Let’s meet them! Your friends at breakfast!

It wasn’t a bad breakfast. But if the price is the same, I’d choose The Post Hostel over Cinema Hostel. Breakfast is more luxurious there with hot shakshuka and freshly squeezed juice…  there’s no comparison!

Oh! This reminds me of the super slow coffee machine in Cinema Hostel… I was frowning the whole time :/ And I didn’t like their coffee.

Activities

Cinema Hostel is trying to stand out in the market segmentation with the social aspect, but it feels like they are trying too hard. I didn’t like the 18-45 rule. Anyways, so the night I arrived was movie night…. it was okay.

And the Pub Crawl, I think most hostels have this activity anyways. I asked the staff about activities, he wasn’t ready with information… that was confusing…

“I should have it somewhere, give me one minute.”  ….

Information about music and movie activities. But it’s in a cafe called Tmol Shilshom, not in this hostel.

Help Exchange Option

I accidentally found this information online- the hostel is looking for help. For 5 hours work, 6 days a week, you get free board and breakfast in exchange.

Link：https://www.worldpackers.com/locations/cinema-hostel-jerusalem

Requirement：3 weeks minimum

Hey, this is Jerusalem! It’s worth considering!

Final Verdict

For $22, I had a bed and breakfast. There’s nothing to complain! The vibe was good. But I personally prefer the Post Hostel because of the breakfast and elevator. When the price difference is not more than $5, I’ll choose the Post Hostel over this one.

Cinema Hostel — 2019

Comment：Ignore its market positioning, it’s pretty perfect  (12-bed dorm $22-26)

Location

Only 3 minutes walk to the light rail station (Yafo center). You can find lots of restaurants in this area. It’s funny that “Shammai” suites is actually on Ben Hillel street and not on the adjacent Shammai street!

That’s King George street from the balcony.

Shammai Suites is above Pizzahut. And by the way, the building in the back with glass used to be a cinema, and a new hostel just opened there!

The reception desk on the ground floor felt squeezed. Well, this building was probably just an apartment. So no common area. You get a key to your apartment. There are 7-8 floors here and I think there are 2 apartments on each floor.

I had no idea why I was upgraded again? I was given a family suite and there was only 2 of us…  I booked this place using Hotels.com, and the reception lady saw my order and upgraded us to this room, worth $200! 50 square meters! When you enter it’s the living room, a toilet, a 2-single beds room, plus an en-suite!! Woo-hoo!

A modern and spacious bathroom.

2 single-beds sort of fit here. But the other room….

Wow! A double bed! Comfortable mattress, everything you need is here. A closet, tv, mirrors and another bathroom is here! It’s pretty luxurious! I was just sharing 2 bathrooms with 20 people in a hostel in Tel aviv…

But remember, I was “upgraded” to this room and let’s be more objective here, haha! A good thing about staying in an apartment like this is that you get a real kitchen! (but remember you are paying a similar price, and in other places, though there’s no kitchen, breakfast is included!) Having a kitchen will certainly make you feel more like home, even if you are just boiling hot water.

Yes, I can confirm it is a real kitchen!

Two windows behind curtains lead to the balconies. Shammai Suites is located on Ben Hillel street.

This street on the left is Shammai street.

Final Verdict

Nothing not to like about this place! Comfortable, clean, great location, and the most important part… it comes with a kitchen! Great for privacy. But if you don’t like making breakfast yourself, consider other options.

Shammai Suites in Jerusalem — 2018

Location

It’s right in the Jewish quarter, in the Old City. The closest bus station is at Dung Gate.

And then you walk uphill…. (yeah the not so romantic part if you are traveling with luggage… )

Why is this place called “Sephardic House”?  The Sephardic Jews spent a great fortune to buy this land from Ottoman Turks more than 100 years ago. The place was set up by Sephardic Jews and there’s a Sephardic synagogue adjacent to this hotel.

This place was turned to a refuge house after the six-day war in 1967 because of its unique location. It’s more like a mansion of a big family than a boutique hotel. This is the same courtyard as the picture above, well, if we came in warmer months, we would have breakfast served here!

95% of guests here are Jewish, and they travel as families. But oddly, as a Chinese, I didn’t feel uncomfortable walking around here. And I like mini lounge area in corners.

I think some rooms are classrooms!

And this is a Sephardic synagogue. I took this picture from the hall where we had breakfast. I think the building is connected, and maybe the idea is like other pilgrim houses in Israel,  some portion of it is for religious study and the other part for hospitality.

I didn’t take any picture in the lobby because it was full of people … and noise. It’s just a small room with a reception and some sofas. And walking through the aisle there’s an elevator.

Check-in was on the 5th floor, so we are now going “down” to our room! There’s no 1st or 2nd floor. D is for Dining room…

The room I stayed was on the right! You can see the Sephardic synagogue through this big window on the left! That’s why I think the building is connected!

The Room

Voila! Well, I booked the basic double room for $120, but the manager was so kind that he upgraded me to this room. It probably is a $175 room. You can see from the arches that this was an old building! It was spacious!

Water kettle is available. And I think it’s hard to clean this carpet…

The toilet is small but cozy. Hot water was amazingly HOT. And the floor was heated! Yay!

Breakfast

They normally serve breakfast in the courtyard, but we were here because it’s winter. Well, I didn’t mind it, and I liked the Hebrew sound heard in my years, some even with some French accent in it. It feels so familiar because we have guesthouses like these for ‘teachers’ in Taiwan.

So many options! But guess what? There’s no meat! This is a kosher place!

Grilled veggies! But it’s cold Hmmm

Cheese~ I didn’t take any because, well, I don’t know. Maybe I am 50/50 towards cheese? (Please give me meat!)

Lots of options for more veggies, tomato, olives, and spreads.

And the best part is….. squeeze your own orange juice! Unlimited! It costs 7 NIS a cup when you walk outside this door!

There’s a station for bread too.

Coffee and other hot drinks. And some pastries!

And finally… an egg station! Wow! I ordered an omelet. There were 2 waiters standing there all the time so I didn’t take any picture… I think it is pretty amazing!

The kosher certificate on the wall!

Final Verdict

Great Location. Super close to Kotel. Generous breakfast. Nice staff. Great atmosphere. Spacious room. Prices are good too! But don’t come here if you have 23kg luggage, haha!

Sephardic House in Jerusalem — 2018

The Location of BY14 TLV

It’s close to the beach and the previous American Embassy. There are many restaurants and supermarkets around.

The new look from outside. BY14 TLV! I like how they rebranded this property.

The style fits Tel Aviv better. It’s modern and has an industrial feel.

This is the lobby? This is the conference room? Very informal, but I like it.

The coffee table area from the other side. You get natural sunlight from here. You will feel like you are sitting in someone’s sunroom. It’s so comfortable!

There’s a TV here. And free snacks (cookies), all kinds of tea bags, coffee machine and 2 other types of drinks. Everything is elegantly presented, and it’s so relaxing to be here.

Check-in

This is the reception! I like it! It feels like I was interviewing for a job! I love this hotel! The lady at reception was so kind that she let me check in early. And she gave me an upgrade! Why? I don’t know! But I am happy!

My upgraded room is on the 9th floor. This place used to be Hotel Mercure, so you can still see they haven’t rebranded everything.

The Room

Ooops, sorry about the setting. But let’s just look at the size. It’s about 16m2. I asked for 2 single beds… I guess this is 2 single beds, you just need to pull them apart by yourself. Haha!

Yay, back to correct setting. The beds are so comfortable. You get 2 pillows too! What a luxury!

Hey I can see the Mediterranean Sea from my window!

You get a TV, fridge, kettle… and a capsule type coffee machine. I don’t know how to use it though :/

The reception was supposed to send someone to help me when I called. But no one came. I didn’t care, but I didn’t want to wait and I went for lunch (Kukiza is a great lunch option, by the way, just 1-minute walk). And when I came back…. wait, what’s on my table?????  Complimentary Wine? Cookies? Why??? So my new tase was try to open this bottle of wine. Haha!

The washroom. You will usually see a shower instead of a bathtub in Israel because water is in shortage in this area. It is crazy how Israeli has fixed this problem by inventing ways to recycle water.

An I have no idea why the hair dryer is like a vacuum machine.  It’s funny when you dry your hair with this… it is even a bit scary! (Please don’t eat my hair)

A complete set of toiletries. The brand is Sea of Spa. It seems like all the hotels in Israel uses this brand.

Hello Mezuzah!  The mitzvah from the Bible that Israeli still keep till today.

The Facilities

A gym! Of course, I won’t work out (I refuse!) I like the chairs outside. That’s more me!

The sunset. Well, it would look nicer if it wasn’t a cloudy day!

And a room for Dry Sauna. You need to make a reservation 1 hour earlier. But I don’t understand dry sauna…

Breakfast

The place where we have breakfast is kind of hidden. You need to walk through a hallway and go down some stairs.

The style is totally different. Maybe this has changed. (I stayed here in February 2018)

Let’s see what I had here! There are many choices. Kosher. So it means no meat…. but you get all kinds of bread, juice (artificial), and tea bags.

Fruits, olives, veggies, dairy products. If you are having dairy products then you cannot have meat. That’s the rule.

Cheeses~ They look the same to me, but they actually had very different tastes. So it is time to practice enjoying cheese! (It’s hard for Asian to like cheese, FYI)

Cereals. Eat with yogurt. Eat with yogurt made by Yotvata Kibbutz!

I ate so much!

Final Verdict

I like this place a lot! 24 hours snack! Good breakfast! Excellent service! But I will double check the price. If it’s less than $150, then it is a good choice!

BY14 TLV in Tel Aviv — 2018

Comment：Very friendly. Good breakfast. 24 hours snack in lobby. The room is not big.

Location

It’s 5 minutes walk from Haifa Hashmona. The road is mostly flat.

It’s 3 minutes walk to Metronit station (below) or to a bus stop that goes to Nazareth. A 24-hour grocery store is nearby. The hostel gave me a printed map! It was easy to navigate around!

Port Inn looks like a normal house from outside. Looks cozy even from outside. You enter with code. Or ring the bell for the reception.

This building next to Port Inn (blue gate) is a part of Port Inn too (only the second floor I think). The room with a red curtain was where I stayed.

There’s a hallway when you enter, and on the left is this common area with 3 desktop computers/ luggage room.

And on the right is the reception (I didn’t take any photo), and then 2 lounges. One is this one with lots of Bahai paintings

The other is like a living room and dining room. A mini kitchen is here (anyone can use it)

Oh! And there’s a nice garden! From here you can walk to parking… and that is why there’s a coded door before you enter the computer room.

The reception I met was informative. She looked tired, but she was friendly and helpful. She even asked if I needed help with my luggage. That’s such a polite gesture!

I paid $51.47 for a double room, with shared bath, and no breakfast. A dorm bed comes with breakfast and is for $25, but I figured I need better sleep more than free breakfast.

These rooms without sensors are probably dorms.

And our tiny double room! Small but comfortable! Plugs are easily found. Two towels per head! I was surprised! We stayed for 2 nights, and I was surprised that housekeeping came and changed new towels for us!

The receptionist showed us everything before she left. The shower is here. You can take really hot showers here (unlike…… forget it, haha!)

Toilet next to it. There’s another bathroom with shower and bath together. I didn’t see anyone else using the bathroom or toilet here, even though all rooms were sold out during my stay. Weird huh!

Tiny kitchen. Crockery. Oven. Microwave. Fridge.

I forgot how much was breakfast for. I would guess $10/head. Options seem limited.

The very informative receptionist gave my maps! I met 2 other receptionists later. They were all good friends and gave good vibes.  She suggested us to check out Wadi Nisnas.

The map of Haifa～

The surrounding area. You don’t even need google when you have this map. Haha!

The grocery store nearby. I couldn’t communicate with the shopkeeper here. He’s a Catholic Arab, 35 years old. His dad is 60 and his mom 50. I somehow know this because I wanted to know if his family had been in this land for generations, and we had a gap in communication.

So, it is a good choice! From other options that I see, this is the best you can get!

By the way, one of the receptionists was a Christian Arab. She said most people don’t know 20% of the population are Arab!

I recommend Port Inn

Port Inn in Haifa — 2018

Comment：Very friendly. Good breakfast. 24 hours snack in lobby. The room is not big.

It’s funny how I was hesitant about staying here. Even though I grew up in a church, I don’t see myself as a pilgrim in Israel. So I worried about feeling uncomfortable there…. Well, it turns out I worried too much! Everyone is welcomed here.

Location of Casa Nova Tiberias

The location is literally next to the sea of Galilee. It’s like 2 minutes walk! There are many restaurants nearby. Although… Tiberias is not a big city anyway, everything is relatively close.

The walk from Tiberias Central Station to Casa Nova Tiberias is mostly flat. It’s a 10 minutes walk.

The building of Casa Nova Tiberias is made by basalt stone, typical in Galilee. Parking is at entrance. Ring the bell (though it is scarily loud!)

Check In

The reception… I was shocked. It was so clean! Incredibly clean! How did I book my accommodation? I simply wrote to Casa Nova Tiberias (casanova@koinoniagb.org), and someone with the name of Giacomo confirmed my reservation. No credit card, no down payment. He simply trusted my arrival.

When I checked in, the reception asked if I was XYZ. And I was like…..  It makes sense because I have an Asian name. And so I asked if he was Giacomo？ He said yes! It was a very fun moment to meet someone who’s been corresponding emails with you in real life!

I booked 2 dorm beds (90NIS/$25, including breakfast). Giacomo told us that we were the only guests here tonight. I was like, “How come???? Is it because the church doesn’t want to receive guests?”  And he said, “We do. It’s just… it doesn’t seem to have backpackers who want to stay with us…. Most people who come here prefer double room with private bathroom.” Well, who knows?

“So, is your role here mostly receiving guests?” I asked him.

“I’m actually a Father.” He gently said.

And my face was like….. :O

I had a bad day in that morning, but when I saw the humbleness in him, I realized there was so much that I still need to learn from people like Father Giacomo. It wasn’t a religious place like I thought it would be, it was like, home.

Casa Nova belongs to Catholic church. In the evening there are masses. It’s at 7PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday, and 6:30PM on Fridays and Saturdays. And then the chapel opens from 08:30AM to 6:30PM on Sundays, (Note that in Israel, Sunday to Thursdays are working days. Friday evening to Saturday evening is shabbat.)

To the staircase. Yay, basalt architecture!

We are right beside the sea of Galilee. This building is built on a slope. The reception was on ground floor, but that’s actually 2nd floor… from the other side. The breakfast is downstairs, the balcony and shared kitchen is upstairs.

Common Area

Chapel is on the “real” ground floor. Or basement. Try to remember that Mass is at evening 7pm. It’s only for half an hour. Everyone is welcomed.

The dining area upstairs. You can have tea here. And on this balcony, you can see the Sea of Galilee! I watched sunrise from here!

There are 2 balconies actually. Different angle.

The second balcony… wait, I think this is the rooftop of the chapel??

The place is historical. I cannot believe I stayed here for only $25! In this picture, you can see Casa Nova Tiberias is one of the few buildings that existed back then. Like 1935 or something. Very old.

I love this area so much! Actually I had my dinner here (leftover food from another restaurant). Where was everyone else though? Probably most guests here come with groups. So they were not back yet!

I tried to see the light show here. Hmm. I didn’t see any.

Oh, and the communal kitchen. It’s super tidy and clean!

There are kettles, ovens, microwaves, kitchen utensils, cutlery, plates, and cleaning supplies. Everything is neat and organized. It shows that they actually want people to be able to cook here! That’s called friendliness!

The Room

Next to the dining room, you see the double room. It’s actually not that costly, maybe $80?

My dorm is on the real ground floor.

This is the dormitory for girls! 7 single beds! No bunk-beds! Yay! Towel is on the bed. There are 2 sofas and a basic closet.

The toilet and washroom is on the other side of the hallway. You will see 4 bathrooms (shower and toilet) behind this door on your left.  Don’t go all the way to the end of this hallway because that’s their storage space!

Bathroom. Very basic but it’s clean! Toiletries was provided. It was a pity that hot water wasn’t hot enough. I borrowed hair dryer from Father Giacomo, but I didn’t have a chance to use it.  But again, I thank him for showing me what humbleness is.

Breakfast

I passed by this altar or monument…

And arrived at this hall for breakfast (the white one)

From the main building where I stayed (basalt) to this hall, there are 2 churches in between. I think that’s the chapel of Casa Nova, and the other is St.Peter’s church! (The entrance is from the Sea shore side) 

Breakfast timing is from 07:30-08:30. Don’t sleep in! Don’t waste your life! Haha!

The hall was built by basalt. I think 30-40 people can fit.

Let’s see what breakfast options are!

Next to the toaster, is a kettle and tea bags. A variety of jams.

Cereal. Sweet cake (very Italian for breakfast!), hams (chicken?), olives, boiled eggs, butter.

Hot coffee and artificial juice.

It’s basic…. but less it more!! Life is more than enjoying good food! Right?

About curfew, I remeber you are supposed to be back by 11pm. I don’t think it’s a big deal for most people sicne Tiberias is quiet. Cash only. (So I went to ATM).

I left my luggage here after checkout. And I think people here were so kind. A sister moved my luggage to another room, and carried it back….  with smiles. And I think she was younger than me, but she finds delight in all these things. I’m just so happy for them, and their lives in Israel!

So, to make a reservation, write to casanova@koinoniagb.org. Father Giacomo replies in a day! It doesn’t matter what your religious background is, everyone is welcomed!

Final Verdict

Great option. Highly recommended.  The only problem I had was with hot water Otherwise for $25 a night you get to stay in such as historical place! I like the ambiance a lot. So it’s a big yes from me!

Casa Nova Tiberias— 2018

Comment：Not that religious. Safe. Clean. Friendly. Just life home. Amazing balcony for watching sunrise. Basic breakfast.  (7-bed dorm $25/ double room $80)

The dorm bed is $27 a bed, including breakfast!!

The Location

The Post Hostel is only 2 minutes walk to the nearest light-rail station, anyone can easily walk to the Old City of Jerusalem from here. Jaffa road is probably the most important road in Jerusalem, and this hostel is right here! Lots of restaurants are in this area. I cannot recommend more!

Some Tips on Hostel

Well, In Israel (and many countries in the world), hostel isn’t for young people only. Anyone with a young spirit can stay in a hostel! But dormitory is not ideal for light sleepers. Alternately, opt for double room is $80, including breakfast. You are paying only $10 more per head, but you get much more privacy and better sleep!

The Post Hostel Experience

The building is where the Post is (hence the name). The entrance is at the back alley, parallel to Jaffa Street.  It’s hard to miss.

It’s completely accessible, which is important for those with special needs. Use the elevator to go to 3rd floor.

And here we are, The Post Hostel! Okay, turn left.

The Facility

I like this common area a lot. It’s open, artistic, and relaxing. There’s a tiny kitchen where you can boil water or cook something.

The ambiance is perfect! The place is super popular, and I know that because I booked my room here way ahead of time, and some dates are already booked out! while it looks empty in this picture, the next morning this room was packed with loads of people! I wasn’t surprise!

I can see how people can easily connect to one another and have a good time together here. By the way, there’s a book exchange here, and you can leave your unwanted clothes here.

Let’s go to my basic economy room!

The Room

Tadaa! Yeah this is how big the room was. It was for $80/night only though. It’s clean and comfortable. Though there isn’t much view out there.

Let’s take a look around. Toilet, basin, and shower are separated. I guess this is the standard design for all rooms. Ideally, when you have many people in a dormitory, you won’t occupy shower or toilet for too long. But anything can happen. So it’s a nice gesture to have these 3 functions separated to cut waiting time. My guess is that this room used to be a 4-bed dorm for girls.

Toilet and wash basin. Very clean. Unfortunately there wasn’t a hair dryer.

Shower room. Looked a bit lonely. There wasn’t a complete set of toiletry, but you can use the 2-in-1 shampoo-shower soap thing. But hey this is Jerusalem, and the price for this room is only $80, it’s reasonable.

Breakfast

And…  I really liked the reception guy I met. First of all, he is an Israeli, but he speaks perfect Chinese, with a Taiwanese accent! How cool is that! (Very cool!)

And he offered us free dinner (he was eating it himself). Free? Well, there was a larger group and they booked dinner here. So the food they didn’t finish was offered for free to guests. It actually looks delicious!! I should have taken a bite!

Schinitzel, meat mall and rice! Wow!

The breakfast of The Post Hostel is a highlight. It’s a hostel, but they offer freshly cooked shakshuka! It’s delicious! I ate 2 servings of it!

Besides that, you will find typical Israeli breakfast here. Tomato, boiled egg, tuna, cheese, canned fruits. No meat of course, because it is kosher.

About drinks, you get options such as coffee and tea. But here is another highlight, you can squeeze orange juice here! A glass of orange juice would cost 12NIS….. Yes, if you have time, have some juice here!

Activities

Hostels usually offer activities and tours for free or a small cost. In the Post Hostel’s case, they offer a Mea Shearim Tour for FREE! Fridays at 11AM.

Or, Yoga at noon, Saturdays only.

Final Verdict

I liked everything I saw! I highly recommend this place for people with all kinds of budget, whether you go for $27 dorm-bed or $80 double-bed. It’s perfect for backpackers, especially if you are looking for travel buddies or people to talk to.

The Post Hostel — 2018

Comment：Perfect location, relaxing ambiance, outstanding breakfast (say “shakshuka”!!!)  Bring your own toiletries.  (Double room $80, 8-bed dorm $27)