The Shevet Ahim Group has begun construction of a luxury resort on Ashkelon’s seafront promenade, in a project that will replace one of the city’s best-known “white elephants” — the abandoned shell of the Cliff Hotel, whose construction on the coastal bluff was halted about a decade ago because of financial difficulties faced by the original developer. The new hotel, designed by Itzik Levy Architecture and Engineering, is expected to open in March 2027.
The project will cover about 20,000 square meters (215,000 square feet), including about 6,000 square meters (65,000 square feet) devoted to 98 smart, sea-facing rooms that can be controlled via an app, and about 14,000 square meters (151,000 square feet) of public areas.
Rendering of the new luxury resort to be built on Ashkelon’s seafront promenade in place of the abandoned shell of the Cliff Hotel
(Photo: Itzik Levy Architecture and Engineering)
At the heart of the complex will be what is billed as Israel’s largest spa, with about 30 treatment rooms, a hammam, saunas, an indoor pool, salt rooms, pressure chambers, ice baths and a VIP area.
Other facilities will include a gym, Pilates studio, padel courts and a rooftop with a restaurant, bar and pool. The hotel will also feature several concept restaurants offering different cuisines, including Asian and Italian.
“The group is developing a luxury resort chain,” said Yehuda Yifrah, one of the owners of Shevet Ahim. The group, which specializes in lifestyle hotels and spas, also owns the Dream Island resort near Sde Yoav and another resort at Migdal Beach on the Sea of Galilee.