Four years ago, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, I traveled with friends to a resort on Phuket Island, Thailand. We slept in soft beds, ate amazing food, drank coconut water, went to the sea, and laughed a lot. We allowed ourselves a moment to rest from the event, which at the time seemed like the peak of possible craziness. And then new years came. Years that astonishingly struck us with states of turmoil, pain, and fear we could never have imagined. Years that we truly needed a break from.
Once in a while, I miss Phuket. The quiet, the endless deep blue sea, opening my eyes in the morning and feeling like I’m inside a painting or a scene from a romantic comedy, the feeling that nothing can really go wrong, the special togetherness that can only happen when you truly manage to relax.
This week, I had such a moment with one of my best friends. We arrived at Dan Accadia Resort in Herzliya, and the second we stepped through the door – I was back in Phuket. The gleaming marble floors, the impressive paintings on the walls, and the smiling staff welcomed us at the entrance. We passed through the designed lounge area, decorated with a stunning colorful wall mural and a snooker table shaped like a vintage car. There, we met Gal, the Guest Experience Manager, who welcomed us with a broad smile to his second home, happy and excited to return after two long months of reserve duty. Gal shared with us the story of the old hotel, which has undergone an exciting renewal in recent months.
Gal told us about the renovation that had been scheduled (how could it not?) for October 8, 2023. That plan, of course, did not take place. Instead, Gal and the dedicated hotel staff found themselves hosting the Meflas kibbutz community, which had been evacuated from the Gaza envelope area after the massacre, in their magical gem. We could see in Gal’s eyes the children playing on the green lawns by the stunning sea, and the adults sitting in discussion circles, trying to process what had happened. The kibbutz community stayed at Dan Accadia Resort for about ten and a half months. “And the day after they left – we started the renovation,” Gal said.
The resort complex includes three buildings – the main building was constructed by the British during the Mandate period, while the other two buildings were built in the 1960s, Gal told us. Suddenly, we felt as if we were walking inside a piece of history. As part of the renovation, 90 garden and terrace rooms were renewed alongside five unique suites. The Chalet complex, where we stayed, underwent a full upgrade and renovation, as part of the resort’s extensive overhaul, with an investment of approximately NIS 75 million.
The new garden rooms in the Chalet complex are 40 square meters and include a private garden facing the sea and the pool. The terrace rooms are 35 square meters and feature a designed balcony with an open view. The project pays tribute to the work of the late architect Chaim Heinz Pinhel, who designed the original Chalet buildings at Dan Accadia Resort in the 1960s.
Gal took us on a tour of the complex and the magical garden room where we stayed. The renovated spaces blend architectural tradition with a modern design language and luxurious materials to create a combination of past and present. This connection is expressed in the precise interior design of the rooms and suites. The ceilings are adorned with prints of original artworks that were once hung in the hotel’s halls, Gal told us as we entered the room and admired the unique ceiling.
In addition, there is prominent use of luxurious marble and original textiles, carefully collected furniture pieces from around the world – including original artworks by Ohad Meromi and Gal Weinstein – and items designed and created especially for Dan Accadia, such as the unique mattresses developed with a double pad to provide comfort that meets the design standard.
The new bathrooms in the garden and terrace rooms were built with a dressing area, a shower with a comfortable bench, a luxurious bathtub, and two sinks. Their design allows the bathrooms to open into the room and the view through a wide smart glass window, permitting transition from full privacy to an open view. Additionally, some garden rooms feature a private outdoor bathtub, offering a relaxing experience under the open sky.
Alongside the Chalet complex renovation, as part of the general upgrade of Dan Accadia Resort, the resort’s magnificent pool, restaurants, and halls were renewed. The resort restaurants and garden areas, redesigned by landscape designer Kfir Fischer, include new paths made of imported natural stone, spectacular Mediterranean vegetation, and a harmonious atmosphere connecting indoors and outdoors. As we wandered through the designed garden space, facing the pool, palm trees, lawns, and comfortable chairs, and just a touch away – Herzliya’s stunning beach – the feeling that I had when entering the lounge strengthened – I was in Phuket.
In the evening, we arrived at the resort’s restaurant, where we met Chef Golan Israeli. When we asked him how his day had gone, he replied: “I do what I love every day from morning to evening – what more could you ask for?” We enjoyed an amazing dairy dinner including a Caprese salad wrapped in the chef’s handmade pesto, incredible ceviche on a wonderful tangy yogurt base, fish and chips that felt like a dream, and a perfectly grilled sea bass fillet. Nikita, the restaurant manager, served us a fresh lime granita with a smile, from a “special lime not available in Israel – I saved some for later.”
At the end of the meal, Chef Golan came to us with sparkling eyes and a surprise we weren’t prepared for – lovingly and excitedly presenting his special knafeh, with bubbling sugar syrup poured in front of us and a wonderful touch of cream on top. I imagine our reaction resembled the famous scene with Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally, as the lady at the next table hurried to ask the chef if she could also have some. You can hear and see more about this crazy knafeh on Chef Golan’s Instagram page.
After an evening of laughter and true relaxation (even the Houthi alarm couldn’t break it), we woke up to a sun-filled morning. Just like back in Phuket – I felt like I was inside a painting. At the breakfast area, full of delights, we met Basem, the restaurant manager who has been working at Dan Accadia Resort for 43 (!) years. He guided us with a smile to a sunlit table by the deep blue sea, with white sailboats floating on it (again, like a painting). When we asked Basem what it’s like to be in the same place for 43 years, he replied with sparkling eyes – “Where else in Israel would you find a place like this?” True.
After the sea stole our gaze throughout breakfast, we moved to the resort’s renewed and beautiful pool and ran straight to the secret gate leading to the sea. Within two minutes, this deep blue wonder opened up before us. And there’s no question – with all my love for Thailand’s oceans, nothing beats the Mediterranean. We let the sea envelop us and take away all the troubles of those years, the years we didn’t know four years ago we would truly need a break from. We took the time to thank ourselves and the world for this moment. For the quiet and togetherness, for the laughter and conversation, for the good food and sleep, for the painting we woke up in that morning.
After expressing our gratitude to the kind staff, we concluded our wonderful vacation at the sea-bar adjacent to the resort complex, a cool bar in a perfect location that attracts guests from all over the central region. There we met Itzik, who half-jokingly teased, “As if you don’t have anything to do in Tel Aviv.” Yes, but Tel Aviv isn’t Thailand, I thought.
If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably missing Phuket’s resort as much as I am and need a break from the years we’ve experienced here. I say thank you for joining our little vacation for a few moments, and I invite you to take your own moment. Hug your loved ones tightly, and take a few moments of Thailand here in Israel, at Dan Accadia Resort Herzliya.