A spa in a Templar building

The hotel is housed in a breathtaking four-story, brick building constructed in 1913 and refurbished in 2017.

After Schneider died, the house served over the years as an antique shop, a Japanese restaurant, and even a private-members club called Hamoadon. When it closed in the 1990s, the building stood abandoned for years, until a local entrepreneur purchased it in 2015. After two years of renovations, it was transformed into the Carmella.

Today, it retains much of its original attributes. The house was built in harmony with the steep topography typical of Haifa, with terraced levels that remain. The original four-story building featured well-known Templar elements – a red-tiled roof, a gabled facade, arches on some windows, and balconies that project over the main entrance.

During the restoration and preservation process, the red-tiled roof was reinstalled, the facades were refurbished, and the windows were replaced. The four original facades remained unchanged, while a new rear wing was added, containing a staircase, elevator, and security rooms.

TODAY, THE Carmella features 20 rooms and suites, each with their unique characteristics, whether it be shape, furnishings, patios, or sea views. They range in size from 20-40 sq.m., with the larger ones able to accommodate up to four people.

The promise is relaxed elegance, and that goal delivered in spades. The rooms are tasteful, the bathrooms comfortable with a powerful jet stream from the shower. The spacious lobby and adjacent garden patio, with its many nooks and crannies, boast 24-hour coffee and snacks (A side delight is watching brides and grooms have their photos taken in the garden, a desired spot for Hafaites).

Then there’s the spa, located next to the underground parking lot (providing the ultimate convenience for hotel guests, even if it costs NIS 40 to park for the night). With four rooms, two for couples and two singles, the spa offers a choice of classic massages, reflexology, or deep-tissue massage. In this tranquil ambiance, the masseuses’ deft fingers will exorcise every ghost from every sore muscle. (NIS 310 for a 45 minute-massage.)

If that weren’t enough, the Carmella boasts something truly unique that any fan of the film Being John Malkovich will appreciate – thanks to the terraced levels, it boasts a half floor!

In between the lobby on “0” and the spa on “-1” is a door that leads to a secret outdoor Jacuzzi and terrace. Call it floor 0.5.

It’s the perfect spot to unwind with a drink, a book, or your thoughts, while reveling in the swirling whirlpool. And you don’t even have to stoop over to avoid the ceiling, like well-documented Israel-hater John Cusack did in the film.

The Carmella doesn’t have a dining room, but that’s not a problem, with a plethora of dinner options within walking distance of the hotel.

For breakfast, the Carmella offers a voucher for one of three cafes, all close by: the Eataliano Café in the Dan Panorama mall complex, the Manadarin restaurant, and the one we chose, the charming Café Dyoma (all on Hanassi Boulevard).

In addition to a tasty breakfast with all the trimmings, and a choice of indoor or outdoor seating, the Dyoma also offers a toy and gift shop featuring home-crafted products.

Prices range between NIS 600-NIS 1,200 per couple, according to room size and day of the week. But can you really put a price on experiencing a sense of luxurious bliss without the distractions of the outside world?