Israel to Open Largest Spa Resort on Mediterranean Coast in Ashkelon by March 2027

Israel’s Mediterranean coastline is set for a major hospitality addition, with construction beginning on a new luxury resort in Ashkelon. Developed by Shevet Ahim Group, the seafront property will transform the former Cliff Hotel site into a wellness-focused destination featuring 98 rooms, extensive leisure facilities and Israel’s largest spa.

Israel’s Ashkelon Set for Major Luxury Resort Development

Construction has officially begun on a major seafront resort in Ashkelon, marking a significant new investment in Israel’s southern coastal tourism infrastructure. The project is being developed by the Shevet Ahim Group and is planned to open to guests in March 2027.

The resort will occupy more than 20,000 square metres along Ashkelon’s seafront promenade. Its development represents the transformation of the long-abandoned shell of the former Cliff Hotel into a contemporary hospitality destination designed around wellness, leisure, food and Mediterranean views.

Designed by Itzik Levy Architecture and Engineering, the project is intended to combine the intimacy of boutique accommodation with a broad portfolio of public facilities. Its positioning directly beside the Mediterranean is expected to make the property particularly relevant to leisure travellers seeking a combination of coastal relaxation and wellness experiences.

What will the new Ashkelon resort offer?

The planned resort will contain 98 sea-facing guest rooms, with technology integrated into the accommodation experience. Guests will be able to manage various room functions through a dedicated application, creating a more connected and personalised stay.

The rooms will also place strong emphasis on views of the Mediterranean. The property’s location along Ashkelon’s coastal promenade gives the development direct access to one of the city’s defining natural assets, while its broader facilities are intended to keep guests on-site for much of their stay.

More than 14,000 square metres of the development will be dedicated to public areas and leisure facilities. This substantial allocation reflects the resort’s ambition to operate as more than a conventional hotel, with wellness, fitness, dining and entertainment forming central components of its guest proposition.

Why is the spa central to the development?

Wellness is expected to be the defining feature of the new property. The resort is planned to include what developers describe as Israel’s largest and most comprehensive spa, comprising 30 treatment and wellness rooms.

The facility will provide a wide range of traditional and technology-led wellness experiences. Planned features include a hammam, saunas, an indoor swimming pool, therapeutic salt rooms, hyperbaric oxygen chambers and ice baths.

A dedicated VIP section will provide an additional premium wellness experience. The combination of conventional spa treatments and more specialised facilities reflects the growing diversification of luxury wellness hospitality, where hotels increasingly seek to offer guests complete health, relaxation and recovery programmes rather than conventional massage and beauty treatments alone.

The resort’s wellness facilities could therefore become one of its strongest differentiators as Ashkelon develops its profile as a coastal destination.

How will the resort cater to active travellers?

The project is also being designed to appeal to guests who want physical activity alongside relaxation. A modern gym will form part of the resort’s fitness offering, complemented by a dedicated Pilates studio.

Padel courts overlooking the Mediterranean will add another recreational dimension. Padel has expanded rapidly across international leisure markets, and its inclusion gives the resort an activity that can appeal to both individual travellers and groups.

The combination of gym facilities, Pilates, padel and the extensive spa is designed to create a more comprehensive wellness proposition. Rather than treating fitness as a secondary hotel amenity, the project places active leisure alongside accommodation, food and spa experiences within its overall concept.

What dining experiences are planned?

Food and beverage will represent another important component of the development. Several restaurants are planned across the resort, with menus and concepts spanning international cuisines.

Among the planned offerings are gourmet Asian and Italian restaurants, giving the property a broader culinary identity than a conventional resort restaurant. The variety is intended to cater to both overnight guests and visitors seeking a destination for dining.

The rooftop will provide one of the project’s most visually distinctive areas. Plans include an infinity pool, lounge bar and open-air restaurant positioned to overlook the Mediterranean.

The rooftop setting is expected to become particularly attractive around sunset, when the coastal location can provide a natural backdrop for dining and social experiences. Such destination-led food and beverage facilities are increasingly important to upscale resorts seeking to attract both hotel guests and local customers.

How will the project transform the former Cliff Hotel site?

The development carries particular significance because it is reviving a prominent but long-abandoned coastal structure. The former Cliff Hotel site had remained an unfinished and largely unused part of Ashkelon’s waterfront.

The new project will replace that dormant landmark with a functioning hospitality destination designed around contemporary luxury and wellness. Its redevelopment could contribute to the broader regeneration of Ashkelon’s seafront by bringing new activity, investment and visitor spending to the area.

The project also demonstrates how existing or previously developed coastal sites can be repositioned for modern tourism demand. Instead of creating an entirely new destination away from established urban infrastructure, the resort is being incorporated into an existing coastal environment with access to the city and promenade.

What does the development mean for Ashkelon tourism?

The resort could strengthen Ashkelon’s position within Israel’s domestic and international tourism landscape. The city already benefits from its Mediterranean coastline, beaches and southern location, but a large-scale luxury wellness property could broaden the type of visitor experience available.

Its focus on spa tourism is particularly significant. Wellness travel has evolved into an important segment of the international hospitality industry, with travellers increasingly combining holidays with fitness, relaxation, recovery and health-oriented experiences.

For Ashkelon, the new property could provide another reason for visitors to spend more time in the city rather than treating it solely as a coastal stop. The combination of accommodation, wellness, restaurants, recreation and rooftop entertainment creates a self-contained tourism product while retaining the advantages of the waterfront location.

Who is developing the new resort?

The project is being developed by the Shevet Ahim Group, an Israeli lifestyle hospitality company with experience in resort development.

Its existing portfolio includes the Dream Island resort near Sde Yoav and a luxury resort at Migdal Beach on the Sea of Galilee. The Ashkelon project represents another major addition to the group’s hospitality portfolio and extends its presence into a prominent Mediterranean coastal market.

The architectural and engineering work is being led by Itzik Levy Architecture and Engineering, whose role encompasses the design of the new resort complex.

The collaboration brings together an established hospitality developer and a specialist architectural firm for a project that combines accommodation with extensive public, wellness and recreational infrastructure.

When will Israel’s new Ashkelon resort open?

The resort is scheduled to welcome its first guests in March 2027. With construction now officially under way, the coming months will focus on delivering the extensive accommodation, spa, dining, fitness and public areas planned for the development.

Once completed, the resort will add 98 sea-facing rooms to Ashkelon’s hospitality inventory while creating a major new wellness attraction on Israel’s southern Mediterranean coast.

Its success will ultimately depend on execution, service quality and the ability to establish a strong identity in Israel’s competitive luxury hospitality market. However, the combination of a prominent waterfront location, extensive spa facilities, international dining concepts and technology-enabled rooms gives the project a distinctive proposition.

What can travellers expect from the new resort?

Travellers can expect a resort built around the relationship between Mediterranean scenery and modern wellness. Sea-facing accommodation, a large spa, fitness facilities, restaurants and a rooftop infinity pool will provide multiple reasons for guests to remain within the property.

The March 2027 opening will also introduce a new contemporary hospitality landmark to Ashkelon. By restoring the former Cliff Hotel site and giving it a new purpose, the development has the potential to become an important addition to the city’s tourism infrastructure.

For international visitors, the resort could offer another luxury base from which to experience Israel’s southern coastline, while for domestic travellers it could create a new destination for short wellness breaks, dining and leisure.

“The Ashkelon resort represents an exciting development for Israel’s Mediterranean tourism landscape. Its combination of wellness, luxury hospitality, dining and spectacular coastal views could create a compelling new destination for international travellers while supporting Ashkelon’s growing tourism ambitions and showcasing the strength of Israel’s evolving hospitality sector.”— Anup Kumar Keshan, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Travel And Tour World

Ashkelon is preparing for a significant addition to Israel’s luxury tourism landscape as Shevet Ahim Group develops a 98-room Mediterranean resort on the former Cliff Hotel site. With Israel’s largest planned spa, international dining, fitness facilities and a rooftop infinity pool, the property is scheduled to open in March 2027.