Astronomy Israel: Chez Eugene - A Boutique Hotel and Restaurant in Mitzpe Ramon

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Chez Eugene - A Boutique Hotel and Restaurant in Mitzpe Ramon

Chez Eugene has to be my favorite hotel in Mitzpe Ramon (or maybe anywhere for that matter). It is small and elegant, Gallic charm without French hauteur. The rooms are expansive and decorated with a keen eye for color, texture and shape. Architectural touches, such as see-through, room long fireplaces that give onto elegant, footed bath tubs make for romantic vistas. Some rooms have sky-lights over the bed; others have private terraces and outdoor jacuzzis. The hotel is small -- only 6 rooms, with 2 for families in a secluded location so as not to disturb other guests. If you've ever been to Israeli vacation-spot hotels with screaming kids running around, you will doubly appreciate this.

The hotel seems unaccountably out of place, located in the industrial area of Mitzpe Ramon. But once you walk through the doors, you are in another world - un petit arrondissment. Arnaud Rodrigue, the owner and frequent presence, and his staff pay meticulous attention to their guests and are always thinking of ways to please them and make their stay special. The hotel and restaurant feature local desert products, and the hotel was even built by artisans and workers from Mitzpe Ramon.

A wall-length, see-through fireplace romantically separates the bath from the other rooms.

The elegantly appointed bath room.

Le Roi Soleil: A beautiful pair of turquoise chairs grace the corner of a room.

A view with a room and a cozy heat stove in the corner.

Yair Feinberg is the star chef at Chez Eugene's restaurant, having studied under the likes of Paul Bocuse. The restaurant features European cuisine with a Mediterranean touch, sourcing local products from the desert and Israel.