The 7 Best Desert Stays Near Beer Sheva (2026)

Updated September 2026 · 7 picks

The best desert stays near Beer Sheva in 2026 are Beresheet on the rim of the Ramon Crater, Carmey Avdat Farm's vineyard cabins and Kedma near Sde Boker. Beer Sheva itself has few memorable hotels; the Negev around it has some of the most distinctive places to sleep in Israel, all within ninety minutes. Below are seven, from luxury to rustic.

1. Beresheet — Mitzpe Ramon, on the crater rim

Israel’s best-known desert hotel — private plunge pools over the Ramon Crater.

₪₪₪₪ SplurgeBest for Couples

Beresheet sits on the rim of the Ramon Crater, and the rooms — many with private plunge pools — look straight out over it.

It is the property that made Mitzpe Ramon a luxury destination rather than a stop on the way to Eilat, and the desert setting does most of the work: gazelles on the paths, near-total silence, and some of the darkest skies in the country.

It is expensive and books out far ahead for weekends and holidays.

Good to know: Pay for a crater-view room with a plunge pool — an interior room here misses the entire point.

Google Maps Website

2. Carmey Avdat Farm — Negev Highlands, 5 minutes from Sde Boker

Vineyard cabins on a 1,500-year-old Nabatean farm terrace.

₪₪₪ UpmarketBest for Couples

Carmey Avdat was founded in 1998 on the site of an ancient desert agricultural settlement, and it is one of the pioneering farms of the Negev Highlands wine route — a working vineyard and winery with cabins among the vines.

The cabins are simple and well made, the silence is total and breakfast comes from the farm. It is the stay for people who want the desert quiet with a glass of local wine at sunset.

Guests must be 16 or older.

Good to know: Book the wine tasting on the evening you arrive — it is the best way to meet the place.

Google Maps Website

3. Kedma — Sde Boker, the Negev highlands

Low-slung desert hotel with a serious spa, at a fraction of Beresheet’s rate.

₪₪₪ UpmarketBest for Couples · Families

Kedma is Isrotel’s other Negev property, built low into the desert landscape near Sde Boker with a courtyard layout and a deluxe spa.

It aims at the same desert-quiet market as Beresheet without the crater-rim drama or the price, and leans on chillout areas by the pool, desert-style restaurants and local activities including camel riding.

It works well as a base for the Negev generally rather than for the crater specifically.

Good to know: Closer to Sde Boker and Ein Avdat than to Mitzpe Ramon — check the drive times before booking.

Google Maps Website

4. Succah in the Desert — Near Mitzpe Ramon

A handful of stone-and-palm huts, spread out far enough that you see no one.

₪₪₪ UpmarketBest for Couples · Solo

Succah in the Desert is a small off-grid retreat of individual huts built from stone, wood and palm fronds, scattered across a hillside near Mitzpe Ramon so that each feels alone in the landscape.

It is deliberately simple — shared meals, minimal electricity, a lot of sky — and the draw is the stillness rather than any amenity.

It suits couples and solo travellers who want a genuine retreat, not a hotel.

Good to know: Bring a headlamp and warm clothes — nights are dark and cold, which is exactly the point.

Google Maps Website

5. Daroma — Mitzpe Ramon

The plain, affordable way to stay at the crater.

₪₪ Mid-rangeBest for Families · Solo

Daroma is the simplest of Isrotel’s desert hotels, sitting in the Ramon Crater landscape close to the area’s attractions.

It exists to make Mitzpe Ramon affordable — there is no attempt at the design ambition of Beresheet, and the rate reflects that.

For a trip built around hiking, stargazing and the crater itself rather than around the hotel, it is the sensible booking.

Good to know: Fine as a base if you are out all day — spend the saving on a guided night-sky session instead.

Google Maps Website

6. Kfar HaNokdim — Near Arad, on the road to Masada

A Bedouin-style desert village with tents, huts and camel rides.

₪₪ Mid-rangeBest for Families · Groups

Kfar HaNokdim is a desert hospitality village near Arad, offering nights in large Bedouin-style tents or private huts, with hosted dinners, camel rides and desert activities.

It is lively rather than secluded, and it is built for families and groups — children love the camels, and the shared-tent option is one of the cheapest ways to sleep in the desert.

Its position makes it an excellent base for a sunrise climb of Masada.

Good to know: Use it as a Masada base — it is about half an hour to the western Ramp Path for sunrise.

Google Maps Website

7. Sde Boker Field School — Midreshet Ben-Gurion, on the Zin Canyon rim

Simple rooms at the nature-education centre above Ein Avdat.

₪ BudgetBest for Families · Solo · Groups

The Sde Boker Field School, run by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, sits at Midreshet Ben-Gurion on the rim of the Zin Canyon and offers straightforward guest rooms alongside its nature programmes.

It is basic and good value, and it is steps from Ben-Gurion's grave and a short drive from Ein Avdat — ideal if the plan is an early start in the canyon.

Expect school and hiking groups, particularly in term time.

Good to know: Ask the staff about trail conditions — the field school guides know the Zin area better than anyone.

Google Maps

Frequently asked questions

Should I stay in Beer Sheva or in the desert?

In the desert, unless you need to be in the city for business or the university. Sde Boker is 45 minutes away and Mitzpe Ramon 75, and a night under a dark desert sky is the point of coming south.

What is a desert lodge in Israel?

Usually a small farm or eco-lodge in the Negev Highlands with cabins or huts, simple food from its own produce, and very little else around. They range from comfortable to deliberately basic, so read what is and is not included.

Is it cold at night in the Negev?

In winter, yes — nights in Mitzpe Ramon and Sde Boker regularly fall to single digits Celsius, and occasionally close to freezing. Pack a warm layer between November and March.

Are desert stays good for families?

Some are and some are adults-only. Carmey Avdat takes guests from 16, for example, while Kfar HaNokdim and the larger hotels are built for families. Check age policies before booking.

What should I do while staying near Beer Sheva?

See our guide to day trips from Beer Sheva — Ein Avdat, Ben-Gurion's desert home, the Ramon Crater and Masada are all within reach.

1. Beresheet — Mitzpe Ramon, on the crater rim

2. Carmey Avdat Farm — Negev Highlands, 5 minutes from Sde Boker

3. Kedma — Sde Boker, the Negev highlands

4. Succah in the Desert — Near Mitzpe Ramon

5. Daroma — Mitzpe Ramon

6. Kfar HaNokdim — Near Arad, on the road to Masada

7. Sde Boker Field School — Midreshet Ben-Gurion, on the Zin Canyon rim

Frequently asked questions

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