When hotel chain, Isrotel Hotel Management Ltd, decided to build a leisure resort in the Negev Desert of Southern Israel, they appointed ara Design in London to design the interiors of the 112 room project.
The Isrotel Bereshit Hotel, opening at the beginning of 2011, will be a luxury resort on the very edge of Ramon Crater, a unique geological phenomenon in the desert. There was a little opposition to the hotel from local residents and nature lovers, claiming it would ruin the landscape.
The owners joined forces with Feigin Architects to preserve the environment and the primal scenery, by making sure everything from the whitewashed walls to the pool will be finished in a manner that will blend in with the natural environment. The owners have collaborated with Feigin Architects for the past 30 years, successfully designing hotels alongside London-based ara Design.
Director of ara Design, Andre Avedian, explains, “The brief was to create a luxurious resort with the design emphasis on modern contemporary with local materials. We were specifically influenced by local Bedouins and Bedouin culture.”
Every room possesses breathtaking scenery of the desert landscape and the crater itself. This is evident in every detail, and the rooms contain many natural elements. The walls are awash with a sandy colour and the marble floors, sourced locally, will keep guests cool in the sun drenched weather.
Capturing the vibrant tones of the desert and the dazzling sunset, the furnishings use a palette of poppy, tan, stone and rust, blending flawlessly with the surroundings. The furniture is rustic, finished in crushed bamboo, rattan, walnut and a timber tree trunk for a bedside table. Above the bed is a Mashrabiya screen, with a handmade Bedouin weave beneath a glass frame.
“Our approach to the guestrooms was straightforward,” says Andre. “We wanted to use desert style elements for the interiors that would neatly intertwine with the beautiful desert landscape. The view is the main feature here, so we established a quiet and minimalist style to reflect that.”
Patio doors open on to a private landscaped terrace, right at the desert’s edge. The private outdoor pool can be converted into a jacuzzi and will be heated by solar power in the winter. Despite the rustic atmosphere, each room has advanced home theatre systems, stereos and espresso machines. 
The all day dining restaurant will offer an Arabian/Bedouin influenced menu, and will be open to hotel guests and the public. The restaurant has full glass walls that enable visitors to enjoy the stunning desert panorama from nearly every corner and a striking ceiling feature of sculptured metal that resembles the peaks and plains of the landscape. The bar is a mixture of lounge sofa seating and carved wood surfaces, and a vast indoor fireplace complete with chrome flue, enhances the desert atmosphere.
The hotel has been designed with an appreciation of the beautiful natural environment which it believes will attract visitors. It will include a contemporary spa with indoor pool (incorporating a 5m long fire place), conference facilities, tennis courts, an infinity pool on the edge of the crater, and a presidential suite suspended above the cliff.
Isrotel Bereshit Hotel, Israel
Architect: Feigin Architects
Designer: ara Design Full Hotel Spec listing: ara Design
Developer/Owner: Isrotel Hotel Management Ltd
