David and I stayed in Kibbutz Ein Gedi for 2 nights (or was it 3?). It's a great location for a total retreat. From there, we were able to go to Ein Gedi (the spring) and the Ein Gedi Spa (for mud baths, the Dead Sea, massages).
Our room was very private. I never heard anyone around our area of the grounds. The closer you got to the pool, the more you would hear kids playing. There were certain times of day when the pool was packed with kids, but there were also times when I had the place almost to myself. And it was so hot there, that just about any time of day was a good time to go to the pool.
David Reich, who usually does not get wet at all, was a water fiend. He went swimming in the natural pools of Ein Gedi, he stuck his head in the waterfalls, he swam in the Dead Sea, and went in the kibbutz pool several times. It was like living with a labrador retriever!
When we checked in, David asked if they had any special rooms available. They gave us the honeymoon room. I think the only thing that made it "honeymoonish" was a large jacuzzi for two. We spent so much time in water that it seemed silly to take a bath. So it went unused.
The grounds of the kibbutz were beautiful. At first glance, they seemed dry and lifeless, but as I wandered around (early in the morning as opposed to the heat of mid-day) I saw a huge variety of cactus life. There was a 7:30am tour that you could take of the gardens, but we didn't want to commit to any times - especially so early in the morning.
For food, they had a big cafeteria that served breakfast and dinner - buffet style. The food was surprisingly good - especially considering that it was kosher.
