The North Beach in Eilat. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

A luxury hotel in the southern Israeli resort town of Eilat was ranked first in the region and 25th internationally by a well-known travel website that provides reviews from tourists around the world.

The Herods Vitalis Spa Hotel headed TripAdvisor‘s 2017 list of the “Top 25 Hotels in the Middle East,” ahead of hotels in Tel Aviv, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and elsewhere.

In addition, Eilat is the only Mideast location to make the website’s “top 10 destinations in the world on the rise” list. The city is described by TripAdvisor as follows:

Charming Eilat is one of Israel’s most popular resort cities. Nestled at the northern tip of the Red Sea, Eilat’s warm, clear waters are a huge draw for divers, while the reefs of Coral Beach Nature Reserve are perfect for snorkelers. Above sea level, the ancient copper mines of Timna National Park are begging to be explored, as are the shops, bars and restaurants of the seaside promenade.