Jerusalem Stone revitalizes Israeli resort

An example of timeless design can be found at the Mizpe Hayamim Hotel and Spa on the eastern slopes of Mount Canaan, overlooking the Golan Heights and the Sea of Galilee in Rosh Pina, Israel. The resort, which sits on 37 acres of fruit groves, vegetable gardens, an animal farm and winery and also includes walking paths, pools and streams, offers a range of health and cosmetic treatments as well as a serene environment for guests to reside. Recently, a renovation was completed at the complex, which involved replacing the original tile floor with Jerusalem Stone supplied by Jerusalem Marble of Jerusalem, Israel.

A prime design objective for the project was to maintain the homey and cozy atmosphere of the resort, according to hotel owners. Additionally, the material was chosen because the owners preferred to utilize local stone rather than importing. The varying shades of Jerusalem Stone were also considered the most suitable option in keeping with the tradition and style of the hotel and spa.

In total, the project used approximately 15,000 square feet combined of Grey Gold, Jerusalem Gold and Ramon Cream marble from Jerusalem Marble's Ramon quarry. The stone was given an antique tumbled finish for an Old World effect.

For the floor of the hotel lobby and dining room, 16- x 16-inch tiles of tumbled Grey Gold were employed. The material was complemented by 8- x 8-inch tiles of tumbled Jerusalem Gold, which were used for the floors of the hotel corridors and patio.

Tumbled Jerusalem Gold was also employed as flooring on the hotel suite level, but in 12- x 12-inch clipped corner pieces with an insert of tumbled Ramon Cream 3- x 3-inch accent pieces. The suite bathrooms feature tumbled Jerusalem Gold and Ramon Cream 8- x 8-inch tiles in a checkerboard pattern.

Outdoor paving

Outdoors, the exterior “rooms” are paved with Ramon Cream marble with a textured finish. The same material was used to form a distinctive pattern for the exterior paving, with tile sizes measuring 12 inches wide and having random lengths. Additionally, the pieces feature a fine-chiseled finish.

One interesting note about the project is that it was completed in only three days with 15 installers working around the clock. The key to success is attributed to advance planning - everything was ordered weeks ahead of time so that all of the material was on site at the start of installation.