About ALMA
ALMA is the realization of a dream. I wanted to create a home like the one I would choose to stay in when traveling abroad, and I wanted to build this home in the wonder that is the Old City of Akko (Acre) - a living, boisterous World Heritage city, where the Ottoman town sits on top of a Crusader one.
It took me three years to realize my dream. Today, in the heart of the Old City, steps away from the market, the port and a thriving culinary scene, ALMA offers its guests an enchanting experience complete with impressive Crusader and Ottoman arches and stonework, thoughtful conservation, and an attention to details. Outside, you will be flooded by the sights, sounds and scents of the city. Inside, you will be enveloped by the serenity of our courtyard and complex. On the streets of Akko you will take part in the daily life of this incredible city, while inside ALMA you will be able to enjoy your own realm in peace and quiet.
ALMA consists of three spacious suites, which can host two to four guests. Each suite has its own character and offers a King-size bed, a spacious bathroom, a cozy sitting area, a well-stocked kitchenette and a dining table. In two of our suites we offer an option for single bed and for additional beds. The patio is shared by our guests and provides sitting and complimentary fresh herbs. It is an ideal space for socializing or for resting at the end of the day. All three suites are located on the ground floor and provide some level of accessibility.
The suites may be booked individually, two of the suites may be combined into a larger one, and booking the whole complex is ideal for a family or friends' getaway (at which point you will definitely feel that you are part of the city, because our neighbors traverse the edge of the courtyard to go upstairs)
And today...
This is what the place looked like before we began work
About me
My name is Michal. I am an architect and an urban conservationist. I was born in Jerusalem, and am currently living in Ramat-Gan. Creating ALMA is the realization of a dream into which I have poured my personal interests and my professional experience.
When I travel abroad I try to stay in local apartments or homes. I find that these allow me to experience the towns and villages I visit without filters or go-betweens. The experience is authentic, real and pleasurable. It is this type of experience that I aimed for when I started working on ALMA.
When I first came to the site I found a ruin that was used as the local dumping ground for building materials, but "saw" an enchanted building that awaited a loving hand. I put a lot of time, thought, knowledge, experience, imagination and creativity into the project. I peeled off layers of neglect, mended and stabilized the structure, exposed layers of history, and created a new story that builds on and presents the rich past of the place.
I created the serene island that is ALMA, rejuvenated a historic structure, and returned a missing limb to the urban fabric of the Old City. I fell in love with the Old City of Akko and I hope that your stay at ALMA will make you fall in love with it too.