This review is a long time coming - we visited the Orchid for 3 days last summer, but I've been meaning to write it since then. We stayed in one of the individual villas at the top of the property set amongst the granite walls of the surrounding mountain. The room was amazing with a wrap around deck, jacuzzi pool, and palapa - very secluded. We had amazing views of the Gulf of Aquba. Staff was very friendly and courteous and available to give us a ride to our bungaloo. We did not spend any time at the pool but took a short walk to a lovely beach with a lovely little outdoor bar/grill, that we called our own for the duration of our stay.

The breakfast buffet every morning was great and we had a great dinner at the Thai restaurant on the property.

I would recommend this to anyone.

The facilities are lovely but the place is not managed properly.

Go to the Princess nearby for a better experience. This hotel is trying to cater to the ultra religious and offers absolutely no help to satisfy the guests. For example there were thorn bushes that had thorns on them that were whipping in the wind and cut my girlfriends face. Would they tie them up or cut them? nope!

The am lifeguard is one of those workers who got fired for being too rude to the guests. But they keep hiring him back and he keeps yelling at the guests for having drinks near the pool that the bar staff bring to you. If they don't want them near the pool then why do they hound you to buy drinks? Go to the Princess where there is a nice drink bar IN the pool.

The hotel has a nice theme-the thai theme which adds to the experience. The Scenary is beautiful and all rooms have great views. Pool is somewhat small though doesnt feel overly crowded even though it was the peak season and the hotel was fully booked.
The downside is the small details: some plates in the dining room were not 100% clean, rooms didnt always have hand and floor towels, reception process was not very efficiant.

Generally, we had a nice time but it is certainly not a 5 stars hotel.

I have taken a bit to write a review of this hotel. It's a very multifaceted place which grows on you in a funny way. You arrive and at first you are taken by the very peculiar setting - a village of Thai huts and villas on a mountain opposite the sea shore, outside Eilat towards Taba. Then you start noticing the glitches - the air conditioning takes a long time to cool the room properly, there are lots of stairs to go anywhere, the beach is not great. Then you slowly fall in love with it - the beautiful public areas, the soaring wood ceilings, the quite of the villas, the view, the "tuktuk" (small electric vehicles) which takes you from place to place, the fact that even when it's fully booked you can find a quiet corner, the pool and the waterfalls, the plants and flowers, the nice food, and all the nice touches - free internet in the lounge, free bikes, games at the pool area. So if 5* hotels are not your standard ( but 3* and 4* are) and you are ready to try something else and need some R&R, definitely go for this place.