New Year Forecast

Here we sit excitedly on the cusp of the new year. 2016 has been a successful year for new hotels in Israel, and we're confident that 2017 will be even better. We've got high-profile openings in store like the Isrotel Orient Jerusalem and the W Tel Aviv, along with the Publica Herzliya, the Setai Tel Aviv and maybe even the Setai on the Kinneret, too. Perhaps some of those developments in Bat Yam will come to fruition, too. Oh, and the Leonardo Plaza Jerusalem may finally transition into a Herods. What won't be happening: the Four Seasons Jerusalem, the Kempinski Tel Aviv, the W Jerusalem, or the AC Marriott Herzliya. But that's even more to look forward too. We're sure that there will be more announcements from Atlas Hotels (Betzalel Hotel Jerusalem may have just snuck in before the end of the year- and boy, we're ready to check in. Look at those rooms with the sun decks!). And Leon Avigad from Brown Hotels definitely has more up his sleeve, too. We'd love to see some more international chains breaking ground in Israel, especially with the Starwood- Marriott marriage. We'd love to see some new hotels pop up outside of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, too. Especially now, Haifa could use a boost in tourism, and some new hotel projects could bring some much needed excitement to the area. And while we're at it, let's look south. For all that it is one of the fastest-growing cities in Israel, with the fastest-growing university in the country and a vibrant start-up scene, Beersheba still has one hotel. And no, it's not a nice hotel. So Israeli hoteliers- this year, let's look outside of the box. Or not. As we like to say, any new hotel is a good hotel. Happy New Year!

Progress on the Isrotel Orient Jerusalem and Brown Jerusalem

In a recently updated article from earlier this month on itraveljerusalem.com, writer Spencer Ho revealed that Brown Jerusalem will be opening in January. This Brown, sister to Brown TLV, Brown Beach House Tel Aviv, Brown Croatia (yeah, didn't know about that one either), and the new Poli House Tel Aviv, is located in a restored and rebuilt structure on Hanev'iim Street, on the ed/ge of the Russian Compound and near the ultra-religious Mea Shearim neighborhood. Sounds trendy, right? Nonetheless, judging by the success of the other properties, this will be a hang out for young Jerusalemites. We took a walk by the hotel last week, and it's definitely coming along nicely. Although January does seem a touch optimistic.

In other news, the Isrotel Orient Jerusalem (can't believe this is the name that won! http://timeout.co.il/en/hotels-and-accommodations/isrotel-name) will most certainly not be opening in January, although it's a busy site and slated to open in June. To remind you, this massive 240-room project will also feature eleven residences spread across two freestanding structures, an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, a Carmel Forest Spa with a sauna, hamam, and Jacuzzi, a fitness center, lobby cafe, and main dining room. Additionally, a conference center will be able to host up to 900 people for functions. Rooms and suites on offer come in a whopping ten varieties, ranging from very spacious garden rooms to presidential suites and colony rooms in two restored buildings, which we suspect were originally earmarked for luxury residences (Read: "overpriced"). They're nicely decorated, with warm colors, bathrooms with windows to the guestrooms, and Jerusalem stone elements, although the colony rooms are quite eclectic, with painted tiled floors, copper tubs, and four poster beds. Suites get a complimentary soft drinks minibar, which is a first for Israel as far as we know. A special opening offer gives 20% off room rates in June, although $364 for the cheapest room seems optimistic for a brand new hotel.

Lastly, the same article announced that the Four Seasons Jerusalem has received permits and is ready to begin construction. We'll believe it when we see it.

MGallery Netanya and other news

Well, then. Another month has gone by, and it's been an interesting one. For one, we discovered the David Tower Hotel Netanya MGallery By Sofitel (yes, and we thought that the Elma Arts Luxury Complex Hotel was a bad name). This luxury hotel opened at the end of May and occupies six stories in the modernist David Tower. The hotel offers a spa with an indoor pool and Turkish hammam, a full service restaurant, and 75 guestrooms and suites outfitted with Nespresso machines and HDTVs. The hotel's decorators worked hard to create gorgeous interiors, including the warm, high ceiling-ed lobby with tall bookshelves, brass chandeliers, and elegant furnishings. In fitting with the MGallery brand, design is urban-heavy and perhaps less suited for a sleepy beach suburb, but it's beautiful nonetheless. Guestrooms are light and airy, with beige and crisp white bedding and highlights of pink and blush, but are a tad lacking in character to us. But surely, with walk out balconies and sea views, you won't be spending much time inside. We found rates $224 a night, which seems a bit high for the area.

In other news, a quick walk around Tel Aviv last month took us over to the Poli House Hotel, which seems to have finally opened this month. Our sneak peak inside revealed an interior that closely modeled the renderings, so we can't wait to see how the psychedelic wallpaper came out. It does seem a lot smaller than we thought, so expect really tiny rooms. That gorgeous rooftop pool does make up for it, though. Lastly, after a brief tour of The Norman, we spied a new hotel opening across the street. Atlas's Hotel 65, right on the corner of Rothschild Boulevard, is housed in a round, glassy tower that is sure to become a new landmark. A street level restaurant is sure to bring the crowds in too. Inside, the hotel is trying very hard to be cool, with vintage 70's style furniture pieces in vibrant colors paired together in the hip 8th floor lounge. Guestrooms feature lots of light from the floor to ceiling glass walls, which is a nice touch. While all the retro details are trendy, the hotel seems like it needs a bit of a personality. Of course, all that can be overlooked if the rates are tempting. We found prices starting at $200. We'll keep looking. Gosh, we're so picky!

NYX Tel Aviv

A quick trip to Tel Aviv last week introduced us to a new hotel, the NYX Tel Aviv. Open for about three months, this former Leonardo has been entirely renovated and rebranded, although it is still part of Fattal Hotels. Naturally, we stopped in for a tour of the facilities. At the lobby level, the hotel presents the non-kosher Clash Restaurant, which "serves delectable haute cuisine and an exclusive Israeli breakfast". The hotel abounds in places to relax and hang out, including the small but stylishly decorated lobby, the NYX lounge on the gallery level, and a rooftop deck (which also acts as a bar, cinema, and music venue). During the evenings, the hotel's lobby level features a resident DJ with loud music throughout the night. Also offered are a tiny fitness center and a massage room. And here's a first: twice a week, a tattoo artist visits the hotel to offer their services to guests. Another unique feature: each level is equipped with fun retro arcade machines and vending machines with everything "from snacks, drinks, condoms, tampons, gadgets, and much more". They said it, not us. The 190 guestrooms are small but comfortable, with crisp white bedding, black and gray accents, and somewhat psychedelic wallpaper (a theme that continues in the utterly disorienting and claustrophobic hallways). With rates around $180 without breakfast, the hotel is clearly marketing for young millennials looking for a fun party atmosphere without being too expensive. To us, it feels like a "trying too hard to be cool" Israeli attempt at the popular W Hotels chain and other hip boutiques around the world. We'd nix the NYX. Or maybe we're just not cool enough to appreciate it. 

Galilion Resort Yesod Hamaala

We've been to Yesod Hama'ala in northern Israel a few times over the years. Once, we even spent the night there at the town's only option, the super no-frills Savyonei Hagalil Hotel, which was originally built as the only Israeli outpost of ultra-budget Accor hotel chain Etap. But Etap has long since left the country, and in all honestly, the Savyonei Hagalil leaves little desire to return to the area. However, a Jerusalem Post article from a few weeks ago alerted us to the recent opening of another hotel in the area, the Galilion Hotel. Because the Post's review was so overwhelmingly (and perhaps predictably) positive, we thought we'd do some looking into this hotel for the benefit of our readers. Here are our thoughts: We're loving the idea of a village-style grouping of different buildings, rather than a single monumental structure. Here, the 120 rooms and suites are grouped into small two-story buildings, and there's a separate convention center, spa, and lobby, along with an adjacent shopping center and farmer's market. The inspiration was clearly an Italian village, and designers took that inspiration very literally in the guestrooms, with wallpaper depicting none other than a quaint Tuscany-esque village. It's certainty a bold move, although we must say that it's not really our taste, especially alongside rather standard light wood furnishings and a red bedspread that clashes with the wallpaper. The hotel's secondary theme is birds, likely referencing the nearby Hula Lake through which pass over 500 million migrating birds annually. You'll find bird accent tiles in the otherwise drab bathrooms, bird images in the guestrooms, and decorative birds throughout the property. In our minds, the hotel really shines on the exterior, with landscaped, manicured lawns and gardens, a gorgeous (and really large) outdoor pool, and fountains dotted throughout. Another nice touch is the outdoor screening of movies by the pool. We're not surprised that reviewers on TripAdvisor have found the service to be lacking, with rude and unhelpful staff members at times. To us, this is still very much an Israeli kibbutz hotel, even if it's newer and better looking than most. We'd love to see a bigger chain come over and whip this property into shape. Until then, we found rates for $240 a night, including breakfast, for next month.

Ramada Resort Hadera Beach

Sometimes we wonder if we're losing our touch over here at IsraelGuest. Just when we think that we've been keeping proper tabs on all the upcoming hotels in Israel, something new pops up and surprises us. Enter the Ramada Resort Hadera Beach. Due to open in "2016", this hotel will be the crown jewel of the older Sea Village development, and will likely share some of its facilities. Unlike its sister property in Netanya, this high-rise resort property is not all-suite, as it appears to offer a variety of smaller studio rooms (with kitchenettes and tables for one, apparently) along with the usual one and two bedroom suites. But both rooms and suites have large balconies overlooking the "gorgeous lagoon" and free Wifi. The hotel will also feature indoor and outdoor pools, spa, fitness center, a Turkish hammam, and a sailing club. Yes, a sailing club. Notably, the hotel also offers a variety of meeting spaces accommodating up to 800 guests. From a design perspective, the hotel looks remarkably similar to its Netanya counterpart, especially in the lobby. But rooms are decidedly warmer and more beachy, with light wood flooring, beige furnishings, and blue accents. No word yet on when the hotel is due to open, but we're hoping very soon. And we'd also like to see some special introductory rates. After all, it's still a Ramada...

Poli House Tel Aviv

Just under a year ago, we reported on construction on a building adjacent to the Nahalat Binyamin Pedestrian Mall in Tel Aviv. We noted that it sure looked like a boutique hotel was underway, and we prophesied that it would be part of Atlas Hotels, the well-known boutique chain that dominates Tel Aviv. Later, in February, we mentioned that plans for the much acclaimed Sir Benjamin Hotel Tel Aviv were scrapped in favor of the somewhat less interestingly named Poli House Tel Aviv, although Karim Rashid would remain on hand for the interiors. But alas, we didn't put two and two together that the historic Bauhaus structure that looked like a hotel and the future Poli were one and the same. But they are! And more excitingly, the new hotel will be opening in July, after much delays. The 40-room hotel, run by star hotelier Leon Avigad of Brown and Brown Beach House fame, will be sure to attract the cool, hip crowd of Tel Aviv, with its hopping grungy chic location and cascading rooftop pool. The hotel also promises a sunbathing lounge, rooftop cocktail bar and spa treatment rooms, meeting room and gallery space with art from local artists, and "a cultural hub with a design shop". What that latter term means, we're not quite sure. It seems that there's no dining on site, though, with guests being invited to patronize a nearby cafe for breakfast. Rooms look super cool (but tight), with futuristic bright blue and metallic accents, as well as somewhat psychedelic wallpaper in the bathrooms. We're loving the rendering of the aptly named Circle Suite, with a curving wall of windows spanning most of the room. The smallest rooms start at a crazy tight 15 square meters (151 square feet), but there are larger rooms available too. Complimentary access to a nearby fitness center is included, as are bicycles. We found rates starting at $265 in the end of July, without breakfast, although a pre-opening special takes the rate down to $199. Should you want the Circle Suite, it can be had for just $341 in this period. Sounds a tad steep to us, especially with limited services.

Isrotel and Dan Hotels Announce Ambitious Expansion Plans

After a December 2015 Marketest survey found that Isrotel guests are more satisfied with their stays than guests of any other major chain in Israel, it looks like Isrotel is ready to share the magic. We've already reported that Isrotel is building a third hotel near the Tel Aviv Port. But in the past few months, the company has entered an agreement to buy the ultra-luxe Mitzpe Hayamim Spa hotel in Rosh Pina, a former Relais & Chateaux property. The 97-room hotel is set on over 35 acres of land and boasts a natural grove, a dairy and an organic farm on the property. No doubt, this hotel will become another one of Isrotel's spa resorts, alongside Carmel Forest and Cramim in the Jerusalem Hills. But that's not all. Isrotel also announced plans to construct a 120-room property in a preserved building on Jerusalem Boulevard in Old Jaffa. Part of the Exclusive Collection, this hotel will feature a swimming pool, spa, and chef restaurant. But no, that's not all, either. Just over a month ago, Isrotel announced the development of the Publica Hotel in Herzliya Pituach. This 160-room, four-star property will feature an ultra modern design and is geared towards business travelers. It will no doubt give the Marriott Herzliya some stiff competition!

Meanwhile, Dan Hotels, not to be outdone (although its guests are less satisfied), announced last week that construction has commenced on the chain's first international hotel, in Bangalore, India. First announced in 2008, plans were put on hold for several years, and the hotel plans on finally opening next year. The five-star, 220-room hotel is set in a high rise tower in the Whitefield business area of Bangalore. Several Israeli tech companies are housed in the nearby area, and Dan Hotels hopes that travelers will seek familiar brands in their trips abroad. Renderings by PIA Interior Co of Bangkok look beautiful, with warm, Indian motifs and intricate patterns and textures enhancing the carpets, bedspreads, and decorative elements of the guestrooms. Next time we're in India, we'll be checking this place out for sure.

(Thanks to tipsters Ruthie and Tifi for their help with this post).

Setai Tel Aviv, Herbert Samuel Jerusalem, & Ibis Styles Jerusalem

Exploring the country is always a good way to find out about hotels. It could be a small construction project that we previously overlooked, or a large one with some surprising updates. For example, there we were, driving around Old Jaffa, when we came across the Orchid Pasha Kishleh Jaffa Hotel (which, as you'll recall, was hunting for a better name). A large sign proudly heralded the result of this name competition, with The Setai Jaffa. Now, in truth, to us the Setai evokes an ultra-modern, sleek Japanese zen style South Beach hotel. A restored Ottoman palace in Jaffa with Middle Eastern inspired interiors? Less so. There's still no official opening date, but the hotel seems to be progressing nicely. A supposed 7-star property, the 115-room hotel will also have a spa, chef restaurant, Turkish bath, and rooftop infinity pool. In addition, Orchid Hotels, the group behind the Setai, like the name so much that they've borrowed it for a second hotel on the shores of Lake Kinneret, with 110 suites with private pools. The hotel will also include "Israel's largest spa complex". Meanwhile, over in Jerusalem, Herbert Samuel still hasn't opened. But we peeked into the lobby the other day and found that all the chandeliers and furnishings are in place (although still wrapped in plastic). Can't wait for the wraps to come off of this one! Interestingly, the hotel is advertising its location adjacent to Nachlaot, which it labels the "Soho of Jerusalem". We wouldn't have thought. And finally, also in Jerusalem, a former apartment building on the Ben Yehuda pedestrian street is being converted to a second Ibis Styles Jerusalem. This is part of Accor's effort to add a considerable amount of rooms to the capital and follows the opening of the Ibis Styles in Sheikh Jarrah. Ibis Styles hotels are known for their fun, quirky designs and affordable accommodation. We're looking forward to seeing some of those wood Old City wall headboards, like in the other Ibis Styles. No word yet on opening dates, but it looks like there's quite a ways to go yet.

Brown Jerusalem Hotel

If any of our dear readers had the opportunity to dine in Vaquerio in Jerusalem, you may have forgotten the food long before you forgot the gorgeous 19th century villa in which it was housed, with dramatically lit stone arches creating intimate dining spaces and a beautiful garden outside. While the restaurant is long gone, a much better replacement has come, in the form of of Brown Jerusalem Hotel. This new property, from Tel Aviv veteran hotelier Leon Avigad (of Brown Tel Aviv and Brown Beach House) and designed by Baer, Shifman-Nathan Architects, will be opening in late 2016 on Haneviim Street in downtown Jerusalem. An extra story will be added to the building, increasing the space but remaining in keeping with the original architecture. Like its Tel Avivian sisters, the hotel will surely become a place to see-and-be-seen for the Jerusalem set, with a variety of spaces for lounging and meeting. These include a rooftop deck with a Jacuzzi, a lobby level terrace with an outdoor fireplace, an underground bar, a richly decorated lobby living room beneath the massive stone arches, a cafe, and a tea room. Dramatic guestrooms feature exposed stone, antique furnishings, tufted headboards, and deep colors. Though with only 18 rooms, it seems that the Brown will focus more on being a hang-out spot than on being a hotel. Not that we care, really. As we've said before, any new hotel is a good hotel. Especially in this case. Now- just open on time? Please?

Aquaris Resort Eilat and The Poli Hotel

We've known about the Aquaris Resort in Eilat for several years. To be honest, we've been eagerly tracking this hotel since a visit to Eilat almost four years ago, when we saw signs posted for it. We haven't really followed up, so we still don't know if the hotel has progressed at all. But for some reason, the hotel keeps coming up on our radar. So we figured the least we could do is give it a shout-out, in the hope that something will come out of it, and soon! Here's what we know: Courtesy of Israel Yosseph, the hotel's graphic designer, we know that the Aquaris will be a boutique, all-suite hotel with a number of swimming pools and artificial waterfalls in the public spaces (emphasis on water features- get it?). Or, in fancy speak, "Inspired by the serenity of the sub-aquatic, Aquaris embodies the next generation of “experience based” all-suite hotels.  Combining classic lines with chic designer interiors, the exclusive ambiance pervades every aspect of Aquaris." Thanks to real estate marketing team Impact (which frankly, seems to be doing a terrible job), we find that the hotel aims to be "Miami style, five-star luxury." Feigin Architects, the only real source of information, shows a number of garden suites with private plunge pools and an indoor/outdoor atrium with a series of cascading waterfalls.

Meanwhile, we've been waiting for Sir Benjamin to appear on the scene in Tel Aviv. But it appears that that won't be happening, unfortunately. The hotel has been removed from Sir Hotel's website, and in its stead, we are proud to introduce The Poli Hotel. The Poli is located on Magen David and features 40-rooms in a restored Bauhaus building. Interiors are still by wild designer Karim Rashid, while amenities include a rooftop pool, sunbathing lounge, cocktail bar, restaurant and spa. The hotel's website promised an opening on January 1st, but being that the message is still up there, we're not sure it made the deadline. That being said, we're willing to wait a while for this one. Renderings look really, really cool, especially those of the rooftop pool (with waterfalls, too- see that, Aquaris?). Plus, according to Travel and Leisure, instead of a traditional lobby check in, "guests will be “beamed up” to the rooftop via elevator, in which LED screens project the day’s weather and entertainment lineups." Sounds good to us. Now open. Please?

Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Bat Yam Updates

It's been a busy month for hotels in Israel. First, we finally took a trip down to Bat Yam to take a look at the construction. We were pleasantly surprised by the Sun Hotel (and not the Sea Hotel), which is actually progressing along quickly and promises to open its doors within three years. Much of the concrete structure is already in place, and we can tell that this will shape up to be a fantastic addition to the Israeli hotel scene. Meanwhile, the developers have supposedly signed a management contract with a US hotel chain "on par with Waldorf Astoria and Four Seasons". We've also been told that it is a world-renowned chain with 5,000 rooms around the world. Any guesses? The big reveal should be on February 1st, so it's not too long to wait. The best news out of all of this is that the property will probably not retain the moniker Sun Hotel for very long.

Other news: Lately, our internet searches have been peppered with advertisements for Hotel Rothschild 22, from Fattal Hotels. It looks like Fattal is trying to compete with the independent,boutique hotels in Tel Aviv with this offering, which is not branded under the flagship Leonardo name. It's located on the super-hot Rothschild Street, in the heart of Tel Aviv- but housed in a modern, glassy tower unlike the restored International style buildings which are home to most of the luxury boutique hotels in the area. With 156 rooms and suites, it's also considerably larger than its competition. Not to be undone, the hotel boasts that it "has gone that extra mile compared with other Tel Aviv hotels when it comes to facilities." Going the extra mile, according to the website, includes Nespresso machines, luxurious silk sheets, soft, fluffy towels, and L'occitane amenities. 

The hotel features a restaurant on the gallery floor with a trendy open kitchen, a business lounge, and a "fitness suite" (code for an extra-tiny gym, perhaps?). Oh, and rest assured that when it comes to meetings, "Hotel Rothschild 22 easily outshines other hotels in Tel Aviv when it comes to meetings and events facilities." Nothing like a little arrogance to get the competition upping its game, huh. We found rates for $175 this week, which isn't too bad.

Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, large banners have been placed on the Bank Hapoalim Building near Zion Square heralding the arrival of the Herbert Samuel Hotel. (Not sure if there's any relation to the uber- elegant Herbert Samuel restaurants in Tel Aviv and Herzliya). They don't seem to have a website, either, but here's what we've gleaned. The hotel's primary selling point, aside from its location, seems to be its indoor swimming pool (is that a gold-leaf ceiling we spy?) and 24 hour fitness center. The design is very elegant and classy, not modern at all which is a bit of a surprise considering the building's modern exterior. Think wood paneling, gold detailing, polished marble floors, and sparkling chandeliers. The 137 rooms remind us strongly of those at the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem down the road. We wouldn't be surprised if the designers looked there for inspiration. The hotel also boasts a rooftop restaurant with sweeping views of Jerusalem. We found rates for $320 in September, which seems awfully pricey. But maybe that's just us.