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.
