It's a Yes for No-vember

It's been a strange month for hotels in Israel. Of course, as we always point out, any news of a new hotel is good news, but we must admit that the flurry of activity has left us in a bit of a daze. Maybe Israeli hoteliers are just getting bored of the same old stuff. Maybe they're looking to take some wild leaps. Or maybe, they've all just gone a little crazy. Well, not all of them. Let's start with one of our favorites, Leon Avigad and the people behind Brown Hotels. Brown has been aggressive in their expansion plans, particularly in Jerusalem. In addition to the recently-opened Villa Brown, two more downtown hotels are underway (according to the Jerusalem Post), and they've recently taken over the charming Arcadia Ba'Moshava hotel, now renamed Villa BaMoshava. Brown is known for its trendy, youthful hotels, and we're curious to see how the elegant (if traditional and somewhat dated) property fits in with its hipper siblings. But the true craziness is unleashed in Tel Aviv, in the Dave West Tel Aviv. Cheekily named "Dave" and referred to as Brown Hotel's "rebel child", the hotel is a "celebration of the 70's and features an "eclectic assortment of flea market finds and funky antiques". Amenities are limited, as there's no elevator and no onsite restaurant. The design certainly makes up for it, though, with exposed concrete, bright red walls, and taxidermy, among other curious choices. Deluxe rooms, labeled the sexiest in town, are painted black, with red curtains, black and white tiles, and fully exposed soaking tubs. They're also the largest rooms, with the smallest rooms starting at a minuscule 12 meters and going up to 15. In other strange, strange news, Fattal is opening up a 400-room hotel in Eilat. Aside from the fact that it's the first new hotel construction in Eilat in several years, this hotel is shocking for what it's not: luxury. Located near the marina and the new Ice Mall, the Astral Lite hotel is intended to attract budget travelers and even backpackers traveling on low-cost airlines to the sunny city. The hotel is said to offer different levels of service depending on the needs of travelers. Of course, to compensate, Fattal also announced that it is opening a 182-room hotel adjacent to Herod's Palace, with a 1,200 meter conference center that can be converted to a casino should casinos become legal in the southern city. Interesting times, indeed.