Summer Hotels Update

It’s been a busy summer for hotels in Israel. We’ve taken a visit to the W Jaffa to see the work that is slowly, slowly progressing. But it’s there. And what’s more, we’ve began hearing about a W Jerusalem, too! (Watch out, Mamilla…another design hotel is on its way!) Speaking of a little competition, the Isrotel Jerusalem is busily constructing while across the street, The Four Seasons has supposedly broken ground (although it appears that it will only be seven stories, after neighborhood groups scrapped the plans for a fourteens story tower). And what’s this about a Marriott in Jerusalem, near Shuk Mahane Yehuda? Could we venture to guess that the old Isrotel Tower will soon become a Marriott? Either way, as we like to say, the more hotels, the better. Meanwhile, hotels in Tel Aviv must be feeling the pressure because Jetsetter has named the Norman in Tel Aviv the best boutique hotel in the world. (Thanks to dedicated tipster Ruthie for pointing this out to us)! That’s right, in the world. Now, we know that the Norman is popular with the jet set (including Catherine Zeta Jones and husband Michael Douglass and CEOs of major corporations), but this is quite impressive for little ole Israel. And Atlas Hotels, our favorite boutique hotel company, has opened its Yam Hotel and its Market House Hotel in Tel Aviv/Jaffa while their new property on Mesilat Yesharim Street in Jerusalem seems to be coming along nicely. Plus, we’ve been monitoring construction on a building in Tel Aviv adjacent to the Nahalat Binyamin Pedestrian Mall and we’re willing to bet that it’s going to be a boutique hotel. And if it’s going to be a boutique, it’ll either be independent or part of Atlas. Either one is fine with us. Just hope for a hotel!