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?