Publica Isrotel Autograph Collection, Herzliya

This has got to be some of the quirkiest news out of hotel town recently. Isrotel's ambitious expansion efforts throughout the country are well-known, with the chain recently opening a new hotel in Jerusalem, scooping up Mitzpe Hayamim Spa, and trying its hand at a lifestyle concept hotel in Herzliya. Well, it looks like that last venture needed some help, as veteran hotelier Marriott has been brought in to operate the hotel as part of its Autograph Collection. The newly branded Publica Isrotel, Autograph Collection is surely bizarre, and we're very curious as to how this merger will work in reality. It's not completely smooth sailing, as the Marriott website is offering rooms for tonight for $138 in a double room for two, while in Isrotel world, that same room can be had for $145 per person (!). Isrotel also offers a screen for "Room Add-ons", including breakfast for $85 (whoa, that seems steep- and is that for one, or two?). If the Marriott prices are correct, this hotel is a far cry from those $500+ rooms in other hotels in Herzliya, and will surely attract the young, high-tech crowd. The hotel offers a small conference room, a fitness center, a rooftop swimming pool and lounge, and a variety of spaces for socializing and meeting. Design is, predictably, youthful, with fun pops of color and vintage-inspired furnishings and details like rotary phones just perfect for Instagramming. Notably, the hotel's unique concept extends to a Social Club, offering a range of free and paid activities for guests including fitness classes (beach running, anyone?), and live music and concerts. According to Marriott, the vision is to give guests "the chance to meet local visitors, mainly professionals from Herzliya's Hi-Tech Zone. The concept of sharing is essential to Publica and visitors can feel it in various places, Greco restaurant, shared work space, outdoor terrace, art gallery and of course in the Social Club". The hotel is hoping to be a hub of business activity, and perhaps the partnership with Marriott is designed to get those corporate rates coming. Or maybe Marriott is secretly planning to buy out Isrotel. Hey, they did it with Starwood! And AC Hotels. And Ritz Carlton. And Delta. And Bulgari. Need we say more?