Orchid Hotel Group

Well, we sure got a surprise today! We were browsing hotels in Eilat and came across the New Orchid Reef Hotel (quite a name, no?). Intrigued by the "Orchid", we switched over to the Orchid Hotel Eilat site to find out if these two hotels are related. It turns out they are. These two hotels are part of the previously-unknown Orchid Hotel Group. The group includes four hotels in Eilat, two in the Dead Sea, one in Tel Aviv, a boutique hotel in the Galil, and Maale Hachamisha near Jerusalem. The hotels range from very upscale to "I wouldn't want to step foot in that place" (Cough, cough Maale Hachamisha).

More interesting, though, is that the group also owns a handful of Miami hotels, including the popular Hotel Victor. But that's not our concern. Here's what makes Orchid Hotel Group really newsworthy: They're building three more hotels in Israel. The first, called the Orchid Country Club Tel Aviv, is located in the vague Tel Aviv/Herzliya area. The hotel aims to cater to businessmen traveling to the two cities, and offers 120 rooms and a rare year round heated outdoor pool. Next is the Orchid Kinneret Hotel, which offers 70 vacation units (some with private pools!) housed in two-story bungalows. This hotel will also offer a lakefront pool, spa, beach, and fitness center. Last, and most exciting, is the Orchid Pasha Tel Aviv-Jaffa Hotel. Located in between the clock tower and the sea, the hotel occupies what is arguably the best location in the area. The hotel encompasses an ancient fortress and two new buildings. Renderings look gorgeous, with an infinity edge pool overlooking the sea and a large space for events. Despite the grand scale of the project, the hotel will be small, with about 140 rooms. The "six- star" property is "currently looking into entering into a franchise agreement with a major international luxury hotel chain, one that has not been active in Israel as yet.” Four Seasons Jaffa, anyone?

Checking up on the Leonardo Boutique Rechovot

The Leonardo has been open for several months now, and we were curious as to how things are going over there. Reviews have been quite positive, with one person gushing, "The most beautiful hotel I have visited in recent years", and another praising the staff for being "absolutely amazing and catering to my every need." The only problems seem to be noise from the nearby train and construction, and a lack of parking spaces. Rates are still remarkably low, (there's a promotion for $138.75 a night) which is an incentive to stay here over overpriced Tel Aviv hotels (The Leonardo Boutique Tel Aviv is going for a whopping $370 a night). While the hotel may exaggerate when in claims to be a 5-star boutique hotel that meets international standards (more like a nice three star), we'd still be willing to give it a try for the price. Our only gripe: Couldn't they have put in a pool?

Ooh, The Dan Carmel Haifa is looking Good

After decades of neglect, the Dan Carmel has recently undergone a complete renovation. The result is a gorgeous upscale hotel worth of being Haifa's best. The new rooms, in particular, are a far cry from the old ones, which featured original furniture and mismatched decor. The new rooms are sleek and elegant, and feature peekaboo bathrooms. Plus, rare for hotels in Israel, all the rooms have been renovated and not just those in higher categories. The lobby and public areas are attractive, and the food is highly praised. However, the gym, spa and pool are critiqued for being "standard" and dated. Most importantly, though, the spectacular views of the bay remain. Overall, we truly like the design of this hotel, and feel that it should be the new benchmark for Dan Hotels and for hotels in Israel in general. Standard rooms are going for a surprisingly affordable $291 USD next week. On a side point, what were the designers of sister hotel Dan Panorama Haifa thinking? Unless they just wanted to encourage people to stay far, far away from the front desk. We feel bad for the poor woman in the picture.

Eilat Hotel Advice

Recently, someone asked us for advice where to stay in Eilat. They were looking for a luxurious family hotel, something on par with American standards. We thought for a moment, analyzing all of the hotels, and initially recommended the Hilton Queen of Sheba (as we always do). Of course, though, that got us thinking and we quickly skipped over to TripAdvisor to see what's new in beach town.

We first checked up on the Isrotel Princess, wondering if they had gotten around to renovating the rooms. We quickly noticed some redone rooms, but it's unclear if these are standard rooms or not. According to the Isrotel site, the standard rooms have not been renovated (although the included picture clearly shows a renovated room), and the so- called "primium" rooms are renovated, yet the picture showed a very seventies decor. Reviews seem so-so, with most reviewers berating the service. Bottom line: Give this hotel more time... We realized that the Queen of Sheba, too, is looking a little tired. Not just that, but the pools are awfully boring compared to those of other hotels. The Royal Beach was a no-no, because of the older rooms. The Dan Eilat, while very popular, is slightly too tacky and the rooms could use some work. We ultimately chose Herods Palace, (pictured) which has renovated (albeit boring) rooms, a nice pool, and generally good reviews. What do you think? Good advice or avoid this hotel? A side point: Eilat could really use a good luxury hotel, with nice rooms, attentive service, and nice pools. Effendi Eilat, anyone?

Score! Jerusalem gets another boutique hotel!

Remember Agrippas Street in Jerusalem? The heavily crowded, overly busy street leading up to Mahane Yehuda? This lovely, lovely street is about to get a hotel. All we can say is bring earplugs...

The short building on the left of the picture now boasts a sign heralding the arrival of the Agrippas Boutique Hotel. We can't imagine that the hotel offers much in the way of amenities, but for those looking for cheap lodging in the center of town, this might be the way to go. And in case you're wondering, the total count of boutique hotels under construction in the center of Jerusalem is now up to five. UPDATE: Make that six. The new Haneviim Boutique project also plans on having a boutique hotel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpE67LE0buw

Isrotel Tower Jerusalem

Well, this hotel has sat empty for long enough so we're pleased to hear that renovation work has commenced on the former 207- room Isrotel, which has been shuttered for several years. No word yet on to who is to manage the hotel (assuming that the building remains a hotel). Isrotel, on their website, vaguely refers to opening three new hotels in the Jerusalem area, so perhaps this is one of them. "Isrotel, the leading hotel chain in Israel, is opening a new hotel in Jerusalem [area] and thus continues to expand it's operations Israel's hotel field. Kiryat Anavim Hotel in Jerusalem is the first luxury hotel of it's type in near the city that marks the introduction of new areas of operation of the Isrotel chain in addition to those which have solidified it's position today. Kiryat Anavim is a luxury boutique hotel located in the outskirts of Jerusalem where guests may enjoy the city's attractions along with the magical forest landscape of the hills of Jerusalem. In the coming years the chain will continue to grow and expand with the opening of additional hotels in Jerusalem and other areas of Israel."

Effendi Acre

It's no big secret the Acre is not high on our list of places we want to visit or stay in. Sure, the city is quite historic and charming in a way, and has a seaside location to boot, but the city is also dirty and gross. The newer sections of Acre are equally ugly- cheap housing developments, old apartment buildings, and uncultivated lands. Acre also lacks the vibe that upscale Jaffa has, perhaps in part due to the latter's proximity to Tel Aviv. Even the hotels in Acre are nothing special. For years and years, the mainstay in Acre was the Palm Beach Hotel, which could use some modernizing. Then came Akkotel, which was supposed to be a luxurious historic boutique hotel, but not enough money was put into the construction and the result ended up being a ho- hum small hotel with an odd layout. Thankfully, though, the owners felt the need for a true luxury hotel in Acre, and this year- the Effendi Hotel was born. After a eight-year, painstaking renovation of two historic mansions (in which artisans were flown in from Italy to work on the project), the hotel opened this year. Rooms at this hotel are the selling point, and they are gorgeous. Even the most basic rooms (starting at 1400 NIS) are airy and high end. Amenities are limited (as to be expected in a hotel of this size), but the hotel does feature a restaurant and a wine bar as well as a restored Turkish bath. Reviews are extremely positive, with an emphasis on "dreamy" and "magical". While the "bang for your buck" factor is questionable at the Effendi, we certainly have a reason to visit Acre now. The Effendi takes its place as one of the top hotels in Israel.