Luxury update

Pretentious, showy, pompous, hmm...sounds like a Ritz Carlton! The luxury brand known for its stuffiness and ostentatiousness has recently unveiled the website for its Herzliya outpost, and the hotel lauds itself as "the first luxury resort in Israel." Now, we're not denying that the Ritz will be a classy property. But they seem to be laying it on a little thick, no? We must say, now that the photos are out, the hotel looks a little disappointing and underwhelming, more Israeli- wannabe five star than true Ritz Carlton. We do love the fact that every oversized room has a balcony, and those bathrooms with deep soaking tubs look gorgeous. We can't wait for this hotel to open so that we can check it out and determine for ourselves if it puts all the other resorts to shame (or even worse, to non-existence). Although, maybe the Ritz will inspire a new breed of uber-luxury resorts in Israel, which would be a win-win for all of us. We are also anxiously anticipating the opening of the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem, which also has a website up and running (and an opening date: November 2013!) The design here is very old world and elegant, this is undeniably a luxury property. The rooms are reminiscent of those at the legendary King David, offering a not-so-subtle hint at who the hotel is poised to compete with. Funny how history has repeated itself- the circa 1931 King David was built to be the Jewish answer to Mohammad Amin al-Husayni's 1929 Palace Hotel. We love the design of the indoor pool area and restaurant. The guestrooms also offer an impressive list of amenities even in the most basic rooms, including mirror embedded TV's in the bathroom, tablet room controls, and complimentary Wifi! All we can say is that we're super eager to get a tour of these hotels once they open.

Isrotel Cramim

As many of you know, we have been anxiously following the progress of the Isrotel Cramim, the luxury hotel which recently opened outside Jerusalem. The hotel opened roughly a month ago, and so far, reviews seem to be positive, with reviewers applauding the guestroom design in particular. The staff, food, and spa are also highly praised. One reviewer bemoaned the fact that there were too many babies around, to which the hotel responded that they have now changed their policy to only allow children above the age of 10. (Stupid move, Isrotel). The hotel has put a major emphasis on its Spa, evident in the hotel's official name, Cramim Resort & Spa. The 2000 meter Carmel Forest Spa features 21 treatment rooms, a full gym, health bar, sauna, Jacuzzi and two swimming pools, one outdoor and one indoor, as well as a solarium. Here at IsraelGuest, we can't help but wonder if this hotel will be a localized version of the renowned Carmel Forest Spa Resort, with its own 2,500 square meter spa. The original resort hasn't been renovated since 1997, so we'd happily make the switch to Cramim. The two resorts share many of the same features, including a mountain location with sweeping views of the surrounding area, expansive spas and relaxation areas, and impeccable food. However, the price at Cramim is another major draw: rooms here start at $360 a night (plus a 20% discount if you book before July 31st!), compared to a whopping $628 at Carmel Forest (this is full board, though). So- the next time you're looking for a weekend of R&R- head straight to Cramim.

Herods Dead Sea

The latest addition to the Herods chain has been open for a few months now, and we thought we'd have a look at how things are going. You'll recall that the hotel that houses the Herods has been through a few rebrandings over the past few years, namely (no pun intended) Sheraton, Moriah, and Leonardo. Unfortunately, with all the name changes did not come any major renovations. Finally, Herods has done a full scale renovation of the place, in an effort to restore the hotels 1960's era glory as befitting a Herods. The result is a definite improvement. All of the hotel's 223 rooms have been renovated (although some look "more renovated" than others). The Executive Garden Rooms with private pools sound particularly appealing. The indoor and outdoor pools have received some cosmetic updates, and the lobby and public spaces look beautiful, albeit not exactly to our tastes. The spa has also been completely redesigned. The hotel also built a new pier and wooden walkway on the beach. Reviews are very positive on TripAdvisor, with reviewers praising the rooms, service, and especially the food. Rates are a very reasonable $240 per night in a standard room for tonight. Still, though, we don't think that the Herods can quite compete with the Isrotel, which is still our #1 choice for the Dead Sea. UPDATE: AVOID THE EXECUTIVE GARDEN ROOMS Apparently, the so- called "Executive Garden With Pool", which offers "exclusive access to a private pool", is not so exclusive or so private either. As one reviewer writes, "We reserved a room with a private pool - be careful - it is private for our room and about 10 more, in a norrow [sic] pathway-pool. It is far from being private." The hotel confirms "You are correct. The swimming pool in front of the Garden room is shared amongst 16 Garden room guests.." That's pretty funny! Save your money and take a regular room. In other hotel news, the Royal Beach Tel Aviv has opened amidst much fanfare, and guests seem pretty happy with the new hotel!

Holy Moley! Israel Gets a Hotel Indigo

We were understandably flustered when we found out about this hotel. We quickly searched around, and after a brief moment of horror in which we thought the hotel had already opened unbeknownst to us, we discovered that the hotel is set to open in late November. Here's the details: For those that aren't familiar with the brand, Hotel Indigo is a newish offering from InterContinental Hotels. Each hotel is uniquely designed to reflect the local style, and the hotels emphasize a homey, local environment. The Israeli outpost (first among many, we hope) will be located in Ramat Gan, in the heart of the Diamond District. As such, the hotel's design is an "Art-Deco re-interpretation of the world's most precious stone “The Diamond”. Throughout the hotel, you will find captivating design features and accents paying homage to this precious gem and our local neighbourhood." The hotel will offer an elegant French-Mediterranean bistro and lounge, a spa, fitness center, rooftop glass swimming pool (Oohh), and a sundeck. Rates for opening night start at a very reasonable $218/night.

Jerusalem Hotel News

It seems that slowly but surely, Jerusalem is catching up to Tel Aviv (and the rest of the world) with a proliferation of boutique hotels. The Arthur opened last month, and there are talks of Atlas Hotels opening another boutique sometime in the near future. In a few more months we expect to see the eleven room Bayit Baneviim hotel open, and the 7 Rav Kook project in the city center just after that. Meanwhile, though, the Agripas Hotel has recently opened, and as of last week they have a somewhat operational website. The hotel has 52 rooms and suites. While amenities are seriously lacking, Wifi and parking are free. The "garish, overly boutique-y" decor might not be our taste, but for the price (around $125 per night for a couple), we'd say that this is a great deal. In other Jerusalem hotel news, the Jerusalem Tower Hotel has just completed a top to bottom renovation. The result is a thoroughly modern, artsy, and upscale hotel, with a great location. While we wouldn't have wanted to step foot in this hotel pre- renovation, now we wouldn't hesitate to stay here either.

Best Hotel Chain in Israel for Upkeep

According to Feigin Architects (the architects behind a vast majority of Israeli hotels), the only hotel chain that renovates and maintains its properties is Isrotel. While we won't argue that Isrotel has done a good job both in expanding and building new hotels, and at the same time keeping its other properties in decent condition, other chains have been trying to catch up. The criterion for judgment is best overall upkeep for all the properties in the chain. We only included major Israeli hotel chains on this list. The worst chain on our list is the huge Leonardo/Fattal conglomerate, with a confusing array of upscale and falling apart hotels. Sure, the chain scores in our books with the new Herods Group (including the "just- opened" Herods Dead Sea and the under construction Herods Hertzliya), and with a handful of Leonardos in Tel Aviv which are new or renovated, but the disappoints with its other hotels around the country. Dan Hotels comes in #3, with a wide range from ultra luxurious hotels (King David, Dan Carmel, Dan Accadia) in good shape to dumpy hotels dying for a reno (Dan Eilat, Dan Caesarea, etc.). Isrotel comes in second place, with top hotels like Beresheet and the Royal Beach Tel Aviv, and a bunch of well maintained, if somewhat dated, hotels. But the top place? Our 2013 choice is Atlas Hotels, which has 12 lovely small hotels all around Israel. Most of the hotels are under five years old, so they are still beautiful and functional. And while some of the properties are less luxurious or interesting than others, from a purely aesthetic viewpoint one can't go wrong by choosing to stay at an Atlas Hotel. Stays at this chain also include nice perks, like free Happy Hour and WiFi. Congratulations to Atlas on this well deserved honor! And by the way, Atlas just opened its first Haifa hotel, the Bay Club. Housed in a historic building, Bay Club offers 55 attractive rooms and, among other things, free bicycle rentals.

Here Comes the Isrotel Jerusalem (and other Jerusalem hotel news)

We were pleasantly surprised to find a sign for the Isrotel Jerusalem on stylish Emek Refaim Street in Jerusalem. Construction has began, and the hotel is expected to open in late 2015. It will be a part of Isrotel's Exclusive Collection, meaning that the hotel will be finished in a very high standard and will charge high rates accordingly. The hotel will house about 200 rooms, restaurants, a spa, a pool, fitness center, and a large space for events. Additionally, the hotel will encompass two historic buildings that are located on the site. We can only hope that the former Isrotel Tower Jerusalem, which is now undergoing complete renovations, will be a more affordable option in Jerusalem. In other hotel news, the boutique hotel on Luntz Street that we wrote about a while ago now has a name. It will be called the Arthur Hotel, Jerusalem. We walked by today, and it seems that the hotel is working on finishing touches. It is expected to open on March 1st. The hotel will have 54 rooms with retro decor, and will be managed by Atlas Hotels. The hotel boasts free Wifi and a free Happy Hour. Lastly, two hotels from Accor's budget Ibis brand are to be built in Jerusalem. Together, they will have over 200 rooms.