The Pictures Are Up, The Reviews Are Up

...And it looks unbelievable! Yes, it's just-opened Waldorf Astoria in Jerusalem. No biggie. We've only been waiting for this for the past, uh four years! We absolutely love the indoor-outdoor feel of the lobby with the airy courtyard in the center flooded with natural light and adorned with potted plants and outdoor furniture. The public areas certainly surpass those at the King David, which are beginning to show their age. The Waldorf's interiors are bright and elegant, with a neutral palette and subtle hints of color. The entrance lobby is resplendent with the signature Waldorf Astoria clock and surrounded by a grand staircase. Our favorite part? The lavishly furnished public spaces also emphasize the magnificent architecture of the original Palace Hotel, even with so many modifications. So far, our main dislike is the design of the guestrooms which are in one word- brown. The curtains are brown, the carpet is brown, the sham is brown, the headboard is brown, the couch is brown, the leather bench is brown. Breaking up the brown are some dark wood furnishings and beige walls. A little color or even some crisp white would have gone a long way here, Waldorf. Oh well. It won't deter us from staying here (if someone wants to foot the bill, let us know...) Reviews are super-positive. Except for one reviewer who came to the hotel before it was opened and thus had a bad expereince, all the other reviewers seem to agree. They praise the service, "I was shocked how well the staff functioned since they just opened" and "The hotel had just opened for their soft launch when we stayed, it is fair to say that the standard of service is already top notch!" The high standards of the hotel's design also regale reviewers, who note, "This hotel brings a level of hotel that Jerusalem has not seen till now" and "It is a beautiful property with an extremely elegant Waldorf feel." (What that "Waldorf" feel might be is a separate issue...)Another reviewer lauded the "Breathtaking architecture, renovation." We found rates starting at $565 for next week, compared to $530 at the King David and a whopping $560 at the David Citadel. At those prices, we'd say the Waldorf is a no-brainer. Now, have we ever discussed how overpriced Jerusalem hotels are?

A Little Competition Can't Hurt

Especially not when it comes to hotels. As we like to say here at IsraelGuest, the more hotels, the better. More hotels encourage existing ones to constantly improve in order to stay poised to compete. Some may do some sprucing up, add services, or even better, reduce rates. Or even better than that, improve AND reduce rates. As we've discussed here before, the ole' hotels in Herzliya must certainly be feeling some love (read: fierce competition) from the Ritz Carlton. We've obsessed over this hotel and covered it extensively here on IsraelGuest, and we're pleased to report that a few months after opening the hotel has been receiving wonderful reviews on TripAdvisor. Meanwhile the Daniel has been anxiously renovating to keep up, and we know the Dan is planning a massive expansion to become the largest hotel in Israel (and presumably one of the most luxurious). But there's still more competition underfoot. If you recall, Herod's Group (Herod's Eilat, Dead Sea, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem eventually) is also building an uber-luxurious hotel in the coastal town. According to its website, the hotel is said to be opening in "2014" (although another page claims "end of 2013...") and "will present the ultimate accommodation facility for both businessmen and tourists alike." The website goes on to promise "As it is perfectly located on the coast of the Mediterranean, it offers the much needed relief and calamity after a long day full of business meetings or just travelling around." Now I dunno about this, but maybe hotels have just become so luxurious that guests are looking for a little calamity in their hotel stays? Is that the new hot trends? The 250 room hotel will be located right on the Marina and will feature a large outdoor pool, extensive meeting space, a spa, and "an exceptionally large lobby." The website proclaims that Herods "is definitely going to be second to non-amongst [sic] the other hotels around." Watch out, Ritz Carlton! And Herods- maybe get some spell check? And a dictionary?

Updates on hotels

Suppose, suppose, suppose that one was looking for a luxurious retreat with all the bells and whistles. Like a well appointed guestroom with a dedicated seating area, comfortable bed, large flatscreen television, and a nice terrace with a few chairs. Maybe with a view, too- of the sea. Oh, and an outdoor rock shower would be appreciated. And a regular shower just in case it's chilly. And, maybe- just maybe, a private pool, too? Plus, you know, a Japanese garden would really be nice. Sounds impossible, right? Beresheet comes the closest, but even it does't quite tick all of the boxes. Kibbutz Nahsholim, on the beautiful Dor Beach north of Caesaria, is known for its drab and dated accommodations. But, they recently unveiled a selection of boutique rooms that manage to fulfill all of the requirements. And man, is it gorgeous. Some of the nicest designs we've seen in a long time! Our only hesitation is the fact that the sea view rooms (and guests) share the limited facilities (like the dining hall) with the rest of the kibbutz guests, which likely means that some aspects will be decidedly less luxurious. Fortunately the prices seem to reflect that: A seaview room for next week is merely $230 USD a night. Not bad at all! In other news, we've been checking up on the Tel Aviv hotel scene. Here's what's new (or not): 1. We can't find any information on Kempinski and specifically when it is opening! Anyone know what's going on here? 2. Remember the Orchid Pasha Jaffa Hotel that is not the W Hotel? Well, it seems to have gotten a name, and we're not fans: Kishleh Hotel Jaffa. No, not kishka but close: Kishleh! Oy. Hope they can find a different name before they open. 3. We went looking into the Bat Yam hotel stories, as some new hotels are expected to be opening. Ground has broken on the Sea Hotel Bat Yam, a 500 million shekel, 26 story, 436 room hotel. Adjacent to this hotel are two more in planning stages, one expected to rise some forty stories high. The total from all three is expected to bring an additional 1200 rooms to the area. And, lastly, Orchid Hotel Group is doing some more expansion. In addition to its Jaffa property, Orchid is renovating the old Zion Square Hotel in Jerusalem to create a luxurious boutique hotel. It is anticipating a September opening. This property joins an 120 room country club hotel located between Tel Aviv and Herzliya that is in development, and a third property on the shores of the Kinneret.

Hotels, hotels, hotels

It's been a busy month of hotel spying here in Israel. New hotels have opened (although some are still taking their time), old hotels have closed, and some exciting hotel news has come out. Where to start? Waldorf Astoria: We admit it, for the past couple of weeks we've been purposely walking down Agron Street so that we can peek into the Waldorf. The hotel is finally starting to take shape, with furnishings, chandeliers, and fixtures in place. This will be a truly elegant place, from the grand entrance to the lobby and the extremely high- ceilinged ballroom in the basement (No, we didn't go inside! Just peered over the edge and trespassed a little...) All this will hopefully warrant the extra 5-10% that Waldorf plans on charging over comparable hotels' rates. Le Meridien Dead Sea is no longer. A property that was never, in recent years at least, featured on the Le Meridien website, this Le Meridien in name alone has dropped its Meridien and Fattal monikers and has become the David Dead Sea. We had the privileged of staying at the new David and are excited for some renovations which will transform this dated property, although it is still quite a good choice if one can overlook frayed carpeting or has a penchant for 80's furniture. The extraordinary facilities and spa will hopefully stay the same. Atlas Hotels has two new hotels coming to the chain: Market House Tel Aviv, which is said to open sometime this year, and another Jerusalem hotel on Mesilat Yesharim Street, said to open sometime in 2015. We stumbled across this hotel on one of our walks, so we don't have any information on it but we managed to find some renderings online. For more see http://studiomu.co.il/?portfolio=hotel-mesilat-yesharim-in-progress. Overall, it's been a pretty good month for hotel news.

Ritz Carlton Opens

Guess who's finally open and lookin' pretty? The Ritz Carlton, Herzliya of course. Israel's "only luxury resort" opened its doors a few weeks ago. The 197 room hotel, located adjacent to the Herzliya Marina, offers an international standard of service and accommodations never before seen in Israel. Supposedly, that is. While the two reviews on TripAdvisor are extremely positive, praising everything except for the breakfast ("not the usual extravaganza like other Israeli hotels"), the pictures on the website present the hotel as being elegant, if not spectacular, and certainty not on par with the Ritz in other locales. Nontheless, we will award the Ritz Carlton the best option in Herzliya, besting the dated Daniel (although ongoing renovations seek to fix that) and confused Dan Accadia. Although, another competitor recently sprang up: The Benjamin Herzliya Business Hotel! No, it won't quite compete with the Ritz, but it looks modern, clean, and attractive, although lacking in services (no restaurant or pool). We found rates for the Ritz Carlton at $375/night, compared to $342 at the Dan Accadia and $202 at the Benjamin. Maybe we can forgo the pool? Oh, and for those willing to brave the Daniel during renovations: $228/night. Not bad at all!

West Boutique Ashdod

The West Boutique has been open for over six months now, and continues to soar above the non-existent competition in Ashdod. (We're truly beginning to give up on the Crowne Plaza Ashdod, which we have been eagerly awaiting for several years and have not heard any updates from). The West Ashdod is located just opposite Lido Beach and close to the "romantic Ashdod promenade," whatever that might be. The hotel features 113 suites with balconies overlooking the sea. Amenities include a chef restaurant from Guy Peretz,a cafe, a spa, fitness room, and a covered seasonal swimming pool open to the outside (but we would have liked to see a nicer, heated pool...) The hotel also features an intimate library, which is a trend we have begun to see in hotels around the world. Reviews are very positive on TripAdvisor, with reviewers touting the location, the dining (breakfast includes "a choice of caviar"), the beach, the spacious rooms, and the staff. Rates are a super affordable $171 for a deluxe suite next week, which we would definitely snap up.

Hotel Indigo Ramat Gan

What if we told you that a hotel had opened three months ahead of schedule (In Israel, no less)! Pretty impressive, huh. What if we told you that the aforementioned hotel also has what we believe to be the coolest hotel pool in all of Israel? Gasps. Well, it seems that the Hotel Indigo has managed to wow most of its early guests, earning it the #1 hotel spot in Ramat Gan on TripAdvisor. To be fair, there are only three hotels in Ramat Gan, and the Hotel Indigo is waayyy ahead of the competition. The hotel is described as the "first real 5 star boutique hotel in Tel Aviv”(take that, Hotel Montefiore!) “5+++ boutique hotel” and "the best hotel in Israel - there is no other like it", as well as “A Diamond in the Diamond District.” The eleven story hotel features a spa and fitness center, French-Mediterranean Blackstone Bistro and Lounge and 91 modern rooms with free Wifi, a club level floor, and suites with balconies and Jacuzzis. We especially love the bathrooms with their distinctive mirrors and rainhead showers. "Yeah, and what about the pool," we hear you anxiously asking. Hotel Indigo features a rooftop pool overlooking the skyline of Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan and with one part of it suspended 42 meters above street level and surrounded by glass walls. This is very similar to the pool at the Joule Hotel in Dallas, Texas. The pool deck, called B On Top, features a nice relaxing area and Tapas bar, with beautiful views as well. Reviewers gush that "the best thing about the hotel is the rooftop pool . GREAT views of Tel Aviv, very modern and chic feeling. nice bar," "the pool is probably the best part of the hotel, and "the roof top is a definitely the best part of the whole experience! The view is to die for, glass pool, and a gorgeous deck... What more can you ask for, perfect spot for drinks." However, one sourpuss writes, "The pool is more like a large Jacuzzi." Rates for next week in a standard room start at $215, about which one reviewer reflects, "I do hope prices will go down with time." Our take? Rates do seem a bit high, but this is Tel Aviv, after all, and- take a look at that pool.