Leonardo Plaza Ashdod

Well, it's that time of year again. In conjunction with Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for Jews around the world (in which Jews ask for forgiveness from the Lord), we've come to ask forgiveness from our readers. You see, sometimes it's tough to be us. Here at IsraelGuest, our job is to stalk the internet and keep our eyes and ears firmly open for any news about hotels. There are websites that we repeatedly troll, and there are insiders that we depend on to do our job well. But sometimes, unfortunately, things fall through the cracks. Big things. Like the second hotel in Ashdod, the Leonardo Plaza. We've written about the ill-fated Crowne Plaza Ashdod extensively here on IG as we followed its vague "opening soon" announcements that seemed pushed off into posterity, but never did we imagine that the hotel was quietly opening under another name. Welcome to the Leonardo Plaza Ashdod. This beautiful, architecturally interesting property offers 183 rooms and suites, a chef restaurant, spa, kids club, three conference rooms and a ballroom with space for up to 600, a fitness center and a gorgeous outdoor pool. Rooms are fairly corporate (someone please kill that ubiquitous pullout couch with the stripes), but we're digging the artwork and the views of the sea and the surrounding area (especially of the wacky sculpture outside). Public spaces are also enhanced by the interesting wallpaper designs and objects d'art. Suffice it to say, whoever designed this hotel was not afraid of a little color. Reviews are fairly positive, with one extolling the unheard of concept of a "free upgrade!" Other travelers love the food, great service, and the free WiFi, too, although the location is a bit far out from Ashdod's attractions (whatever they may be). We found rooms for $170 without breakfast, which seems a touch pricey for the area. (Compare to the equally nice if not nicer West Ashdod, which is offering a one-bedroom suite with breakfast for $195).

The Post Hostel Jerusalem

Occasionally, the good ole' staff here at IsraelGuest (me) feel a little sorry for those whose budgets cannot allow them to spend a night at many of the hotels we talk about on the site (me). As exciting as it is to read about all of these uber-luxurious, new, "international standard" hotels that are under construction and have just opened, it's with a sinking sensation that we find the prices to be in the $400-$500 range. Oh well, we think to ourselves. Maybe one day, prices will fall drastically...But until then, there's always youth hostels and budget hotels. Which have previously been unappealing. Enter the new Post Hostel Jerusalem. Reflecting an international trend in the rise of luxury hostels (yes, that's a thing), the former Central Post Office in Jerusalem is soon to become a high end hostel, complete with quirky design details, themed references to all things post, and bright pops of color. Rooms range from a Double Room with Private Bathroom to a bed in a 10 person dormitory. But don't worry. There's plenty of hanging out space, with a bar, outdoor terrace, lounge, and communal kitchen. A gift shop is also on premises. The hotel promises to open in Summer 2015, but who knows what that really means. More importantly, we found rates for $19 in a 12 person room or $99 for a private double. Now that's competitive pricing. Take that, Abraham Hostel! And King David? Oh, and in other news, we've gotten wind that the Etz Chayim project near Shuk Mahane Yehuda will also include a hotel, along with residential buildings. Perhaps this is the new home of the Marriott?

Summer Hotels Update

It’s been a busy summer for hotels in Israel. We’ve taken a visit to the W Jaffa to see the work that is slowly, slowly progressing. But it’s there. And what’s more, we’ve began hearing about a W Jerusalem, too! (Watch out, Mamilla…another design hotel is on its way!) Speaking of a little competition, the Isrotel Jerusalem is busily constructing while across the street, The Four Seasons has supposedly broken ground (although it appears that it will only be seven stories, after neighborhood groups scrapped the plans for a fourteens story tower). And what’s this about a Marriott in Jerusalem, near Shuk Mahane Yehuda? Could we venture to guess that the old Isrotel Tower will soon become a Marriott? Either way, as we like to say, the more hotels, the better. Meanwhile, hotels in Tel Aviv must be feeling the pressure because Jetsetter has named the Norman in Tel Aviv the best boutique hotel in the world. (Thanks to dedicated tipster Ruthie for pointing this out to us)! That’s right, in the world. Now, we know that the Norman is popular with the jet set (including Catherine Zeta Jones and husband Michael Douglass and CEOs of major corporations), but this is quite impressive for little ole Israel. And Atlas Hotels, our favorite boutique hotel company, has opened its Yam Hotel and its Market House Hotel in Tel Aviv/Jaffa while their new property on Mesilat Yesharim Street in Jerusalem seems to be coming along nicely. Plus, we’ve been monitoring construction on a building in Tel Aviv adjacent to the Nahalat Binyamin Pedestrian Mall and we’re willing to bet that it’s going to be a boutique hotel. And if it’s going to be a boutique, it’ll either be independent or part of Atlas. Either one is fine with us. Just hope for a hotel!

Elma Arts

Ladies and Gentleman, Elma Arts Complex Luxury Hotel has opened to the public and is looking absolutely stunning (despite the unfortunate mouthful of a name). We’re loving the wonderfully restored Yaakov Rechter building with polished stone floors, eclectic furnishings in bright colors, casual chic design, a truly unique collection of arts and sculpture, and of course, breathtaking views of the surrounding farmlands and sea in the distance. We can just see ourselves sitting out by the outdoor pool, breathing the mountain air and enjoying the scenery. Reviews are as to be expected for a new hotel in Israel, full of complaints about the rocky service, “filthy” rooms and “poor management” while others realizing that this hotel “is a candidate to become of the top hotels in the country.” There also seem to be complaints that the hotel is still not quite ready for its close-up, with painters still working on some walls and a noticeable lack of electrical outlets in the hotel. We also appreciated the management response to a rare positive review on TripAdvisor, “Dear sir, we are glad to read that your experience at Elma Arts Complex Luxury Hotel was successfully different [SIC] than anyone else.” Want to try your luck? We found rates for $301 in September for a Classic Room with a Terrace.

Haifa Bay View

The former Nof Hotel in Haifa has now become the Haifa Bay View Hotel (not to be confused with Atlas’ Bay Club Haifa, which is incidentally the top hotel in the city after a mere year of existence). With nice views of the sea from atop Mount Carmel, the recently renovated Bay View hotel looks quite nice, a solid three star option. We appreciate the pops of color from the decorative pillows and side tables in the otherwise plain guestrooms, and we love the lobby and public areas, which are inviting and welcoming with a fun, unpretentious vibe thanks to the wood flooring, an assortment of retro style furnishings in bright colors, large windows, and subdued lighting. Amenities are a little lacking, with a fitness center and Chinese restaurant but no pool or spa, although at this price ($130 a night, including breakfast or $110 without), this is a great option for exploring the city. The hotel seems to be related to Crowne Plaza in some way, although it’s not part of IHG rewards and it’s not on their website (nor on any English website, for that matter. Maybe that’s still to come). Reviews are actually quite positive, although travelers have been griping about the “cheap” breakfast buffet which could use some more diverse offerings.

The Modani Spa Hotel

Here at IsraelGuest, it's not often that we're blown away by luxury hotel designs and news in Israel. After all, we try to keep our pulse on developments worldwide, and therefore, a new hotel in Israel, while noteworthy, is all relative to a new hotel in New York, Paris, or Dubai. We often try to check our jadedness, making sure to sound genuinely excited about these "five star" hotels in Israel, even as we know that elsewhere they would be barely four stars (and likely half the price). It's not hard work when we love hotels, and all hotels. We are genuinely excited. But every so often, we do long for a nice Four Seasons or an Aman or a Mandarin Oriental, a hotel that is five-stars by international standards. [To combat the outcry and jeering looks, we'll just clarify that the Ritz Carlton Herzliya is indeed very nice, but not mind-mindbogglingly so]. Our first reaction from hearing about the Modani Spa Hotel was, well, lukewarm. We expected to see some renderings of a small hotel with a nice pool on the beach (in Havatzelet Hasharon), with no-doubt exorbitantly high rates to justify the "spa" aspect. Reading the description online, "The Modani will be the first of its kind in Israel: a world-class resort known for integrative wellness and unprecedented luxury. With our fresh, local cuisine, restorative treatments, and unmatched level of personal service, it will be a place that brings out the pure potential of our guests, helping them reach a level of vitality they will continue to carry with them long after their stay. And that’s what The Modani is all about—gratitude for life, and the ability to live it fully," we could be forgiven for thinking that we've heard all this before (see a long list of new spa hotels in Israel). But the level of luxury in this hotel, at least as depicted, is second to none. Renderings show a sea front pool with cabanas, a porte cochere with a koi pond and a fountain, oversized guestrooms and marble bathrooms with double vanities and deep soaking tubs, suites with private pools, french country design with herringbone floors, and a public spaces that could just as easily be those of a five star resort in Nevis or Miami Beach. We liked the descriptions, too, including "Start the day with a brisk walk on the beach, accompanied by several professional trainers." We can just see little ole' us strolling on the beach with a bunch of trainers in tow. Interestingly, the hotel also offers guests "the opportunity to be whisked through customs directly to their own limousines. In less than an hour, they pass through the gates of the hotel and are ushered to their room—no check-in, no waiting, just the level of service you expect." Clearly, they're aiming for the jetsetting types. The hotel is being developed by the Silverock Group, a U.S. based investment company that is focusing on real estate in Israel.

A Third Isrotel in Tel Aviv

Isrotel has been aggressively working to expand its portfolio of hotels in Israel. Although the brand has long dominated the market in Eilat, with nine hotels there ranging from the luxurious Royal Beach to the budget Riviera Club, in the past few years the brand has added more and more hotels throughout the country. Its luxury properties, branded under the Exclusive Collection, have been the main focus of this expansion, with Beresheet, Cramim Spa and Wine (as it is now called, apparently), Isrotel Jerusalem (under construction) and the Royal Beach Tel Aviv coming in to supplement the Royal Beach in Eilat and Carmel Forest. But for those fearing that the main brand was being neglected, Isrotel recently broke ground on an exciting four star hotel in Tel Aviv, which will be the third for the brand in the city. The Isrotel Port Tel Aviv, as it is purportedly being called, is located on Hayarkon Street near the Tel Aviv Port, a popular dining and shopping scene. The two dunam lot was previously home to a well-known club, Little Tel Aviv. The hotel is expected to cost 60-70 million shekels and will open in about two years. The 16 story structure will include 121 rooms and 3 penthouse apartments, all designed by go-to hotel architects Feigin Architecture. It will also feature a ground floor restaurant and cafe, and will likely cater to business travelers. For us, while any new hotel is a good hotel, we're a bit disappointed by the bland architecture of this project, which would be at home in any major city. We also hope that being that this is a four-star hotel and not a five star, it will be priced accordingly. Thoughts?