Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Bat Yam Updates

It's been a busy month for hotels in Israel. First, we finally took a trip down to Bat Yam to take a look at the construction. We were pleasantly surprised by the Sun Hotel (and not the Sea Hotel), which is actually progressing along quickly and promises to open its doors within three years. Much of the concrete structure is already in place, and we can tell that this will shape up to be a fantastic addition to the Israeli hotel scene. Meanwhile, the developers have supposedly signed a management contract with a US hotel chain "on par with Waldorf Astoria and Four Seasons". We've also been told that it is a world-renowned chain with 5,000 rooms around the world. Any guesses? The big reveal should be on February 1st, so it's not too long to wait. The best news out of all of this is that the property will probably not retain the moniker Sun Hotel for very long.

Other news: Lately, our internet searches have been peppered with advertisements for Hotel Rothschild 22, from Fattal Hotels. It looks like Fattal is trying to compete with the independent,boutique hotels in Tel Aviv with this offering, which is not branded under the flagship Leonardo name. It's located on the super-hot Rothschild Street, in the heart of Tel Aviv- but housed in a modern, glassy tower unlike the restored International style buildings which are home to most of the luxury boutique hotels in the area. With 156 rooms and suites, it's also considerably larger than its competition. Not to be undone, the hotel boasts that it "has gone that extra mile compared with other Tel Aviv hotels when it comes to facilities." Going the extra mile, according to the website, includes Nespresso machines, luxurious silk sheets, soft, fluffy towels, and L'occitane amenities. 

The hotel features a restaurant on the gallery floor with a trendy open kitchen, a business lounge, and a "fitness suite" (code for an extra-tiny gym, perhaps?). Oh, and rest assured that when it comes to meetings, "Hotel Rothschild 22 easily outshines other hotels in Tel Aviv when it comes to meetings and events facilities." Nothing like a little arrogance to get the competition upping its game, huh. We found rates for $175 this week, which isn't too bad.

Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, large banners have been placed on the Bank Hapoalim Building near Zion Square heralding the arrival of the Herbert Samuel Hotel. (Not sure if there's any relation to the uber- elegant Herbert Samuel restaurants in Tel Aviv and Herzliya). They don't seem to have a website, either, but here's what we've gleaned. The hotel's primary selling point, aside from its location, seems to be its indoor swimming pool (is that a gold-leaf ceiling we spy?) and 24 hour fitness center. The design is very elegant and classy, not modern at all which is a bit of a surprise considering the building's modern exterior. Think wood paneling, gold detailing, polished marble floors, and sparkling chandeliers. The 137 rooms remind us strongly of those at the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem down the road. We wouldn't be surprised if the designers looked there for inspiration. The hotel also boasts a rooftop restaurant with sweeping views of Jerusalem. We found rates for $320 in September, which seems awfully pricey. But maybe that's just us.

West Lagoon Resort Netanya

Well, if Bat Yam is having its hotel revival, Netanya's still got it beat. In the past few years, we've seen quite a crop of new hotels popping up in the sleepy seaside town. From the luxurious Island Suites to the Ramada to the Leonardo and the new Modani Resort, it's safe to say that Netanya has become a place to go for hotels. Now, West Hotels, a small chain managed by Tamares Hotels and Resorts with two properties in Tel Aviv and in Ashdod, is planning to open a third hotel in Netanya. The new hotel, called the West Lagoon Resort, is scheduled to open in 2016. According to the website, the hotel will include 273 guestrooms including 50 suites and 'unique concept rooms', a rooftop bar, hammam, spa, fitness center, swimming pool, meeting rooms, function space, and retail stores. Designed by New York based Gal Nauer Architects (which has also worked on the famed Plaza Hotel in New York), the hotel's design is modern yet faintly Middle Eastern, with a Moorish style geometric metal screen covering much of the exterior and warm, beach inspired decor. Rooms feature light hardwood floors, uniquely patterned walls, neutral colors, and sweeping views of the Mediterranean Sea. The lobby looks especially beautiful, with glass doors leading out to a large terrace spanning the length of the hotel. Also of note is the infinity edge outdoor swimming pool. We can just see ourselves relaxing by the pool, savoring the calm sea breeze. But we'll have to wait for the hotel to open first. 

Bat Yam Hotels

We've talked before about the hotel revival going on in sleepy Bat Yam, a southern suburb of Tel Aviv. There are at least three hotel projects underway, and the city hopes to add 400 additional guest rooms to its existing four properties which offer a total of 275 rooms. Of the new hotels (with exciting names like the Sun Hotel, the Sea Hotel, and the Beach Hotel...), the most heavily publicized is the Sea Hotel. Designed by Feiglin Architects, the hotel is located along the Bat Yam shore and features a distinctive triangular form with stepped terraces overlooking the sea. According to Feiglin, this was in order to ensure that there are spectacular sea views from every vantage point in the hotel. The 26- story hotel will offer over 400 rooms and one bedroom suites, each with a private balcony. Of the guestrooms, about half will be sold as timeshare residences with the owners collecting fees from renting the rooms to hotel guests, while the other half will function exclusively as hotel guestrooms. Amenities include an L-shaped infinity edged outdoor pool that is partially covered by the building (a design statement Feiglin has used in other projects as well). Other amenities include a fitness center, spa, lounge, meeting rooms, multiple dining options, events space for up to 700 guests, and an adjacent shopping center. HBA, the London-based firm responsible for the interiors, has looked to the hotel's location on the sea shore and to Shirat Hayam, the Song of the Sea, as inspirations for the design. Expect lots of natural elements and neutral colors, with biblical style ornaments and artwork. Or, as the hotel's website puts it, "Sea motifs and biblical texts are expressed in crystals, bronze, unpolished diamonds and golden hues." In another interesting touch, the front desk will be consist of an aquarium "with a selection of fish species and fish creatures". Furnishings are by Italian furniture company Francesco Molon, whose style leans to the ornate, in our opinion. While the hotel is clearly working hard to become "one of Israel's most prestigious hotels," we really hope that they aren't trying to do too much.  Meanwhile, construction is full speed ahead, and a video from earlier this month shows the foundation being laid.

Kishleh Tel Aviv, Kempinski Tel Aviv, Sir (Benjamin) Tel Aviv

Well. We sincerely apologize if looking at the title got you a bit excited that all of these hotels were open for business. They're not. As far as we know, not a single one has opened its doors to the public, and we'd venture to guess that it'll still be a while till these hotels are good and ready for opening. But what today brings is a series of cool renderings for each, which we thought we'd share with you. First, check out the breathtaking design for Kishleh from Ara Design. First, for those unaffiliated, Ara is a big, big player in the hotel design world. They've done stuff for many major chains internationally, and in Israel, they've worked on some of the best hotels including the InterContinental David Tel Aviv, the Isrotel Royal Beach, the Scots Hotel in Tiberias, and Beresheet Resort. Now, in the Kishleh project in historic Jaffa (here's to hoping for a name change), the designers have embraced the original stone details of the structure, integrating gothic-style pointed stone arches into the lobby design and leaving some stone walls and arches exposed in other areas. If the renderings are any indication, the resulting hotel will feel luxurious and intimate, with a true Middle Eastern quality. But they're not afraid to use color and modern styles, either. Check out the wild turquoise sofas in the lobby bar, the sleek desks in the guestrooms, and the peekaboo bathrooms (oh, no!). Now this is a hotel we'd be happy to stay in. All the renderings can be viewed at http://www.aradesign.co.uk/kishleh.html . Next, and also from Ara Design, we found some great renderings of the Kempinski Tel Aviv. Now, we will first caution that having walked past this property a few weeks ago, we can safely bet that they need to finish digging the foundation before opening up. So it'll likely be a few years for this one. Here it's all about sophistication and showy elegance. Check out the grand chandeliers and the intricately lit feature wall behind the marble front desks. Or look at the airy guestrooms (which aren't really our taste, fyi), with lots of crisp whites and clean beige elements. The huge mirror in the foyer also suggests that these rooms will be smallish. We hope not! Check it out at www.aradesign.co.uk/david.html But anyway, if the guestroom design fails to excite, take a look at the Sir Benjamin! Karim Rashid, the Egpytian designer known for his wild designs, is behind this hotel, and it'll be interesting. The fuschia egg chairs, yellow tables, wavy floors, and curvy lines of the walls suggest that this hotel will be a fun place to hang out. We just can't wait for it to open, so that we can criticize it in more detail. Kidding. Please open soon?

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!