Leonardo Boutique Hotel Jerusalem

In Jerusalem, there seems to be a relatively new trend developing. Many large residential projects, especially in the city center, have elected to convert under-used areas into boutique hotels. 7 Rav Kook's StayKook Suites is one such example, while neighboring Bayit Banevi'im has its Litov Hotel. A bit further down the street is Haneviim Boutique, with its very own boutique hotel on the ground level. And now, Hanevi'im Court, one of the largest projects in the area, has a boutique hotel to match, with a whopping 70 rooms. Not only that, unlike the other projects which tend to be individually owned and operated, this hotel is part of the Leonardo chain. Set to open before the year's end, this property will be known as the Leonardo Boutique. In addition, while the other hotels offer mainly rooms and not much else, this hotel will be fully equipped, with an impressive lobby, cafe, meeting rooms, and spa treatments. The hotel will also have a restaurant, "serving fabulous meals courtesy of the chef" (their words, not ours). The design is interesting, too. The lobby features a stark metal floating staircase not unlike that of Pierre Lissoni's landmark Mamilla Hotel, and the restaurant is daring too, with emerald green a primary color in the space. Unfortunately, the guestrooms look pretty bland, with beige walls, black headboards, and a yellow chair for a pop of color. No word on rates, yet, which you know is the most important part.

Summer Hotel Lovin'

It's officially summer, and that means that it's time to head up North for some relaxing. Or maybe it's the beach you prefer. Being a reader of IsraelGuest, you must be a discerning traveler, so you'd probably like to go for a brand-new hotel. If it's not the Setai we told you about last time, we've got two more options: the U Boutique Kinneret Hotel and the West Lagoon Netanya, both recent openers ready to host your summer getaway.

First, the U Boutique is located just north of downtown Tiberias, directly across the street from sister property Leonardo Tiberias and adjacent to the popular Decks restaurant. The 60-room hotel is just steps from the water and offers a private beach for hotel guests. The hotel also boasts a lovely outdoor pool set amidst towering palm trees and green lawns, and a spa. As this is a rare new construction for the Fattal chain, the hotel's design is particularly forward-thinking, especially in the bright and airy guestrooms with oversized windows looking over the sea. While the patterned black and white wallpaper in the bedrooms, bright blue reception, and cheery yellow couches in the lobby might be taste-specific, the overall vibe is beachy, casual, and fun. More importantly, we found rates for $252 for a superior room, although we'd definitely try to snag a balcony room if possible.

Feeling Netanya more than Tiberias? We don't blame you. This seaside city has been burgeoning in the past few years, with a great variety of new hotels to choose from. West Lagoon, the newest, and largest property to open recently, with 273 rooms, also has appealing amenities, including an outdoor half-Olympic size pool, a children's pool, a tanning and relaxation balcony, and a two-story spa with seven treatment rooms, a gym, steam room, sauna, and Turkish hammam. Other features include a conference center, business lounge, and fine-dining restaurant. All rooms feature balconies with sweeping sea views, and the smallest of rooms are still a generous 28 meters, with a full working desk and sitting area, although the way to go is the Presidential Suite, an 86 meter residence with a living room, kitchenette, dining area, and separate bedroom. Rates are an affordable $299 for a deluxe premium room. We're ready for some fun in the sun!

Announcing the Setai Sea of Galilee

Now open, the 110-room resort on the eastern shores of the Kinneret Sea flies the first international flag of the renowned Setai Hotel in Miami (and the short-lived outpost in New York City), soon to be joined by the Setai in Jaffa. The Setai resort boasts the largest spa complex in Israel, with indoor and outdoor pools, a fitness center, treatment rooms, sauna, steam room, and a traditional Turkish-style hammam. Many of the rooms and suites feature sweeping sea views with the city of Tiberias and the Golan Heights in the distance. Standard rooms, called Deluxe, offer a seating area with a sofa bed and 49 inch televisions, while upgraded Kinneret Villa rooms feature a private hot tub and tanning beds on the balcony. Top-level rooms offer private plunge pools and larger seating areas inside the room. Other amenities include a lobby cafe and bar, full dining room, poolside snack bar, 24-hour room service, and a children's club. Free WiFi and complimentary bicycle rentals are also included. The glossy photos on the website look absolutely stunning, with a gorgeous seafront pool and elegant porte cochere, although the guestrooms are a little sterile for our tastes. But the rates are stunningly high to match, with a standard room going for $362 a night in the pre-opening season. We're having some trouble imagining how high the rates will climb once things are in full swing. Needless to say, this will be the "it" hotel in the Kinneret area. Meanwhile, we'll wait for the rates to hopefully go down.

Springtime Hotel News

Ahh, yes. The spring is here. And along with nice weather and some seasonal allergies, there's a whole host of hotels that are expected to be opening soon. For one, there's Villa Brown in Jerusalem, which was all set to open last week, according to the property's Facebook page, but seems to have fallen behind. That's okay. This 24-room hotel, with a bistro cafe, rooftop jacuzzi, afternoon tea in the garden, and of course, the former well turned into the Cave Bar seems worth waiting for.

Another hotel that did make it is the Prima Millenium in Ra'anana. The chain's first hotel in the city (actually, the first hotel in the city, period) is located atop an existing office and retail building and offers convenient access to the multiple high-tech firms located in Ra'anana, a short drive from Tel Aviv and Herzliya as well. Clearly geared towards business travelers, the hotel offers a restaurant and coffee bar, four conference rooms and board rooms, a fitness center, and of course, an executive lounge. The 140 guestrooms come in a variety of shapes and sizes, although no suites are on offer. We'd go for the Premium Room with Balcony, the luxe option which features executive lounge access, top-floor views, and a 50 meter balcony overlooking the green fields and nearby Mediterranean Sea (at least according to the website). To us, the hotel's design is trendy, but in a low-budget, corporate kind of way, although we do like the vintage-inspired furnishings and wood paneling in the rooms. We're also digging red Nespresso machines and free Wifi. Rates are super-reasonable, too, with an Executive Room on half-board basis plus lounge access available for $275 per night. Should you prefer, the classic room can be had for just $170 per night.

Speaking of business hotels, a recent trip to Herzliya took us over to the Isrotel Publica concept, which looks pretty great. This fun, playful approach may well be Israel's first millennial hotel, following on the heels of the Moxy, CitizenM, AC, and several other international attempts at capturing the hearts of this Instagram-popping, experience-searching, travel-loving generation. It's not ready for prime-time, of course, but we're excited nonetheless. Spring is in the air!

The Chains are Coming! The Chains are Coming!

It's an exciting time for all of us, folks. Jerusalem has traditionally been a city devoid of the international chains. Sure, there's a Crowne Plaza. That's one. There's an Ibis (in East Jerusalem). Two. And a Ramada, that no one really talks about. Three. Theoretically, Leonardo is also a chain that operates in Europe, so we'll add another two to that list. Overall, there are five internationally branded hotels in the country's most visited city. Out of nearly 100 hotels. But no more. We have news of not just one, but two brand-new hotels. And brand is the keyword here. As we announced months ago, Accor has been aggressive about expanding in the city, and their second property, Ibis Jerusalem City Center, is getting ready to open in June. This 124-room budget hotel, may very well be the first kosher member of the chain. With a prime location just off of Jaffa Road and near Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall. Some rooms even boast views of "historic Jerusalem" or the Old City. The hotel offers a traditional Israeli breakfast buffet in the mornings and a complimentary happy hour in the evening, too. A Mediterranean-style dining room and bar are available, too. We really like the streamlined, modern feel of the guestrooms, with light woods, crisp bedding, funky wallpaper, and warm carpeting. We found rates starting at $150, which is much more expensive than we had hoped, especially for the opening week. In addition, Jerusalem's old Tirat Bat Sheva Hotel, which has been getting a face-lift for over a year, is getting ready to open as the country's first Tryp Hotel. Tryp, an originally European brand that is now owned by US based Wyndham Hotels, is known for high-design, hip hotels, within walking distance to city centers.Chain-wide amenities include a lobby Plaza Center, a hub for food, drinks, and hanging out, a fitness center, complimentary Wifi, and a signature breakfast buffet. Generally, four room types are offered, including premium rooms with better views, bathrobes, and slippers, family rooms, with a king sized bed for the parents and bunk beds for the kids, and fitness rooms, with your choice of a treadmill, elliptical, or exercise bike, along with workout gear, a yoga mat, and extra towels. Interiors, by Dana Oberson, are sure to be beautiful, although the renderings we have of guestrooms do look a little dark. We're just waiting on the rates to pass judgement. 

Besamim Hotel

It's occurred to us recently just how much IsraelGuest depends on research and discovery. Unlike many similar blogs that benefit from insider tips and loyal readers who drop hints and relevant information, we're a pretty slim team. On the plus side, this means that we have much more opportunity for exciting surprises. Like today's discovery of the Besamim Hotel alongside Nahal Poleg in Netanya. Designed by Ran & Morris, a prominent Israeli interior design firm, the hotel claims to be the first of its kind in Israel. Oy. We've heard that one before. This time, we think the claim is that the hotel is adjacent to a nature reserve and only 200 meters from the sea. Or maybe it's the luxurious suites located in small, two-story structures set amidst gardens and private pools and with striking sea views. We are really digging the designs for the special suites, which are spread across two levels and feature a living room, dining area, veranda, and bedroom on one level with a second bedroom and bath located upstairs. The standard rooms "suites" look nice too, with a small living area just past the bed and leading out to the balcony. Another first? Both types of suites feature special netilat yadayim sinks in the guestroom, ritual sinks for hand-washing. Is this a new trend in hotel design? The latest must-have feature? If so, better let the W know- and quick. They're not going to want to be behind the trends. Renderings show a major emphasis on nature, including rough stone walls in the bathroom, wood shiplap on the exterior, and breezy open air passageways. The three sea-facing swimming pools look pretty nice, too. The only thing we're missing is an opening date. All we've got is: under construction. But that's okay. For the first of its kind in Israel, we can wait. 

W Jaffa

Well, just last month we were excitedly discussing what's in store in the coming year for Israeli hotels. And, we're pleased to annouce that one of our most highly-anticipated projects. the W Jaffa, has an official opening date. And it's quite, quite soon. Like May 2017 (*exhales*)! The website offers no other interesting information, sporting only stock photos and some inspirational quotes, like "Past, present and future collide in the modern venues and accommodations of our vibrant building that once housed a convent and a hospital". Now who wouldn't want to check in? With interiors designed by minimalist master John Pawson, the W features 126 guestrooms set in a collection of 19th century historic buildings alongside a modern glass structure, home to 38 exclusive residences. Especially worth noting is the stunning outdoor pool located in the courtyard and flanked by the historic building, along with the former chapel with stained glass windows that will be turned into a bar and lounge. Moreover, the dining room will have an original vaulted ceiling, and the hotel also offers a full spa complex, fitness center, events hall, and an already-hot beach club with a private shuttle from the hotel. Seeing as the W is branding itself as the first full-service. high-style hotel in the city, we have no doubt that this will be the place to stay in Tel Aviv-Jaffa. We can't help but anticipate sky high rates, though.