Poli House © Assaf Pinchuk

The coolest hotels in Israel

We know, there are A LOT! But these hotels are the coolest in the Middle East heat by a landslide.

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While there are many things to do in Israel it is essential to cover all the bases and find a place to relax after a long day of travel. While the big hotel chains like the Carltons, Sheratons, and tons of anything-that-ends-in-tons are a safe bet when you visit Israel, sometimes you want to spice things up. These hotels in Israel offer unexpected, one-of-a-kind stays that truly have you feeling like you’re in a different world. From kick-ass hotels in Akko to boutique hotels in Tel Aviv, throw caution to the wind and live a little with this line-up of places to stay across Israel.

Unexpected hotels in Israel worth a stay

  • Hotels

The R48 Hotel & Garden is as intimate and boutique as it gets in Tel Aviv. The 11-suite hotel is housed in a restored 1930s Bauhaus building on Rothschild Boulevard, Tel Aviv's most prestigious address. The property has been preserved and restored by local architecture firm AN+ and features interior design and furnishings by Studio Liaigre, along with landscape and garden design by Piet Oudolf, the visionary landscape architect behind New York City’s High Line Park. The rooftop pool, a lush Mediterranean garden, and a carefully curated art collection showcasing works by local artists are all part of the uniquely Tel Avivian experience. The upscale restaurant and an all-day brasserie-style venue orchestrated by celebrity culinary entrepreneur Ruti Brudo and her exceptional team are the cherries on top of this lavish offering. 

  • Hotels
  • White City

Set in a 1920s White City building in Tel Aviv’s centre, the Montefiore is a unique design hotel with a Vietnamese fusion restaurant. It offers elegant rooms with an iPod docking station and original artwork. Featuring original Bauhaus architecture, Hotel Montefiore was Tel Aviv’s first boutique hotel. It provides a relaxed, informal atmosphere and free Wi-Fi throughout. Fitted with modern furnishings, rooms have luxurious bathrooms with soft bathrobes and slippers. Each room has an LCD TV with satellite channels and a DVD player, together with a multilingual library and tea/coffee maker. An Israeli breakfast of eggs, vegetables and cheese is served daily. The restaurant serves a mix of French and oriental specialities, such as Tom Yum seafood casserole and their Tarte Tatin "Brasserie". Rothschild Boulevard is 200 metres from the hotel. A shuttle is available from/to Ben Gurion Airport, a 20-minute drive away.

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  • Hotels
  • Boutique hotels
  • Tel Aviv - Jaffa

The Drisco Hotel is made up of two 150-year-old artist-renovated buildings: a wooden building and a beautiful romantic stone building. After many years of neglect, the buildings' original foundations were preserved and expertly turned into the stunning boutique hotel it is today. The rooms are all different, but each one offers an elegant compilation of thoughtful designer accouterments, meticulous attention to detail, and precise points of interest. On the roof, you can sit for a drink with a panoramic view of the entire city and the Mediterranean Sea within walking distance. The lobby presents the history of the hotel and there are walking tours of the area's charming past. On the ground floor is the award-winning chef restaurant George & John.

  • Hotels
  • Shuk  HaCarmel

Offering a terrace with a rooftop pool and views of the city, The Poli House Hotel is located in Tel Aviv's Nachalat Benyamin Crafts Fair. The hotel has a spa centre and fitness centre, and guests can enjoy a drink at the bar. All units are air-conditioned and fitted with a flat-screen TV. Some rooms have a seating area where you can relax. Each comes with a private bathroom, which includes bathrobes, slippers and free toiletries. The Poli House Hotel features free WiFi in all rooms. The hotel also offers room service and free use of bicycles. Shenkin Street is 50 metres from The Poli House Hotel, Designed by Karim Rashid, while Meir Park is a 5-minute walk from the property. The nearest airport is Ben Gurion Airport, 24 km from the property.

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  • Boutique hotels
  • White City

The Atlas chain's Fabric Hotel is located in an old building that used to be a sewing workshop, a reminder of Nahalat Benjamin's past as Tel Aviv's fabric center. Denim-patterned wallpapers were chosen as the hallmark of the 43 rooms, some with a balcony, and the 21st century represents a luxurious comfort: an espresso machine and TV with Netflix, Tel Aviv-branded toiletries "maapilim", a roof for urban chillout and a brilliant culinary scene. On the entrance floor, you can find the Bushwick, an all-day bar with a menu built by Chef Aviv Avivit Priel with dishes that are anything but ordinary. The cocktails are created by the Imperial Group, who know exactly how to build a sexy venue. Bushwick operates all hours of the day and the atmosphere changes accordingly, from fun brunch to electric night vibes. The coffee, 3rd generation, you should drink on the back porch and feel as if you were in the big apple.

  • Hotels
  • Shuk HaPishpeshim

Offering a buffet restaurant and free bikes, Market House - An Atlas Boutique Hotel is located in the Old Jaffa neighbourhood of Tel Aviv and provides air-conditioned accommodation with free WiFi access. A sandy beach strip and a seaside promenade are 300 metres away.

Rooms here provide cable TV and a desk, an electric kettle and a fridge. The private bathrooms are fitted with a bath or a shower. A city view is available from all units.

At Atlas Boutique Hotel - Market House guests will find a tour desk and laundry facilities. Complimentary breakfast and afternoon refreshments are at the guests' disposal.

The property is situated next to the Jaffa Clock Tower and the Jaffa Flea Market. A garden complex can be found within 200 metres. The Tel Aviv Museum of Art can be visited within 4.5 km.

The Tel Aviv Central Bus Station is 2.3 km away from the Market House. Ben Gurion Airport is located at a distance of 19 km.

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  • Hotels
  • Jerusalem City Center

Mamilla Hotel - The Leading Hotels of the World features a panoramic rooftop terrace overlooking Jerusalem's Old City. This stylish hotel was designed by architect Piero Lissoni and is 10 minutes’ walk from Jaffa Gate.

The hotel offers a choice of restaurants, including the trendy Mirror Bar with live music and the seasonal brasserie with city views. Mamilla Café restaurant serves local specialities.

Rooms at Hotel Mamilla are equipped with LCD TV, pure Egyptian cotton bed linen and modern-style décor. Some bathrooms feature a transparent glass wall that can be switched on and off.

The modern Akasha Wellness Centre includes a spa and an indoor swimming pool. A sauna, fitness room and massages are also available on site.

Set within the Mamilla shopping area, the property is a 20-minute walk from the Western Wall, while the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is 750 metres away. Ben Gurion Airport is 48 km from the Mamilla Hotel.

  • Hotels
  • Ein Karem

Located in Ein Kerem village, Alegra Boutique Hotel is 200 metres from the Church of the Visitation. It offers a gourmet restaurant, a sauna in its fruit orchard, and luxurious suites with exposed-stone walls.

With Persian rugs and contemporary bathrooms, the suites at the Alegra are a mix of old and new. Each is uniquely decorated and comes with air conditioning, satellite TV and a tea/coffee maker.

A daily Israeli breakfast is provided, including homemade bread, omelette and salad. The restaurant has an open kitchen and serves a generous dinner of up to 8 courses.

Housed in an Arabesque building dating from 1850, the property has original artwork in public areas. There is an outdoor pool, and massage treatments are also available.

The Old City of Jerusalem is 9 km from the hotel. The Yad Vashem Memorial is a 10-minute drive away.

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  • Hotels
  • East Jerusalem

With its swimming pool, gourmet restaurants, landscaped gardens and a high-tech fitness centre, The American Colony Hotel - The Leading Hotels of the World offers a tranquil atmosphere in the heart of the vibrant city of Jerusalem. Free Wi-Fi is provided throughout the hotel. Rooms at The American Colony are located in 4 buildings; the Main House, the East House, the Palm House and the Cow Byre. Luxurious and spacious rooms feature air conditioning, flat-screen TV and Italian "Frette" bed linen. The modern bathrooms are equipped with designer amenities. You can enjoy a selection of international and local savoury products in the garden, in the bar and or in the patio. The hotel wellness centre includes an outdoor swimming pool, sauna and a well equipped fitness room. The business centre is at your disposal for free. The American Colony Hotel is less than 2 km from the Old City. The nearby light-rail can take you to Jerusalem's modern city centre. Free on-site parking is available.

  • Hotels
  • Boutique hotels
There are few places in Israel this elegantly preserved, yet still remaining so true to its historic bones. So much so that we are a little apprehensive about sharing this with everybody. Bat Shlomo Farmhouse, in its location, heritage, and core values, is an Israeli dream fully realized. Proprietor and entrepreneur Elie Wurtman saw the potential of a dilapidated manor tucked away in an unassuming moshava, and spent years toiling the land and structure to build, brick by brick, what the Bat Shlomo Farmhouse and its adjacent vineyard, winery, and tasting room are today. For couples or solo travelers, this place is a serene spot with every consideration taken to truly get away from the noise. Named after Baron de Rothschild’s mother, even the small village itself has been renewed with purpose through the Farmhouse’s vision – including social enterprises within the small community. First thing in the morning, head to the communal dining table where a private chef has prepared regional fare pulling straight from the farm’s abundance. Then, your day awaits; guided yoga classes, meditation sessions, bicycle tours, watsu in the saltwater infinity pool, private cooking workshops, and expertly-led wine tastings are all at your disposal. Or simply choose to let the countryside wind grace your face, poolside. No one will bat an eyelash. 
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  • Hotels
  • Zichron Ya'akov

Offering an outdoor pool and an indoor pool, Elma Arts Complex Luxury Hotel is located in Zikhron Ya‘aqov. Free WiFi access is available.

Each room here will provide you with a flat-screen TV and air conditioning. There is also a coffee machine. The private bathroom also comes with a bath or a shower. Extras include satellite and cable channels.

At Elma Arts Complex Luxury Hotel you will find a spa and wellness centre, a restaurant and a fitness centre. The property offers free parking and luggage storage.

The property is located 7 km from a sandy beach. Ben Gurion Airport is 65 km away.

  • Hotels

This magical place is the epitome of Israel's most beloved bounty all in one stunning place. Nestled within the groves of Kibbutz Moran, slow-ness came to be the blueprint of chill living that so many sought after in the standstill and wake of the pandemic; a place where life's truest treasures and simplistic beauty unfold before you. Couples, families, and friends gather here and new encounters meld into the mix as if they have always been part of your inner circle. People look at each other and just get it. The accouterments are essential and thoughtfully-curated; 30 spacious rooms with some boasting reading nooks or corners for napping (emphasis on essential), soft organic cotton linens, landscaped green grounds dotted with fire pits, saunas, and intimate pools bidding guests in for a dip.

The slow, communal dining room serves as a focal point for meeting and lounging; a singalong soundtrack hums in the air, a hand-picked marketplace filled with homespun, Galilean delicacies is rife for the shopping, and breakfast, brunch, and dinner are all lovingly served here. Expect farm-fresh, just-fished, perfectly-plated culinary delights by talented chef Nitay Yahalom.   

 

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  • Hotels
  • Ein Gedi

Kibbutz Hotel offers a great location, just a 5-minute drive from the Dead Sea. Free entrance is available to Ein Gedi's private beach and the nearby spa's mineral pools. Free private parking is possible on site.

Rooms at the Ein Gedi Kibbutz Hotel are set in the rich botanical gardens. You will have in-room tea/coffee-making facilities and a TV with satellite channels.

The hotel features beautiful views of the surrounding streams, hills, desert, and lake. The outdoor swimming pool is free and open from April to November. There is an excellent restaurant on site.

The Masada and Ein Gedi Nature Reserve sites are nearby. Jerusalem is a 1-hour drive away. Staff will assist you with tours around the Kibbutz and the beautiful natural surroundings.

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