| DECEMBER 2012 Vol. 5 - Issue 9 |
GREETINGS FROM THE COMMISSIONER
|
Dear Friends,
Israel is experiencing all-time highs in tourism with a record-breaking 3.5 million travelers having vacationed in Israel in 2012. With this increasing number of international tourists arriving in Israel comes an ever-expanding need for new hotel rooms and top-rate accommodations.
From elegant 5-star city hotels and chic urban boutiques to seaside resorts along the Mediterranean, investors, hoteliers and entrepreneurs from Israel and around the world are seizing the opportunity to take part in the country's burgeoning hotel scene. Listed below is a collection of some of Israel's newest properties.
Shalom,
Haim Gutin Israel Tourism Commissioner, North & South America
|
|
ROYAL BEACH TEL AVIV
|

The newest addition to Isrotel's luxury hotel collection, the Royal Beach Hotel is located on Tel Aviv's vibrant Herbert Samuel Boulevard, just a stone's throw from the action-packed tayelet, or promenade. The Royal Beach is a 23-story hotel created by German designer Harald Klein, featuring 241 luxurious rooms and suites, each with a glimpse of the Mediterranean, as well as a lavish spa and "Wellness Guestrooms." www.isrotelexclusivecollection.com/royal_beach_ta/
|
|
WALDORF=ASTORIA JERUSALEM
|

Israelis and international travelers have long anticipated the opening of the Waldorf=Astoria Jerusalem, a final indicator that Jerusalem is not only just a destination for religious or history-minded travelers. Set to open in 2013, the Waldorf=Astoria Jerusalem is located just a minutes' walk from the Old City's Jaffa Gate, the Alrov Mamilla Mall and Independence Park. The hotel will boast a fitness suite and two full-service spas in addition to two restaurants and a chic lobby bar. www.waldorfastoriajerusalem.com
|
|
THE NORMAN HOTEL, TEL AVIV
|
A combination of two historic apartment buildings from the 1920's located smack in Tel Aviv's picturesque King Albert Square adjacent to Rothschild Boulevard, the Norman Hotel is set to open in early 2013. The Norman will boast 50 rooms, including two apartment-style suites with sweeping terraces, refurbished hardwood floors and luxurious amenities.
|
|
BAYCLUB HOTEL, HAIFA
|
 Israel's Atlas Hotel Group has announced the new Bay Club Hotel in Haifa slated to open in early 2013. Designed in the spirit of famous resort towns of the Mediterranean, the Bay Club Hotel is the site of a former residence of one of the first governors of Haifa and was used as a British military base in World War I. The hotel will feature 55 spacious rooms and an outdoor garden lounge surrounded by a pond and grove of ancient trees. www.atlas.co.il/bay-club-haifa/
|
|
HOTEL BERDICHEVSKY, TEL AVIV
|
 Located near Tel Aviv's Habima National Theater, the art galleries of Rothschild Boulevard and the newly renovated Tel Aviv Cinematheque, the Hotel Berdichevsky is ideal for art-centric travelers. The 23-room boutique property offers around-the-clock concierge and a trendy café, as well as a European-style bar and full-service spa with a large Jacuzzi, dry steam sauna and onsite massage specialists. www.hotelbtlv.com
|
|
RITZ CARLTON, HERZLIYA
|
The forthcoming Ritz Carlton Herzliya, scheduled to open in Summer 2013, will offer 197 luxurious rooms, including studios, one- and two-bedroom suites, and penthouse suites, all with balconies overlooking the mesmerizing Mediterranean Sea. The first Ritz Carlton to arrive in Israel, the hotel is adjacent to the Herzliya Marina and shopping mall, and is just 25 minutes from the new Caesarea Golf Course, Israel's first 18-hole course. The hotel will also boast a rooftop pool, luxury spa and special kosher facilities for large groups and families. In addition, the Ritz Carlton Herzliya will include The Residences, which will include one- and two-bedroom units, duplexes and stylish penthouses connected to the hotel.
www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Herzliya/Default.htm
|
|
EFENDI HOTEL, AKKO
|
 Conceived by Israeli chef and proprietor Uri Jeremias, the Efendi Hotel is a new boutique property nestled away within the winding cobblestone streets of the Old City of Akko, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Efendi Hotel rests upon one of the oldest known structures in the country and evokes a distinct Ottoman-style feel with sleek white walls and hardwood floors. The Efendi Hotel features 12 meticulously designed rooms, as well as a rooftop lounge and subterranean wine cellar. www.efendi-hotel.com
|
| ALMA HOTEL, TEL AVIV |
 Located in a 1920s Eclectic Architecture-style building in the heart of Tel Aviv, the new Alma Hotel features 15 rooms and suites with original designs by Israeli mosaic artist Laura Recanti. The Alma also features a restaurant run by Israeli Chef Yonathan Roshfeld, as well as a rooftop lounge and in-room spa services. www.almahotel.co.il
|
|
ALEGRA HOTEL, JERUSALEM
|
 The former residence of Alegra Bello and Jebra Francis Rahil, a Christian-Jewish couple from Jerusalem from the 1920's, the brand-new Alegra boutique hotel is located in the picturesque Ein Karem neighborhood in Jerusalem with views of the city and Judean Mountains. The refurbished building boasts seven individually designed suites surrounded by a lush Mediterranean orchard. The hotel also includes an intimate lounge, wet sauna and splash pool, rooftop lounge, spa and restaurant. www.hotelalegra.co.il/home/doc.aspx?mCatID=112
|
|
ISRAEL MINISTRY OF TOURISM ANNOUNCES NEW HOTEL IN ASHKELON
|
The Israel Ministry of Tourism recently announced plans to invest in a new hotel project in the Mediterranean seaside city of Ashkelon. The hotel will be located in a previously uninhabited building along the seashore with the goal to encourage tourism to some of Israel's off-the-beaten-path beach destinations. The Israel Ministry of Tourism has also announced plans to develop new hotel options in Tiberias, Akko, Nahariya and Haifa.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Israel Ministry of TourismSouthern RegionTel: 404-541-2770
Israel Ministry of Tourism Midwest Region Tel: 312-803-7077
Israel Ministry of Tourism
Western Region
Tel: 323-658-7463
ISRAEL GOVERNMENT TOURIST OFFICES◦ NORTH AMERICA New York Director: Shahar Alon212-499-5650Atlanta Director: Joe Diaz404-541-2770ChicagoDirector: Omer Eshel 312-803-7080Los AngelesDirector: Eliezer Hod
323-658-7463
Toronto
Director: Ami Allon
416-964-3784
|
|
|
|
|