Best Luxury Hotels

Israel

Best of Israel

Best Dining Bets
Best Beaches
Best Outdoor Pursuits
Best Hotel Bargains
Best Museums
Most Evocative Ancient Sites
Most Important Holy Places
Best Ancient Cities
Best Travel Experiences

The hotel scene in Israel is presently in the process of a truly massive change. International chains have been building new hotels throughout Israel as well as in Sinai and Jordan, and upgrading many older properties.

The King David Hotel (Jerusalem, tel. 02/620-8888): Built in 1930 during the British Mandate, the King David has outlasted the British Empire and continues to sail on, immaculate, elegant, and up-to-date in every way. The Nubian, fez-adorned lobby attendants of the 1930s are no longer here, but the King David is thick with atmosphere and ambience, and VIPs from Henry Kissinger and Warren Christopher to Barbra Streisand and Bob Dylan seem to pop up here. The gardened swimming pool and views of the walls of the Old City are a real plus.

American Colony Hotel (Jerusalem, tel. 02/627-9777): This beautiful, atmospheric, gardened enclave was a 19th-century pasha's villa. As an international meeting place between the worlds of East and West Jerusalem, it attracts journalists, writers, archaeologists, and all sorts of VIPs, and is probably the most savvy, romantic spot in the Middle East. Some of the suites, furnished with antiques and traditional crafts, are as splendid as anything you'll find in the region, yet prices are comparatively reasonable. The hotel's Saturday afternoon luncheon buffet is famous throughout the country.

Tel Aviv Sheraton Hotel & Towers (Tel Aviv, tel. 03/521-1111): The most fun of Tel Aviv's five-star hotels-right on the beach, but steps away from the city's restaurant and gallery district-feels like an urban resort. Restaurant services here are probably the best of any hotel in the country, topped off by the Twelve Tribes Restaurant with an elegant, luxurious menu that's both inventive and kosher. Mediterranean views from many of the guest rooms, complete with dazzling sunsets, are a plus, as is the very efficient business center.

Tel Aviv Hilton (Tel Aviv, tel. 03/522-4111): With an unequaled staff, business center, guest services, and Cybex health club the Hilton is the doyenne of Tel Aviv's beachfront hotels. Suites and better-category rooms are beautifully furnished and decorated; the sheltered beach offers a resort atmosphere, but the kosher sushi bar hints at the Hilton's role as a center for business and tourism exchanges between Asia and the Middle East.

Dan Carmel Hotel (Haifa, tel. 04/830-6306): With sweeping views from its site at the top of the Carmel Range, as well as a careful staff and a relaxing, gardened pool enclave, this hotel, built in the 1960s, is regarded as Haifa's best. The better guest rooms, newly renovated and with views of the bay, are beautifully decorated and well worth the extra money. Lower-category rooms still have a style that recalls the Eisenhower era.

Herod's Sheraton Resort and Spa (North Beach, Eilat, tel. 07/638-0000): Opened in 1999, this blockbuster's public areas are the most sumptuous in Israel. With architectural touches echoing Middle Eastern traditions, and staff costumed in "ancient" garb, the effect may seem a bit Hollywoodesque, but you know you're not staying in just another cookie cutter hotel. The Red Sea is steps away.

Petra Movenpick Hotel (Petra, Jordan, tel. 962 03/214-7111): Right at the entrance to Petra National Park (which makes more than one foray into Petra each day possible) the Movenpick is the best blend of contemporary and traditional Middle Eastern design I've seen in the region. Without being kitschy, public areas are atmospheric and exciting. The rooftop cafe at night is an easy place for travelers to meet and swap experiences under the stars; the dinner buffet is the best around.

Taybet Zeman Hotel and Resort (Petra, Jordan, tel. 962 03/215-0111): The stone houses and lanes of an abandoned Bedouin village in the mountains above Petra have been turned into the rooms and suites of a charming, atmospheric, quality resort. Vistas are awesome; the village market is a shopping arcade; each room is uniquely decorated with Bedouin crafts; local country musicians serenade at night-all a 20-minute drive from the wonders of Petra.

Dan Eilat (Eilat). With inventive interiors by Adam Tihany that provide a lively reinterpretation of contemporary design from the 1940, 50s and 60s, this is an exception to the lavish but bland, cookie-cutter 5 Star hotels that abound in Eilat. A choice, palm tree-studded beach, and absolutely top quality in-house restaurants are additional pluses.