The Best Hotels in Tel Aviv

If you were expecting a coastal palette of breezy blues and tranquil whites or preppy details á la Nantucket, think again. This “beach house,” the glamorous young sister of Tel Aviv’s Brown TLV Urban Hotel, is as glam as they come—think yellow chesterfield sofas, black-and-white floors, crosshatch bookshelves, quirky light fixtures, and giant planted palms that remind you you’re still within reach of the ocean. All 40 guest rooms come with private sun terraces (most with views of the sea), though the chic Flamingo Bar is just as much of a draw for its live music and art shindigs. Don't miss a meal at the kosher café and restaurant or a treatment at the small but luxurious spa.

Reverting a Bauhaus-era townhouse into a boutique hotel isn’t news for Tel Aviv, but The Norman is nothing if not game-changing. Spread between two adjacent apartment buildings, 50 Art Deco guest rooms are done up with hardwood floors, midcentury furniture, pops of pastel, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking King Albert Square (plus a private balcony, if you’re lucky). Along with two restaurants (French-Mediterranean or Japanese), there’s a colonial-style bar serving up craft cocktails and an actual library, where you can pick up your next read for a day at the beach. The pièce de résistance is the rooftop infinity pool, where you can take in skyline views during your afternoon dip.  

This past April, Tel Aviv’s landmark Jerusalem Hotel (the first luxury sleep to hit the region when it opened in 1866) reemerged, newly restored, as The Drisco—and the results are stunning. Meticulous effort was put into preserving the hotel’s most treasured details, including its Ottoman-era arched doors and original stone staircase. The subterranean restaurant is a nice spot for breakfast but even better for dinner, when an Ottoman Empire-inspired menu is served on even prettier plates. After dropping your bags in one of the 42 rooms (where you’ll find handcrafted wood headboards, velvet chairs, and Turkish carpets), stop by the bar for a drink surrounded by marble columns and hand-painted murals.

A 40s-era former office building has been given new life as one of Tel Aviv’s more stylish boutiques. For Hotel Saul, architect Dan Troyim drew from both the city’s Art Deco past and urban present, fusing heritage details like restored street lamps and vintage balcony railings with more modern touches like subway tiling in bathrooms, sleek walnut furniture, and exposed brick. Guest rooms are given a bump of warmth with potted plants and handwoven Turkish bedspreads; elsewhere, the atmosphere is young and edgy. Guests can pass their time playing board games in the game room, taking advantage of free Netflix (or Nintendo) in their rooms, or socializing in the café over house-smoked cheese and meat sandwiches.

Its address in Tel Aviv’s ancient port city, Jaffa, tells you all you need to know about The Setai, a luxury hotel built inside a fortress. Guests come here for the history—there are stone archways dating back to the Crusades and iron-barred windows from its Ottoman-era days as a prison—but stay for the atmosphere courtesy of London-based firm ARA Design, who injected a heavy dose of Middle Eastern drama into the guest rooms (Turkish rugs, Arabic-patterned light fixtures) and an artful blend of old and new in public spaces (12th-century coins and a clutch of old weapons along with jewel-tone armchairs and glittering chandeliers). There’s a central courtyard for lounging on sunnier days, as well as a basement spa and hammam for cloudier ones.

Pieces of this 1930s Bauhaus landmark in Tel Aviv’s White City were painstakingly restored and otherwise left untouched (the stark-white lobby staircase, the curved windows encasing asymmetrical rooms) but everything else has been given a funky, eclectic lift thanks to the whimsical mind of designer Karim Rashid. Picture neon colors, bold graphic murals, and futuristic additions in the form of egg-shaped lounge chairs and LED screen walls everywhere you look. Elevators, which have their own mood lighting, whisk guests up to rooftop check-in, which dazzles with a buzzy restaurant and heated infinity pool overlooking the city. The adjacent Loveat café is a nice spot for breakfast, but you’re also well within walking distance of some of Tel Aviv’s best hubs for eating and shopping, including Rothschild Boulevard and Carmel Market.

The newest boutique to hit trendy Rothschild Boulevard is a subtle tribute to Tel Aviv’s creative class. Interiors by the Israeli Yaron Tal Studio feature a mashup of pieces by local designers—custom furniture by Tomer Nachshon and lights by Ohad Benit; a lobby vending machine that spits out cocktails made by in-house mixologists—along with renovated remnants of the original ‘50s office building (raw floors; exposed concrete). Each of the 39 guest rooms is a study in neutral tones of gray, white, and brown. For more energy, head up to the sunny two-level rooftop terrace for snacks and views.

The newest venture from Israel-based Dan Hotels is a refreshing departure from Tel Aviv’s typical Bauhaus and historic stays—and from all other Dan hotels, for that matter. The Link, in the heart of the city, is edgy and forward-thinking: your smart phone controls everything from checking in and out to in-room TV and light controls, while vibrant street art (all for sale) by local Tel Aviv artists covers hallways, guest room walls, and common areas like The Hub—a co-working space where everyone from business execs to younger travelers kick back, eat and drink (snacks and a fully-stocked bar are available throughout the day), and get things done.