3 new luxury hotels in Jaffa, the Old Testament port city in Israel, that are elegant enough for a Pharaoh

Nov 9 , 2019

The Jaffa is one of three new luxury hotels in the Israeli ancient port city of Jaffa. Photo: Amit Geron

The ancient port town of Jaffa is booming, and its three new luxury hotels, trendy restaurants, bars, cafes, art galleries and design boutiques are seeing more visitors daily

Jaffa, a 3,000-year-old port city mentioned in the Old Testament and claimed by the Pharaohs, Alexander the Great and even Napoleon, is today attracting a far more benign kind of conqueror: luxury travellers.

The ancient port town, located about halfway down Israel’s Mediterranean coastline, was absorbed into greater Tel Aviv in 1950, but for decades it has been seen as the 24/7-party-city’s dowdy and down-at-heel cousin. While the Tel Aviv waterfront stretches north past skyscrapers, at Jaffa it gets lost in a maze of sandstone-shaded stone alleys and markets brimming with antiques and spices.

But it is exactly this historical personality that is its charm, and the same attractive traits Jaffa’s three new luxury hotels, and trendy restaurants, bars, cafes, art galleries and design boutiques are savvily showcasing.

Here are three hotels worth the visit.

The Jaffa

The Jaffa, partly housed in a 19th-century neo-Gothic and neo-Renaissance building, which was originally a monastery and hospital for Christians visiting Jerusalem, opened last year. The 120-room hotel, which is managed by Marriott’s The Luxury Collection, was designed by renowned minimalist British designer John Pawson and local conservationist and architect Ramy Gill. It seamlessly blends old and new, uplifting hefty stone walls and cool, light-filled interiors with slick modern details.

The Jaffa’s expansive, travertine-tiled lobby features remnants of a 13th century Crusader’s bastion wall. Photo: Amit Geron

The expansive, travertine-tiled lobby features remnants of a 13th century Crusader’s bastion wall, uncovered during excavations of the site, contrasted with striking artworks by Damien Hirst. There is a seshbesh (backgammon) lounge with bespoke backgammon tables designed by Pawson in homage to the traditional game played by merchants in Jaffa Market.

The Jaffa Residences flat. Photo: Amit Geron

Along with an outdoor pool, breezy courtyard, L. Raphael spa and two restaurants, The Jaffa also has a bar located inside the old chapel. A priest was brought in to “desanctify” the space to avoid offence. The original, prettily-painted ceiling and stained-glass windows have been preserved and matched with squat bronze and velvet-clad Cini Boeri Botolo chairs. An ideal spot to soak up Jaffa’s multifaceted history while enjoying a cocktail or glass of wine from the hotel’s 3,000-bottle strong wine cellar.