Great hotels and hostels abound in Jerusalem, but here I will concentrate on those that are most convenient for travelers, i.e. they all enjoy a city-center location. All of the hotels and hostels in my list are within walking distance of the Old City and just minutes away from good restaurants and bars.
In general, I would say that hotels in Israel and Jerusalem provide an excellent service; I only rarely hear complaints. The most common criticism is the price. Israel isn’t a cheap country and hotel prices are high. If you liked your hotel but felt it was too expensive, then rest assured you’re not the only one, which is why I’ll be adding some information here about hostels, which are a great alternative.
Luxury Hotels in Jerusalem
If you’re looking for high-end accommodation, then look no further: the King David Hotel, Waldorf Astoria, and Mamilla Hotel are the best that Israel has to offer. These three hotels are regularly to be found at the top of lists of the best hotels in the Middle East.
King David Hotel
Where? 23 King David Street
Price: starting at about $350
Photo from the hotel website.
Every city has that one hotel with a particularly good reputation. In Jerusalem’s case, it’s the King David Hotel. Its rectangular structure and tall palm trees are part of Jerusalem’s landscape. It was built in the 1930s by a wealthy Egyptian-Jewish banker and since then the history of the hotel – not all of it pleasant – is in many ways aligned with the history of Israel in the 20th century. Since the 1950s, the hotel has hosted heads of state and dignitaries from all around the world. Today it is the flagship hotel of the Dan Hotel chain.
Click here for more information & making a reservation
Mamilla Hotel
Where? 11 King Solomon Street
Price: starting at about $350
Mamilla Hotel is located right at the border between the Old City and the New City, between Jaffa Gate and Jaffa Street. Unlike other historical hotels, this hotel has a modern design. The hotel roof boasts a beautiful view of the Old City and guests can make use of an award-winning spa complex.
Photo from the hotel website.
Click here for more information & making a reservation
Waldorf Astoria
Where? 26 Agron Street
Price: starting at about $350
The international luxury hotel chain opened its first hotel in Israel in a beautiful building that used to house one of Jerusalem’s luxury hotels in the 1930s. Later, it served as a British government building (as did the King David Hotel). After the creation of the state of Israel, the building housed the Ministry of Rationing and Supply during the austerity period. After many years of standing abandoned, the building was restored at great cost and returned to its original purpose.
Click here for more information & making a reservation
Photo from the hotel’s website.
Boutique Hotels:
Boutique hotels are smaller than regular hotels, and don’t usually have the swimming pool or other facilities that larger hotels can offer. However, they are located in the inner neighborhoods and offer an intimate space that lays the emphasis on a personal touch and service, as well as tasteful design.
Arthur Hotel
Where? 13 Dorot Rishonim Street
Price: starting at around $200 a night
Named after Lord Arthur Balfour, this hotel has a colonial style. This beautifully designed hotel is located at the Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall (near Jaffa Road), in the center of the city, where you will discover most of the city’s nightlife. The Old City is a 15-minute walk away.
Click here for more information & making a reservation
Photo from the hotel’s website.
Harmony Hotel
Where? 6 Yoel Moshe Salomon Street
Price: starting at around $200 a night
This hotel is located in Nahalat HaShiv’a, one of the first neighborhoods built outside Jerusalem’s city walls. The design is relatively modern, but because it is located in a small alley, you will be able to feel the true flavor of Jerusalem the second you head out the front door.
Click here for more information & making a reservation
3 to 4-star Hotels:
If all you require is a good, basic hotel to bed down in once you have explored the city, the following 3-star hotels are perfect for you. I don’t have much to write about them – they all have a perfect location, clean facilities, friendly and helpful staff, and a good breakfast.
Eldan Hotel
Where? 24 King David Street
Price: starting at around $140 a night
A good hotel that stands amid the luxury hotels but offers more attractive prices. A 10-minute walk from the Old City and the Mahane Yehuda Market.
Click here for more information & making a reservation
Montefiore Hotel
Where? 7 Shats Street
Price: starting at around $140 a night
Click here for more information & making a reservation
Photo from the hotel’s website.
Hostels in Jerusalem
If you are traveling on a budget you won’t want to sleep in a hotel. There are some great hostels in Jerusalem and all of them also offer private rooms, so you don’t have to sleep with people you don’t know in your room (some private rooms have bathrooms). The price for a bed in dorms is about 100 shekels, or $23-26, and it will cost you around $80-100 dollars for a private room. All hostels are located in the middle of the city. So, let’s start:
Abraham Hostel
Where? 67 HaNevi’im Street, Davidka Square
This hostel was selected as one of the best large hostels in the world, and rightly so, bringing as it did the standards of the world’s top hostels to Israel. The location is excellent – it’s halfway up Jaffa Road, next to the HaDavidka light rail station. It’s a 15-minute walk from the Old City and five minutes from the Mahane Yehuda Market. Staff are friendly and courteous. During the day, the place operates an information center for travelers. This is a great place to start a trip in Jerusalem or in Israel, especially for people who are concerned about traveling alone or traveling in Israel.
For more information and reservation click here.
Allenby 2
2 Allenby Square (30 beds, starting at NIS 90 per night).
For the sake of full disclosure, I have to mention that I decided to recommend this place before I had even visited it. I met the owner and immediately knew that I would like his hostel, simply because he was so warm and friendly. If you arrive in Jerusalem by bus and want a hostel close to the station, this is the place for you. It’s a small, quiet hostel where you’ll feel right at home. The hostel is around a 20-minute walk from the center of the city, but the light rail passes every few minutes, making this a convenient option for getting to the Old City.
For more information and reservation click here.
The Post Hostel
The Post Hostel is the newest hostel in Jerusalem and when you walk in, it feels more like a boutique hotel than a hostel. I think this may well be the hostel with the highest standards in Jerusalem. They really have thought about every small detail. For example, there are night lamps in the rooms, so if somebody arrives late at night he doesn’t need to wake everybody up. Each bed has its own personal lamp and electricity sockets. This hostel is next to the Town Hall light railway station and lies about 300 meters from the Old City.
For more information and reservation click here.
Stay Inn
As far as I know, this is the newest hostel in Jerusalem. It has already received great reviews since it opened at the end of 2016. A small and neat hostel, it is located in the middle of the city, close to the ‘Jaffa Center’ light rail station.
For more information and reservations click here.
For more information and reservation click here.
All the Hostels locations can be seen on the map –
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