In January 2018, the luxury Setai brand will debut its third property with the highly anticipated opening of The Setai Tel Aviv. The Setai, as well as a new W hotel coming soon, the Intercontinental, the Ritz-Carlton, the Norman hotel and a few others, are a myriad of luxury properties that are giving visitors real 5 star options in this Mediterranean city. Tel Aviv has become a real getaway for A-listers and jet-setters in the past few years. The financial center and the technology hub of Israel, it’s the country’s second largest city with a population of 438,818 and has the third-largest economy of any city in the Middle East after Abu Dhabi and Kuwait City.
Why Tel Aviv? Why now? The city’s over 2.5 million annual international visitors are enjoying its reputation as the party capital of the Middle East with a lively nightlife and 24-hour culture and places to visit like the White City, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.
As for the new Setai hotel, as an original 13th-century structure, architectural elements of the historic site have been preserved in its transformation into a luxury hotel. Positioned along the historic Jaffa coastline, the 120-key property has uninterrupted views of the historic Jaffa Clock Tower, built during the Turkish Empire, and overlooks the gleaming Mediterranean Sea to the west. Check out its signature restaurant specializing in Mediterranean cuisine and a world-class spa complete with Turkish baths.
A room at the new Setai Tel Aviv. Image courtesy of Assaf Pinchuk.
But no matter which 5 star property you decide to stay in, there are a wealth of things to do once you step outside. We have sneak peaks of openings in 2018 and things you can do right now to have a 5 star, fun time in Tel Aviv.
Delicious Israel Walking Tours
Delicious Israel’s personalized walking, travel, and cooking tours introduce traveling foodies and culture-seekers to authentic Israeli lifestyle with meals in private homes and tutorials on Israeli food.
The Jaffa district, Tel Aviv. Image courtesy of Guy Yechiely.
The Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar
Tel Aviv’s Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar was voted one of the world’s top 20 bars at the World’s 50 Best Bar Awards and was named Best Bar in the Middle East and Africa. Hidden inside the Imperial Hotel, the Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar also serves Asian-Colonial inspired food.
Maskit, a luxury fashion house
Founded in 1954 by Ruth Dayan, Maskit designs are luxurious and treasured by celebrities. They have done collaborations with Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, and Givenchy and also have a flagship store in New York City.
From the Desert Collection. Image courtesy of Maskit House.
Tel Aviv was recently crowned the Vegan Capital Of the world. With 400 vegan and vegan-friendly kitchens catering to most of Israel’s 200,000 vegans, going meat-free isn’t just easy here, it’s a chance to sample the best food in town. Try one of the city’s many vegan hotspots. Start with Meshek Barzilay; Nanuchka or Bana.
Tel Aviv is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its unique architecture, home to the largest amount of International ‘Bauhaus’ style buildings in the world (4,000). The city of Tel Aviv has decided to open a center dedicated to this architecture, in partnership with the German Federal Government. The Tel Aviv White City Heritage Center will open in 2018.
Construction is almost complete on the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Israel National Center for Biodiversity Studies, a key project that will house and preserve over five million specimens. Visit in 2018.
Also known as the Tayelet, the Tel Aviv Beach Boardwalk takes you from the Tel Aviv Port in the north of the city to Herbert Samuel Street going south toward Jaffa. There are lots of activities and several luxury hotels are dotted along the way.
To learn more about Tel Aviv and Israel, click here.
Featured image courtesy of The Norman.