In the past people preferred to book rooms in hotels managed by major international hotel chains. This arrangement guaranteed guests a certain level of service and rooms. For example, guests booked at the hotel chain “WESTIN”, already know the layout and dimension of the room and bathroom, this was an match between the expectations of the guest at the time of booking and the actual room upon arrival. People do not want “surprises” or “disappointments” at check in. The large hotels incorporated towers with transparent elevators and open atrium space, with high impressive ceilings selected brand stores on the ground floor like “Stern”, “Bally”, “Hermes” and other similar brands which were a source of attraction for tourists.
The desire was to go far away and abroad but actually feel at home, in familiar well-known surroundings, and enjoy a certain level of comfort. The guest at the hotel knew what he paid for and expected results accordingly, when hotels were ranked from one star to five stars, and higher standards at a luxury hotel.
In Israel, in fact, there is now a small number of hotels of luxurious standards: the Ritz Carlton in “Herzliya Pituach, the “Waldorf Astoria” in Jerusalem, and soon the “Kempinsky” in Tel Aviv. There is a great demand for hotels of this caliber, high-end and offering uncompromisingly flawless service.
At the same time a new trend has developed for boutique hotels being smaller and not belonging to any a hotel chain. These are high-quality small hotels, uniquely decorated, usually by famous designers like Philippe Stark.
Boutique hotels ensure an intimate hospitality surprising the customer for the better, of course. The goal is to provide service which is above and beyond the guests’ expectations, to pamper and spoil so that in the future they will return to stay in the same hotel and of course recommend it to their circle of friends.
Highlights of a boutique hotel are the eclectic interior design which differs for each and every hotel room; a celebrated chef’s restaurant; a trendy lounge with a bar combined with an authentic style. Hospitality is discreet and generally the reception staff speaks the language of the visitors. At the “Alexander” in Tel Aviv, for example, Alexandra welcomes the guests in Russian. Tourists feel immediately at home in Israel, when welcomed in their native language and by a person who understands their culture.
The impression of a well-kept house with design items, as if taken from a private house to the public space of a hotel, placing tasteful flower decorations instead of ornate floral arrangements, exhibiting photographs and delicate artifacts in good taste instead of posters and commercial photographs, a piano in the sitting room and in the dining area a coffee machine provided with capsules. The reception staff sits at a regular table without giving the impression of a gatekeeper. A nice example is the hotel “The Rothschild” at 71 Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv which also reveals that the hotel was once the private family home of Dr. Krieger and is used today as a boutique hotel.
The trend of boutique hotels has not passed the city of Tel Aviv. Many hotels have sprung up, each hotel has its own character and its own uniqueness. On Rothschild Boulevard there are already five boutique hotels and nine others are in the initial stage of construction.
The award for best restaurant located in a hotel was awarded to the bistro of the boutique Hotel “Rothschild 96”. Hotel “Montefiore”, with only 12 rooms, with a chef’s restaurant; Hotel “Diaghilev” on Mazeh street with a cultural center with frequently changing art exhibitions; “Townhouse Tel Aviv” on Yavneh Street; Kastiel’s hotel with each of its 19 rooms with Kastiel’s characteristic design; the “Brown” Hotel on Kalisher Street 25, with 30 rooms decorated in the style of the 70s.
These beautiful homes on Rothschild Blvd. and their surroundings, the renovated and reconstructed houses captivate and charm tourists. Integrating boutique hotels on the streets of Tel Aviv, ensure that guests walking out of the hotel experience authentic city life, while larger hotels generally located on the coastline or in the quintessential tourist area, isolate guests from the city itself and its urban life.