“The hotel is owned by three Jewish families from Frankfurt, New York, Tel Aviv and Paris,” said general manager Yossi Navi in an interview. “And for Zionist reasons they wanted it to stay open.”
It meant that the Carlton became the home for many of the tourists or air crews who were stranded in Israel because of the pandemic.
Navi accurately describes the Carlton as a “boutique business hotel that is very intimate and very luxurious.”
When I was offered a chance to spend a night at the Carlton hotel for a review, I eagerly accepted, especially as it came right after a family camping overnight in Mitzpe Ramon, where the weather was freezing at night, and I remembered why I don’t enjoy camping. (Although seeing Jupiter and Saturn through a powerful telescope was pretty cool).
The Carlton has 270 rooms, many of which have lovely sea views. The rooms feel large and luxurious.The bed is soft and comfortable, and the bathroom features the largest showerhead and best water pressure I’ve ever had at a hotel in Israel. For after your shower, there are huge bath towels and slippers and robes in the closet. (While you’re welcome to take the slippers, the robes are not included!)
Soon after arriving, I made my way up to the rooftop pool, which has an amazing view of Tel Aviv’s coastline.Although the pool itself is small, there are plenty of lounge chairs and a full bar. I was surprised at how many children there were as I did not think of the Carlton as a hotel for families, but that is part of the pivot the hotel has made because of corona.
“When the corona began, we began to appeal to the Israeli market with different packages,” general manager Yossi Navi said. “While we didn’t reduce the price, we found ways to give added value to the guests.”
Those packages, which continue to be on sale, include an overnight in an executive room with breakfast and dinner at the Popina pop-up restaurant on the hotel’s rooftop (see below) for 2,100 shekels per couple, or a Tel Aviv spa package, which includes breakfast and a couple’s massage, for 2,300 shekels.
Breakfast is served at a restaurant across the street right on the beach and is especially luxurious.
Because of corona, everything is pre-portioned into individual dishes, but there is an “omelette man” and there are special hot dishes, including quiches. My favorite section was the smoked fish section, which also had a cold bottle of vodka and a chilled bottle of cava. Great for a liquid breakfast!
On weekends, the hotel is about 70% full, which is as full as they want because of corona, Lavi says, and on weekdays it’s about 30% full.
The writer was a guest of the hotel