The Reception hotel is only a few months old, but it already feels settled. Not needlessly flashy, not trying to prove anything.
A mature sense of class grips you as you enter. The historic building it sits in from the 1930s does most of the talking. Bright marble, dark wood, clean lines. Tasteful, restrained, and refreshingly calm for the middle of Dizengoff.
There’s something familiar about the place. Elegant, yes, but not cold. The kind of hotel where you immediately understand how it all works.
Behind the reception sits the gorgeous speakeasy-style bar of the hotel, which is not kosher.
The bartender offers us a glass of Champagne as we wait for our check-in. A nice touch of hospitality that was a good sign of what was to come.
The bar itself was well designed, and, as a bartender myself, I highly recommend popping in for a proper cocktail.
The rooms follow the same logic. Classy, comfortable, and practical. Nothing flashy, nothing missing. The bed is soft. The amenities make sense. The balcony is actually usable.
Everything is within reach, including the option to control and enter the room from your phone, which here feels helpful rather than forced. It’s evident that its designer knows what the guest requires.
Dizengoff at its most convenient
The real strength of the Reception, though, is its location. This is Dizengoff at its most convenient. We went out for dinner just around the block, where choice is abundant, but quality remains high. Tel Aviv can overwhelm with options; but here it didn’t matter which you chose, as they were all made of quality.
After dinner, it was a short walk to the Lessin Theatre for a fine local production, followed by the shortest of strolls back to the hotel. No taxis, no planning, no friction. Everything happens close by, which quietly improves the entire
experience.
Morning came with a good book and an espresso on the sunlit balcony. We then headed downstairs to Bel Ami, the hotel’s French brasserie, which has already developed a reputation of its own.
Breakfast here is beautifully indulgent. Fish, pastries, French toast; all fresh, well executed, and flavorful. The place was full, and not just with hotel guests. Bel Ami has clearly made its way onto Tel Aviv’s brunch map, and deservedly so.
The rooftop pool was closed for winter, which was disappointing yet understandable. With the late January sun out in full force, we opted for a walk toward the beachfront instead.
The promenade is only a few minutes away and remains one of Tel Aviv’s simplest pleasures. Crowded, noisy, alive, yet somehow still peaceful. An hour slipped by without effort, the city doing what it does best: reminding you why people tolerate its chaos.
Eventually, the sun began to dip, and it was time to check out. Not something we were particularly eager to do. That change of feeling was the real winner for me.
Before arriving, I was skeptical about the idea of a relaxing stay in one of Tel Aviv’s busiest neighborhoods. Fattal’s Reception proved me wrong. It manages to offer comfort and quiet without isolating you from the city itself.
That balance is rare here, yet the Reception pulls it off. And that, more than anything else, is why it works and why your next TLV venture should start here.
The writer was a guest of the hotel.