Boutique Chic in Tel Aviv’s White City

65 Hotel Tel Aviv

With Tel Aviv currently climbing the charts in world rankings — Lonely Planet named it the world’s third best city overall, while Conde Nast Traveler hailed it as the world’s fifth best culinary destination — the city has been witnessing a surge in boutique hotels. In the forefront of this boomlet is Atlas Hotels, with nine properties in Tel Aviv alone; its latest is 65 Hotel, celebrating its location on Rothschild Boulevard, in the heart of the White City, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its concentration of Bauhaus architecture.

The new hotel makes an architectural statement of its own, with its distinctively handsome round tower on a corner of the leafy boulevard teeming with pedestrians and bicyclists. The building’s design leaves an impression indoors as well: when disembarking from elevators on floors containing guest rooms, one enters a circular lobby reminiscent of popular configurations of departure gates at airports, when arrayed like a crescent. The deep, plush carpeting upon exiting the elevator is not only comfortable, it deadens the sound of footfalls.

A hallmark of an Atlas Hotel is clever use of space to achieve maximum roominess in properties located where every square meter of real estate is at a premium. 65 Hotel puts this principle into practice both when it comes to the layout of its guest rooms and the design of its underground parking, which uses a multi-park system to stack cars. Parking, based on availability, is free to hotel guests.  

Guest rooms are dominated by large double beds, which are extremely comfortable. They are also the best places from which to watch television, which at 65 Hotel means a 49-inch IPTV set broadcasting programs in multiple languages; interestingly, in addition, there is a YouTube channel. As in all Atlas Hotels, free high-speed wireless Internet extends to guest rooms, as well as public areas.

All rooms also contain a safe for valuables and laptops, a Nespresso machine, an electric kettle for preparing tea, and a mini-bar filled with bottled water and soft drinks that are free of charge. Bathrooms provide hair dryers and amenities enriched with Dead Sea minerals, as well as lightweight cotton bathrobes and slippers.

Although the website lists three categories of rooms, in reality they are all virtually the same, with the exception of a junior suite on an upper floor that boasts the hotel’s only private balcony. Uniquely, there is a functioning bathtub in this outdoor space.

All guests, meanwhile, can enjoy the stunning city views from an 8th-floor terrace equipped with a daybed and other inviting seating. Another al fresco area is right in front of the entrance to the hotel: the premises of Café 65, which serves an excellent complimentary breakfast buffet to guests, and is open for other meals as well.

One Café 65 perk that is exclusive to hotel guests is the daily (except Saturday) “Happy Hour”’ — complimentary drinks (including wine), snacks and even a cooked entrée. This light supper can be a terrific budget-stretcher, and is undoubtedly one of Atlas Hotels’ most popular extras.

 Check the website at 65 Hotel for current rates. You can also compare rates and book through Hotels.com, Booking.com or Expedia.

Number of rooms: 74

Published rates: $195-$310 (double room with breakfast)

Text by Buzzy Gordon, who was a guest of 65 Hotel for purposes of review. Photos courtesy of Atlas Hotels.