The curved archways are the same as the ones that greeted guests who might have come to what was once the Palace Hotel when it opened in 1929.
Designed by the Turkish architect Nahas Bey, but built by two Jewish constructors and a Muslim one, in a style with Ottoman and Arab influences and includes verses from the Koran carved into the building.
Unlike the famous King David Hotel, which opened in 1931, or the YMCA that opened in 1933 – both of which are located just a few short blocks away – the Palace Hotel (famous then for luxuriously offering an elevator and hot water) closed its doors in 1935 and then was largely used for office space including once housing a tax museum.
In 2014, the global luxury Waldorf Astoria chain brought the building once more into the public sphere, by reopening the hotel with work crafted by Israeli architect Yehuda Feigin and Turkish interior designer Sinan Kafadar, which seamlessly mixes the 20th-century historic design with the more modern 21st-century one.
The result is one of the grandest and most comfortable hotel lobbies in the city, with a glass-covered four-story-high atrium dome that gives one the feeling of sitting outside in bright sunlight without feeling the heat. The indoor falling waters surrounded by green shrubbery only accentuate the feeling as one can hear the running water throughout the lobby. One can order picture-perfect coffee and desserts that are as tasty to eat as they are beautiful to look at.
For travelers from outside the city, the hotel’s biggest asset is location. It is situated just outside the outdoor Mamilla Mall that leads to the Old City’s Jaffa Gate. Jerusalem’s downtown Paris Square hub is just two blocks away.
In the age of COVID-19, however, the hotel is attempting to brand itself as a destination point for Israelis, even those who live in Jerusalem, by opening two new offerings.
Out of those, the most exclusive is its Guerlain Spa, named for the French-style luxury brand of cosmetics, oils and wellness massage treatments. Spa Manager Ran Bibi who trained in France said that no other spa in Israel uses this treatment or can give its customers the same quality service one might find in Paris.
GIVEN THAT flights to Paris are tricky, Israelis who want to experience that French touch can now head to the Waldorf, with treatments that range in price from NIS 230 to NIS 620.
“We use a specific product with exclusive oils and creams,” said Bibi. Among those is a series of oils that are put in small white bells. The massage therapists serve the oils to the customers on a small white plate, so they can smell the fragrances and chose which one best suits their senses.
This oil is then used as part of the massage; the full-body option includes the face, back, arms, legs and feet.
“This is a signature technique,” said Bibi.
Among the spa’s challenges was its March opening date. Travel was difficult so the Waldorf staff was trained on Zoom, said Bibi who still has photos and videos from the experience on his phone.
If the spa were a restaurant, then the Guerlain name is like a Michelin gold star when it comes to signifying excellence and quality, Bibi explained.
The Spa was designed by Kafadar and Israeli designer Keren Offner. Its construction took two years and cost NIS 15 million. Every detail was intentional from the relaxing earthy color scheme of light gray and cream set against hardwood and Jerusalem stone helps provide an atmosphere of relaxation and elegance. The Gharieni massage beds come from Germany.
The window displays of Guerlain oils and perfumes for sale, help give the entryway to the spa a luxurious and European look that quickly gives way to a more Jerusalem-style feel within the spa itself. With its absence of windows and natural light, including in the room with a pool, jacuzzi and sauna it has more of a feel of an exotic hideaway cave, in which one escapes from the sun, heat and stress of the city.
The pool itself is more for lounging and cooling off rather than swimming laps. For the exercise buffs, the spa also sports a small fitness center with Italian TechnoGym equipment and the possibility of a personal trainer. There are small side rooms that can be used for yoga enthusiasts.
This is the “most prestigious international Spa ever to operate in Israel,” said Avner On, Waldorf Astoria General Manager. “Guerlain is known worldwide as a leading luxury brand” and this spa provides “hotel’s guests and the thousands of Israelis seeking a unique body and soul experience, the most luxurious” and soothing venue there is,” On said.
The second venture the hotel is highlighting this summer is its garden terrace located on the hotel’s fourth floor and open from 6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. It offers a bar with cocktails and wine as well as light vegetarian and meat entrées prepared by hotel chef Itzik Mizrahi Barak. Prices range from NIS 40-68 per dish. Free two-hour parking is available for the garden terrace guests.
The wooden floor deck with its specially lit potted plants, guests have the feeling of sitting in a private magic garden in the city where one can while away the hours with friends and or family.
From the lobby with its coffee lounge and restaurant to the spa to the terrace the hotel offers an excellent staycation for Israelis seeking to feel like they have left the city and descended into old-world luxury with modern and European amenities.
The author was a guest of the hotel and the spa.