Cholula

In an earlier post, there actually was a Ramada but it’s now the Marriott/Renaissance in TLV and apparently still a dump.....

Kiwi Flyer

hmm thinking about it ...

Canarsie

Yeesh, indufan — can’t you read?!?

The following is from Milepost #56 in this thread:

Cholula

The thinking‘s over, Kiwi Dude. You’re coming as well.
TLV is probably halfway between NZ and CA so I can’t think of a better place to finally meet you.......

Canarsie

I am not panicking or worried at all, but I do not think that it is a bad idea to post what the hotel chains’ Internet web sites are publishing for comparison purposes.

It also may not be a bad idea to post the point requirements for an award stay as well...

myefre

Israel in Nov 2005. hmmmmm, well I have time to plan at least. I was wondering about next November what you nuts might come up with.

indufan

Whoops, sorry.

But please don't hold it against me because I can't read.

Canarsie

Holding it against you would not be the wright thing to do, indufan.

However, I wonder if Dovster regards the Ramada in which he stayed in South Florida as a three-star property.

If so, one might be wary of staying at the Adiv Hotel, as Dovster may have misspelled the name of A Dive Hotel...

Gardyloo

We like the Yamit - more relaxed and informal than the Dan or Sheraton up the beach. Many rooms overlook the US embassy next door, with a serious collection of antennae and electronic thingys on the roof, and lots of hale-looking chaps wearing loose shirts standing around. Fab breakfast at the Yamit; overpriced KFC and disco downstairs.

apirchik

The hilton is an isolated hotel located just 300 meters from the rest of them but has great view from every room. I would not rule this hotel out because it is one of the top 4 - with the Dan, the Sheraton and the IC.

Be careful with the Dan and Sheraton, there are also Dan Panorama and Sheraton Moriah which are not the same hotels.

The Renaissance, Crowne Plaza and Sheraton Moriah are located just next to each other in a row - all have passed through many brand names but are pretty run-down and I would not recommend any of them. The 3 of them are located on the beachfront but they do not have rooms looking directly at the sea - only north and south (mainly to the next hotel with the sea on one side and Tel Aviv on the other). In the past, the Renaissance was a Ramada and the Sheraton Moriah was a Radisson.

The IC (newest 5 star hotel in Tel Aviv) and Dan Panorama hotels are located just on the border between Tel Aviv and Jaffa - also a nice location but a little remote from the other main Tel Aviv hotels. Jaffa is a developing area with many bars, great restaurants and nightlife.

economyman

Just in case you want to do this before Nov. 2005, I did this on the phone a couple of days ago with Orange Israel. No problem and they even accepted my French BA Diners Club so I'll be using my "phone bill miles" to make the Meet I hope.

Dovster

Apirchik, you will notice that when I gave the list of hotels I restricted my recommendations to the "question of location only".

Chiefly, I have in mind the fact that we are going to be getting together constantly during the week. In Venice, we had nightly gatherings of the entire group in one hotel, and frequent informal meetings of smaller groups. If we don't wind up staying at the same hotel in Tel Aviv -- and I think that different travel budgets will prohibit that -- I want everyone to be within a short walking distance from each other.

Basically, that means the Carlton towards the North, the Yamit towards the South, and nothing more than one or two streets to the West. The North-South limitations have the additional advantage of putting the hotels in easy walking distance of Dizengoff Center and Kikar Rabin. The Hilton is slightly out of this range and the Intercontinental quite a bit out.

Just what is a good hotel is a matter of personal opinion. Certainly the Dan Tel Aviv is a top-ranked hotel, as witnessed by the fact that high-level diplomats, Hollywood movie stars, and corporate CEOs often stay there. Is it, however, worth a hundred dollars per night more than the Renaissance or $150 more than the Adiv? That is strictly a personal decision.

Even the low-priced hotels on the list are far from being flea-bags. The Adiv, which is among the least expensive I mentioned, attracts middle class Israeli businessmen; many European groups travelling on a mid-level budget; and is the hotel chosen for by the U.N. for its officers, the Turkish government for all but top-level diplomats, and several different airlines for their crews.

Dovster

Indufan, much to my dismay I have added you to our "Preliminary Possible List". You've expressed concern about safety in Israel -- frankly I am much more worried about my safety when you, Cholula, and Canarsie are together to gang up on me!

Myefre and KiwiFlyer, the two of you would be very welcome but I haven't added you to the list because your comments were too non-committal. Should I put your names up? (The only obligation you assume by being on the list is to notify us should you decide that you can't make it.)

economyman

My personal recommendation would be the IC (David Intercontinental). Although it's not as central as the others, it is in my eyes the best hotel in Tel Aviv and the best business hotel in the country. It is right next to Ne've Tzedek, a quaint and beautiful part of Tel-Aviv that is lovely for a walk about. It is 5 minutes walk from The Yemenite Quarter where some good food can be got at very reasonable prices and right next to the Carmel Market (where you may be able to pick up a bargain - but don't bank on it). It may however be one of the most expensive. Next door, the Dan Panaroma is not very nice for a supposedly 5 star hotel, but usually much cheaper.

I don't really know any of you and in fact have never met an FT'er in person. I also usually frequent the BAEC forum. So I don't know your preferences, age, loves, etc. So it's difficult for me to recommend something concrete, but the above is my prefered hotel.

Dovster

There can be differences but in the last 15 years or so it has maintained a fairly steady relationship to the dollar.

In January 2003, there were 4.84 shekels to the dollar. By January 2003, the shekel strengthened by about 9% and reached 4.39 to the dollar. Since then, it has lost some of that strength and is now back up to 4.44. This means that the dollar has lost 8% of its strength against the shekel in two years.

During the same time period, the Euro went from being worth $1.06 to $1.33 -- a 21% difference.