Blue Roman

Early October, so hopefully this shouldn't be a problem. thanks for the advice tho'

apirchik

Over the north side of the Hilton there is a big sign saying "40 years of excellence". It seems like they are celebrating something ...

Kiwi Flyer

Stayed at Hilton Tel Aviv. Security check-point before entering hotel. The key card wallet, stationary, etc all promoting 40th anniversary of the hotel, and sadly it looks real tired and showing its age. No room upgrade this time, but did get complimentary half bottle of cab sav, chocolates and large fruit platter.

After I was out the first night I noticed they had completely cleaned and tidied the room at the same time as turning down the bed.

There are 2 lounges - one for exec floors and one for HHonors Gold & Diamond. I only saw the latter and fairly small and basic. 3 small rooms (open "doors" between them), 1 of which is smoking. Some nibbles and drinks in the evening. Local newspaper only. A tv. I decided to have breakfast in the main restaurant which has a much bigger selection, more space and is not as smoky.

Blue Roman

Can't find any recent posts for Hilon - Tel Aviv, could anyone assist who has been there, I am going in September


Question:
1. What's the hotel like, how do they treat Diamond members, upgrades etc. Staying one night on points and the rest paying.
2. Best way to get from Airport to hotel
3. Would concierge be able to give advice on day trips to Jerusalem.

Thanks in anticipation to anybody that cares to help

entropy

1. its nice on the inside. I haven't seen the rooms but the lobby and executive lounge on the top floor are nice.
2. Depends on if you are paying or someone else. if you are, take the train to "Tel Aviv Merkaz" and hop a cab form there to the hotel (ask them how much, don't give them any more than 20 shekels(NIS)), total cost would be 34 NIS ($7), if you take a cab from the airport it would be around 80 NIS i think.
3. yes

MoreMiles!

The lounge on the top floor is indeed very nice. See if you can get a suite up there, those suites are VERY nice and some have a gorgeous view.

As for transportation - cabs have become a lot more expensive, and on a busy day you could wait 20-30 minutes to get a cab to Tel-Aviv. Trains are indeed much cheaper, but their schedule is only reasonable in peak hours. If you read Hebrew, you can see the schedule on the proper site, or you can ask a local friend to do that for you. A cab from the "Tel Aviv Merkaz / Hashalom" train station will in fact run you 25-30 NIS, but in USD the difference is only $1-2 from what was previously quoted.

Good luck !

LLM

If you really want to see Jerusalem you are so much better off staying somewhere there to reduce travel time and cost. You'll either need to pay a lot for a private taxi or take a taxi to the bus depot and travel 60 minutes+ each way. There are group bus tours, of course, but I wouldn't recommend them. PM me if you would like a guide recommendation within Jerusalem.

yosithezet

Even at a busy time the cabs are lining up. The problem is that sometimes the line to get into a cab is very long. Note that from the airport there are standard prices to destinations all around Israel. If you are landing during daylight hours insist on the standard price per the 'mehiron' as traffic into Tel Aviv could easily take you an hour sitting in traffic. If you are getting into the cab from the airport in very light times like on a Saturday or late at night or before 6:30AM then the meter may be reasonable.

Blue Roman

Many thanks for your responses - great help!!

Blue Roman

LLM, still "rusty" on the PM side of this but would very much appreciate you help on this?

LLM

I sent you a message which should pop up on your screen. If it doesn't, post again and I will try and email if you have one listed.

theblakefish

Dumb Question: Is English widely spoken in Israel, or do I need to brush up on some Hebrew and/or Arabic?

JeremyG5

You'll be fine with English. Everyone speaks it there.

LLM

I wouldn't say everyone; there are lots of foreign workers and "new" Israelis who don't speak English. We never had a cab driver who spoke English, for example, and had to pass on a few restaurants because they only had Hebrew menus but you should manage just fine.

MoreMiles!

All "young professionals" are quite fluent in English. The accent isn't great, but MUCH better than what you'd fine in Asia. It's true that many restaurants don't have English menus, but you can always ask a friendly waitress for a hand. Food in Tel-Aviv is generally very good and quite cheap, certainly compared with what your $ would buy you in major US cities.