Dan Jerusalem - Thoughts
 

Looking at booking the Dan Jerusalem for a night. Any knowledge/experience with the hotel?
Also, does anyone know what time check-in begins? Website says nothing, so I called. She said check-in starts at 09:00, and the latest possible is 13:00. (Meaning, the earliest possible check-in is 09:00; the latest possible time for check-in to START is 13:00.) That sounds too good to be true, so I figured I'd check here to confirm with others who may have experienced that.
Early check-in is crucial

Generally speaking check-in at Dan hotels is 1500. The only time you can check in early is when the rooms are basically unused from the night before and ready early. I would call back, ask again AND ask what time check out is. THAT usually is noon and you can't expect them to have rooms ready BEFORE they are empty :cool:

IN terms of the hotel itself. The property is the one that had previously been called the Renaissance. While I haven't been there personally I know my driver in Israel goes yearly with his immediate family. They ( he and his wife) love that they basically just let their kids loose! He reports it is really nice, loads of stuff to do and very busy. With pools etc. etc. I would imagine that the weekend is full of kids. If you are going with only your new wife then I would think mid week would be much better than the weekend.

Enjoy

Wasn't it the Hyatt??

The Dan was not the former Renaissance, The Ramada today was the former Renaissance

I find most of the hotels in Israel have a 3pm check-in time, show up before that and if you arent a reg guest theres a good chance you will be told to come back @ 3pm , thats even with tons of rooms being available. The only exception I ran into was if my checkin was on a Fri (eve Shabbos) or on an eve Yom Tov, and I contacted the hotel in advance and asked for an early check-in.

Depends which Dan you are referring to. btw The King David is also a Dan hotel. I believe the name of the former Hyatt is The Dan Regency. But there are several Dan hotels today in Jerusalem so you should specify which 1 you are referring to. (sort of like asking info for Leonardo, which also has several properties in Jerusalem). I dont believe there is a "Dan" or "Dan Jerusalem" as there is in Tel Aviv, say ask directions or about The Dan in TA and they will telling you about The Dan on Hayakon St

The stay would be Sunday night with my brand new wife :)
The hotel was indeed the old Hyatt. The former Renaissance is now the Ramada. craz, the former Hyatt is now the Dan Jerusalem, not Dan Regency. Dan has 4 hotels in Jerusalem: The King David, Dan Panorama (Keren Hayesod, next to the King Solomon,) Dan Boutique (Derech Chevron, former Ariel Hotel), and Dan Jerusalem (Mount Scopus, former Hyatt).
I called the front desk and reservations and both said the same thing regarding check in. They said check out is 12:00, and only if the room hasn't been vacated yet would check-in not be until 13:00. But in general, many of their rooms are taken by groups and vacated by 08:00 they said. It still just sounds too good to be true and not worth risking, but an early check in is essential, because it would allow me to check in in the morning so after the wedding, there's no need to bother with that, AND it would allow me and my 2 friend to get ready in the room as opposed to heading back to Efrat from Jerusalem before going to the hall.

Have you made the reason you want an early check-in known to the hotel? I would be very surprised if the mgr will turn you down.Except if they know in advance that they will be soldout the night before

Yes, you are right it is/ was the Hyatt--but while I had the old name of the property wrong, the mental image I have/had is for the correct place :)

I also agree, speak with the manager and explain you are on a honey moon. I am blanking on his name, but he was for years, the manager of the Dan Panorama--which is where I always stay when I want to be in Jerusalem for a week.

Also, as you talk about former names, Don't forget that in a previous life the Dan Panorama was the Moriah!

That I never knew! But if you do remember the CURRENT name of the manager, please let me know! Thanks again for all advice - hope it works for both early check-in and late check-out

Add to that The King Solomon was built as The Sheraton King Solomon, at that time The Plaza was known as The CP Plaza (CP stood for Canadian Pacfic which was the Intl Canadian Airline not Air Canada)

The Crowne Plaza today was the original Hilton, The Davids Citadel was suppose to be the new Hilton. Inbal was Laromme.Sonesta = Park Plaza + The Park = Prima Park. Novatel is now a Leonardo.Knesset Tower (next to The Ramada has gone thru many name changes at 1 time was a Four Points). Mercure is now Jerusalem Gate. Howard Johnsons never opened but was built. Lev Yerushalyim was a Days Inn.A Best Western was 1 block away from Menorah Sq (near KG & Ben Yehuda) towards the Plaza.

Pt is many hotels had at 1 time or other were a part of a Chain, today only The Crowne Plaza and soon to be Waldorf are left. (Besides The Ramada but you dont earn Wyndham pts or miles, can only cash out) From the mgrs I spoke with over the yrs , they didnt get enough reses off the Chains site and were inudated with reward nights and people complaining to HQ about the hotel that it didnt make sense to pay the fees involved and remain with the chain.TA is different since the bulk of those staying pay and are on biz, and the hotels do get a fair share of reses thru the chains site

Josh--I am meeting a friend later to go to the Celebrate Israel parade here in NYC. I'll see if she remembers. ( or I'll email the person I know and ask her)

Congratulaions!:)

Thanks and thanks! craz, the Crowne Plaza may be the only hotel in Jerusalem part of an international chain and rewards program, but the Leonardo is an international chain and the Dan is a domestic chain

.מזל טוב

1- I dont even know if Leonardo or Dan have their own program, and even if they do it wont appeal to many outside of Israel. I believe Leonardo has most of its props in Israel, I remember AMS and not sure where else.

2- dont forget the Waldorf once it opens is apart of Hilton, so that will be 2 Hotels in Yeru with Intl ties. But Im sure the Waldorf wont be cheap pts or $$$ wise to pay. So that will still leave The CP as the main place, but its location wont be ideal for many.

Tiberias as well no longer has any Intl Chained hotels (except if you want to count Leonardo again I dont), I believe Haifa is also void of any. Basically its down to TA,Eilat, & Ein Bokek Personally Im surprised there are any outside of TA.

Based on this, I would guess the majority of their properties are in Germany. They do indeed have a loyalty club.

Might as well as not even have a program.Great 1 hr free WLAN per day, free 1 bottle of water from your 2nd stay. Late checkout if available, can be Noon instead of 11am

I'll stick with the reg Intl chains.I just dont see Leonardo as a Program that will be viable to many folks, looks more like its targeting where Israelis head to for Biz.

There is a CP in Haifa. I stayed there a few years ago and was surprised to recive the miles...

It looks like its only connection to being Israeli is their merger with Fattal.

I dont remember all the particuliars, but a few yrs ago when Boymalgreen(? on teh spelling) ran into money problems ( he owned most of what then were the Starwood Hotels in Israel) and I believe Fattal was a partner. Fattal took over the Hotels and then exited from *W. At the same time Fattal announced expansion into Europe and wanting it to be somewhat of an Intl chain.

So Im not sure if Leonardo existed before Fattal tookover Boymalgrens props (which it was a partner in) or was the result of the take over as well as what you say was a merger. I think Fattal already owned the hotels in Europe just not as numerous as they are today.

Could be Fattal needed/wanted a new name for its chain of Hotels in Israel and went with the name they were using in Europe = same pair of pants just 2 different pockets became 1 pocket. No real merger of 2 differently owned Hotels, Fattal owned them all

fwiw, the Novotel chaim in Israel was also owned by Boymalgreen and taken over by Fattal as I believe a 3rd one was as well, thats why in some locations there are several Leonardo's today

Josh--My friend also can't remember manager's name. Sorry 'bout that. Dan hotels has the e-Dan program. Not great rewards--if you stay enough you can turn points into a Shabbos meal or something. BUT you do get a gift when you check in, a free newspaper daily and , probably the best ( comparatively) --if you order anything from room service or a lobby restaurant you get a discount.

We stayed at the Crowne Plaza in Haifa in Nov. '11 and even though they had our Priority Club # on the reservation it took a couple of emails to get the points when we got back.