Special report - Tel Aviv: the genesis of a start-up nation

Tel Aviv - Jerusalem: address book

By Cécile Balavoine Photos Ludovic Maisant -

Published 06/04/2017

IDENTITY CARD

Formalities valid passport
up to six months after the date of arrival.
Currency The shekel (ILS).
1 euro = 3.89 ILS (March 2017).
Area code : +972.
Time difference : +1h.

GETTING THERE

IDENTITY CARD

Formalities valid passport
up to six months after the date of arrival.
Currency The shekel (ILS).
1 euro = 3.89 ILS (March 2017).
Area code : +972.
Time difference : +1h.

GETTING THERE

EL AL offers 17 routes a week between Paris CDG and Tel Aviv Ben Gurion, most of them operated by Boeing B737 two-class aircraft and some by B767-300 equipped with a Premium Economy Class. Israel's national airline offers business passengers the King David lounge in terminal 2A at Paris CDG.
Tel.: 01 40 20 90 90
Internet: www.elal.com
AIR FRANCE operates three daily flights between Paris CDG and Tel Aviv in a two-class Airbus A 320. For its part, its low-cost subsidiary Transavia offers 10 weekly flights between Paris Orly and the Israeli city.
Tel: 0820 320 820 / 08 92 05 88 88.
Internet: www.airfrance.com ; www.transavia.com

TEL-AVIV

HOTELS

The Poli House

Brand new and beautiful, the Poli House, a 40-room boutique hotel, has just opened in a sublime Bauhaus-style building. Decorated by the zany designer Karim Rashid, it's an explosion of bright colours. However, don't be fooled into thinking that this establishment is not suitable for business travellers. On the contrary, there is a business centre and meeting rooms. Beautiful rooftop swimming pool.
1, rue Nahalat Binyamin
Phone: +972 3 710 5000
Email : hotel@thepolihouse.com
Internet: thepolihouse.com/en

The Dan Hotel

The Dan, an ultra-famous façade on Tel Aviv's Promenade. ©LUDOVIC MAISANT

The first luxury hotel to be built in Tel Aviv, the Dan, part of the Israeli chain of the same name, has welcomed many heads of state and celebrities. Bordering the Mediterranean, its multicoloured façade is familiar to all Tel Aviv residents. In all, this hotel offers 286 rooms, some of which have been renovated and are a great choice, while the others suffer from an old-fashioned atmosphere that the view fails to overcome.
99, rue HaYarkon
Phone: +972 3 520 25 25
Email : dantelaviv@danhotels.com
Internet : www.danhotels.com

Crowne Plaza City Center

An ideal location and a touch of design: the Crowne Plaza combines all the elements of a fine business hotel. Ludovic MAISANT

Located in one of the three Azrieli towers, a stone's throw from the Sarona district, the Crowne Plaza City Center is a beautiful business hotel with 273 rooms in a refined style. A beautiful swimming pool and all the amenities you need for a business stay.
136, Menachem Road, Azrieli Center 5
Phone: +972 3 77 74 000
Email : Info_tlvcc@aihsil.com
Internet: www.crowneplaza.com/hotels/fr/fr/reservation

The Crowne Hotel TLV

Located in the up-and-coming district of Neve Tzedek, this small 30-room establishment, affiliated to the Design Hotels, is a safe bet when it comes to style and service. An urban atmosphere, typical of Tel Aviv.
25, rue Kalisher
Phone: +972 3 71 70 200
Email : hotel@browntlv.com
Internet: www.browntlv.com

The Tel Aviv Promenade in Segway mode

Ludovic MAISANT

Tel Aviv's 14-kilometre-long promenade runs along the Mediterranean, from the marina in the north to the old quarter of Jaffa in the south. Sometimes in mosaics with motifs inspired by Burle Marx in Rio, sometimes in wood like the planks of Deauville, it invites you to stroll, meditate and even exercise, with pedestrians passing joggers, cyclists and... Segway addicts! It would be a big mistake to come to Tel Aviv without trying out this unusual mode of transport. Admittedly, reversing and bends require a certain dexterity. But once you've got the hang of it, you'll be helmeted and in your flip-flops, like a Playmobil on holiday, and you'll be able to enjoy the ride, because frankly, it's worth its weight in fun. Tel Aviv, a Segway paradise? A great way to discover the seaside side of the city.

OTHER MAJOR BUSINESS HOTELS

Renaissance Tel Aviv

121 HaYarkon Street
Phone: +972 3 521 5555
Internet: www.marriott.com

Carlton Tel Aviv

10, rue Eliezer Peri
Tel.: +972 3 520 1818
Internet : www.carlton.co.il

Hilton Tel Aviv

205 HaYarkon Street.
Phone: +972 3 520 2222
Email : Dutymanager.telaviv@hilton.com
Internet: www3.hilton.com

Metropolitan Hotel

11, rue Trumpeldor.
Phone: +972 3 519 2727
Email : reserve@hotelmetropolitan.co.il
Internet : www.hotelmetropolitan.co.il

BUDGET HOTELS

Hotel Cinema

Right in the heart of trendy Tel Aviv, the Hotel Cinéma, the first addition to the Atlas chain, has just undergone a complete renovation. A good compromise between a business hotel and a boutique hotel, with a rooftop terrace where you can take a breath of sea air, this 83-room hotel also offers very affordable prices. The Internet is free, as it is almost everywhere in Tel Aviv.
1, rue Zamenhoff
Tel.: +972 3 520 7100
Internet: www.atlas.co.il

Best Western Regency Suites

For a longer stay, this hotel offers mini-apartments with kitchens. The decor is simple, contemporary and very functional. It is located just opposite the beach. Good value for money.
80, rue HaYarkon
Phone: +972 3 517 3939
Internet: www.bestwestern.com

RESTAURANTS

Dr Shakshuka

In the vibrant atmosphere of old Jaffa, this restaurant looks, at first glance, like a bric-a-brac with oil lamps and antiques. In reality, this is the realm of grilled meats and fish, as well as shakshuka, a speciality of poached eggs in tomato sauce. Everything is tasty, especially the homemade hummus.
3, rue Beit Eshel
Phone: +972 3 682 2842

Pastel

The restaurant at the Musée d'Art Moderne, in perfect harmony with the works on display, is surprisingly creative. Prices are a little high, but the menu is well worth the diversions.
27, avenue Sha'ul Hamekech
Tel.: +972 3 644 7441
Email : pasteltl@gmail.com
Internet : pastel-tlv.com

Bindella

A very contemporary Italian restaurant in the up-and-coming Montefiore district, where pretty designer boutiques and trendy cafés are springing up. On the menu: great Italian classics interpreted with lightness and inventiveness.
27, rue Montefiore
Phone: +972 3 650 0071
Email : bindellatlv@gmail.com
Internet : www.bindella.co.il

Nanouchka

A strange little place with an eclectic, retro decor, where all the dishes are both... Georgian and vegan. You'll discover a whole host of new flavours, delicious turnovers filled with vegetables, crunchy salads and dishes based on pomegranate or aubergine.
30, rue Lilienblum
Tel.: +972 3 516 2254
Internet: nanuchka.co.il

The Container Jaffa

This post-industrial hangar combines exhibition space and restaurant. The menu revolves around fishing: taramas, fish carpaccio, squid with orange butter and fried onions. An ideal place for a relaxed Israeli-style business lunch.
Jaffa's Old Port, in front of the sea.
Tel.: +972 3 683 6321
Internet: www.container.org.il

JERUSALEM

HOTELS

King David Hotel

In Jerusalem, the King David, a legendary hotel that has welcomed all the celebrities who have passed through.

Since 1931, the legendary King David Hotel has welcomed celebrities from all over the world, from George V to Jimmy Carter, from the Prince of Wales to Madonna. Affiliated with Leading Hotels, this imposing Jerusalem stone building faces the ramparts and offers dreamlike views of the Holy City. Surrounded by a garden shaded by pine trees, it boasts the largest swimming pool in the city.
23, rue King David.
Phone: +972 2 620 8888
Internet : www.danhotels.com or lhw.com

Mamilla Hotel

Absolutely splendid, combining contemporaneity and tradition, this Leading Hotels of the World affiliated hotel is housed in a Jerusalem stone building. The view from its terrace restaurant overlooking the city and its walls, opposite the Jaffa Gate, is spectacular.
Here, every detail counts: the shady garden adorned with aromatic herbs, the exquisitely refined business lounge, the furniture inspired by Bedouin motifs, the purity of the lines and the softness of the colours.
11, rue Shlomo ha-Melekh.
Phone: +972 2 548 2222
Internet : www.mamillahotel.com or lhw.com

Waldorf Astoria Tel-Aviv

Opened in 2014 near the Jaffa Gate, behind a century-old façade, this new establishment offers 226 rooms. Luxurious and elegant, it had no trouble winning the title of Best Hotel in the Middle East 2016 from Condé Nast.
26-28, rue Gershon Agron.
Phone: +972 2 542 3333
Email : Jerusalem@waldorfastoria.com
Internet: waldorfastoria3.hilton.com

Herbert Samuel Hotel

This beautiful 137-room business hotel opened in 2016, halfway between the Old Town and the Mahane Yehuda market. The predominance of beige and icy brown tones brings a lot of softness to the place. Very attractive indoor swimming pool.
25, rue Shamai
Phone: +972 2 56 00 600
Internet : www.herbertsamuel.com

RESTAURANTS

Machneyuda Restaurant

You need to book several weeks in advance to secure a table in this restaurant, where the three chefs at the helm revisit Israeli and Mediterranean classics with a modern twist. The ingredients are absolutely fresh, thanks to the proximity of the market. Melt-in-the-mouth lamb chops, fattoush salad, tahini ice cream... among other delights.
10, rue Beit Ya'akov
Phone: +972 2 53 33 442
Internet : www.machneyuda.co.il

Chakra

Opened some fifteen years ago, Chakra remains one of the city's hottest addresses. No doubt because its menu fuses religions and culinary traditions. The result is Mediterranean dishes that appear simple, yet are close to perfection. Lamb, fish a la plancha, kebab with tahini, calamari with coriander... Everything is grandiose.
41, rue King George
Tel.: +972 2 625 2733
Email : mail@chakra-rest.com
Internet : www.chakra-rest.com

PRACTICAL GUIDES

JERUSALEM, Cartoville, Gallimard (2014) ; TEL AVIV, City Guide, Wallpaper (2014) ;
ISRAEL and the Palestinian Territories, Lonely Planet (2015).