Looking Ahead to Tel Aviv's Next Big Design Hotel

Fathom's Daniel Schwartz recently returned from Tel Aviv, where he caught word of a new boutique hotel backed by a big-name designer. It's expected to turn heads this fall.

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

A much-anticipated luxury hotel slated to open this September in the epicenter of Tel Aviv is reimagining what staying in means for a city that's all about going out. Set in a beautifully restored Bauhaus building, The Poli House was designed exclusively by world-renowned industrial architect Karim Rashid with Tel Aviv's magnetic soul in mind. Rashid says it best: "We usually only look to the past for inspiration, but the mentality of Tel Aviv is very contemporary, focusing less on the past and looking forward to the future.” His 40-room boutique looks to be proof of concept.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

The hotel overlooks Magen David Square, which splays out into some of the city's biggest byways: Shenkin Street is known for shopping, Allenby for nightlife, Nachalat Binyamin for its biweekly outdoor craft market, and Carmel Market for its hordes of produce and food stalls. Neve Tzedek, the city's first (and arguably most charming) neighborhood, and the tree-lined arteries of Rothschild Boulevard, are a few streets over. It doesn't get more central than this.

DESIGN SPECS

Rashid turned what used to be The Polishuk House, a commercial Bauhaus building erected in 1934, into a cosmopolitan hotel filled with forward-thinking design. Think outer-space chic — fluid lines, ultra-modern furniture, and device-friendly colors that nod to Israel's booming tech sector. Contending for local hotspot status, the hotel sports a panoramic rooftop pool and cocktail bar, glass-ensnared spa treatment rooms, and a cultural center with an art magazine and design store, meeting spaces, and a gallery exhibiting local artwork available for purchase.

GOOD TO KNOW

Because Tel Aviv is always looking up, the front desk is on the roof — elevators with mood lighting are the only route to the check-in desk. Guests also have free access to local sites, which include Tel Avivian necessities like a professional gym and the popular vegan-friendly cafe, Loveat.

GETTING THERE

Heavy rush hours mean that the drive between Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) and The Poli House can take anywhere between twenty and 90 minutes. Try and coordinate arrival times to avoid commuting between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m, Sunday through Thursday.