The Jaffa, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Tel Aviv

Character and identity

Set inside a 19th-century French hospital in Jaffa, Tel Aviv's ancient Arabic quarter, this 120-room hotel is a study in layered time: a 13th-century fortress wall runs through the lobby, neo-gothic archways and plaster vaults soar overhead, and a Damien Hirst spin painting hangs alongside mid-century modern furniture. The decade-long restoration by John Pawson and Ramy Gill preserved the convent-hospital bones while threading in pieces by Shiro Kuramata and Pierre Paulin. The Chapel, the former nuns' worship space, is now the city's most atmospheric bar. There's an aquamarine outdoor pool, a spa, and Golda's, a Brooklyn-leaning all-day deli from local chef Roi Antebi.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The pull here is the building itself: a genuine architectural set piece where 4,000 years of Jaffa collide with Pawson restraint and serious contemporary art. Book it if design and neighbourhood matter more to you than slick service or beach proximity. The Chapel Bar and the concierge's local intel are real assets; lean on both, and consider a Deluxe category up for more space than the entry rooms offer.