Jerusalem, Israel
The David Citadel Hotel
A Modernist palace by the Old City
What it is
A luxury hotel with a modern outlook and a prime view of the Old City.
What it isn't
A culinary experience. There's an excellent breakfast buffet, but no full-service restaurant.
What we think
Modernism buffs will adore this Moshe Safdie–designed property, with its colonnaded horseshoe shape and stepped garden terraces made of golden Jerusalem stone. The 385 rooms are among the largest in the city, yet feel as comforting as a cardamom-laced Israeli coffee, thanks to interior designer Piero Lissoni (the downy beds, parquet oak floors, and ample bathrooms and dressing areas also have something to do with it). Reason alone to book? The alfresco pool, kept at a constant 82 degrees, which overlooks the Old City walls.
You're here because
You want proximity to the historic sights, contemporary but attentive hospitality, and a place to do your morning laps.
The Moment
In the spa, you listen to bubbling water as your post-shiatsu-massaged body is wrapped in mud from a Moroccan volcano. Holy Land indeed.
Restaurants & Bars
Seasons Restaurant - serving Israeli dairy buffet breakfast as well as sumptuous meals on Shabbat and holidays.
The Lobby Lounge and Terrace - where guests can relax and enjoy the atmosphere of the glass-roofed lounge and the breathtaking view of the Old City. A dairy à la carte menu is served.
Grill Bar - located at the pool and operating during the summer months, the Grill Bar serves grill dishes, sandwiches, cold beverages and special children's dishes.
Location
On King David Street, just a ten-minute walk from the Tower of David.