Modernism and History in a Showcase for Local Artisans

From $195.

The bones of the Vera Hotel, the first solo project from Israeli hotelier Danny Tamari, are older than Tel Aviv itself. This boutique design property, which opened in March after an exhaustive two-year collaborative process with local artists, designers and textile makers, reincarnates a century-old maternity hospital (predating the formal establishment of the city) which over time became a bank, and then an office building housing tax crunchers and insurance adjusters. Tamari, who bought the building after it had been abandoned for nearly three decades, was obsessive about sourcing nearly every detail locally. Today, the modern, 39-room property features raw glass light fixtures, bespoke wooden furnishings and pure linen textiles, as well as a signature ceramic ceiling fashioned from salvaged floor tiles. All of the details contribute to make this not just a hotel, but an homage to industrial Tel Aviv.

Located on trendy Lilienblum Street, the hotel puts you directly in the city’s urban nexus. Rothschild Boulevard, arguably Tel Aviv’s grandest thoroughfare and the heart of its business and startup sectors, is just up the block, and a short walk will take you to both the bustling Carmel Market and the boutique- and gallery-lined cobblestone streets of the Neve Tzedek neighborhood.

There are six categories of accommodation. My fourth-floor deluxe room was one of the biggest and was decorated in a calm palette of dove gray, eggshell and mocha brown. The king-size bed was covered in butter-soft Egyptian cotton sheets, and the oak wood interior was brightened by a cool gray tile floor and rich gray pillows. The writing desk, nightstand and coffee table were all midcentury modern, and a potted green aloe vera plant (the namesake for the hotel) added a pop of color.

The spacious room contained a large walk-in shower with a saucer-sized brass shower head, a sleek black iron ladder shelf to hold towels and toiletries, and a bare mirror above the basin sink. The Vera touts its environmentally friendly policies, so no tiny one-time-use shampoo here: the shower contains large refillable pumps of organic shampoo, conditioner and body wash made by a local skin care company, Arugot.

Guests can book massages and body treatments, all incorporating organic oils and lotions from Arugot, directly to their rooms via the “mobile spa,” or on the hotel’s sleek pine-slated rooftop, where yoga, Pilates and Krav Maga classes are also offered alongside sun loungers and city views. In The Vera’s charming lobby, there’s 24/7 coffee, cookies and tea, as well as a complimentary wine dispenser that provides unlimited samples — in the form of a sip, a half glass or even a full — of a variety of Israeli vintages.

In the morning, a complimentary breakfast spread is served from the curved countertop of the Vera’s lobby bar: eggs, pastries and local cheeses, as well as vegetables and dips sourced from nearby farmers, yogurt, fresh-squeezed juice, bread and olives. The hotel also plans to roll out late-night bar snacks and a signature cocktail menu before the end of the year. There is no restaurant in the hotel, but there is a wide range of restaurants on Lilienblum Street and the surrounding area. North Abraxas (Lilienblum 40), from Israeli celebrity chef Eyal Shani, offers a festive, vegetable-focused take on formal dining; Hanoi (Lilienblum 18) serves spicy, authentic Asian noodles and soups al fresco.

Warm, chic and permeated with a love of its own history, the Vera hits all the right notes for visitors to Tel Aviv.

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