Mount Zion Hotel

NileGuide Expert tip:

Be sure to explore all the nooks and crannies of this fabulous historic building.

Description:

• With vistas that outdo even the King David's, this is Jerusalem's most architecturally interesting hotel, composed of renovated 19th- and early-20th-century Jerusalem stone buildings that have been carefully blended into a modern complex with terraces, gardens, and a beautiful swimming pool. The entire structure is built on a cliff-side shared by Jerusalem's fashionable Cinémathèque -- you enter the hotel from the top and work your way down six levels. Most rooms have been recently renovated and are decorated with Moroccan touches that fit nicely with the old stone walls. Suites are equipped with kitchenettes and minibars; many rooms have minifridges. A fabulous two-story garden villa that can accommodate an extended family starts at about $2,000 (£1,000) a night. Look for the hotel's authentic 19th-century hammam (therapeutic Ottoman-era hot bathroom/steam room). Tip: For romance and views and the exotic, renovated executive and junior suites in the heavily redone Citadel are among the most dazzling in Jerusalem and worth the extra charge. In terms of service and amenities, this is a four-star hotel.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2010