Tel Aviv is known for its modern beachfront towers, but tucked away on the small Auerbach Street, on the border of Tel Aviv and Jaffa, stands a refined boutique hotel that offers a quieter, more intimate experience. This elegant property draws visitors who appreciate 19th-century heritage, a prime location in one of the city’s most fashionable neighborhoods, and an on-site restaurant so inviting many guests delay exploring nearby attractions.
© The Drisco Hotel
The stone building was originally constructed in 1866 by Evangelist pilgrims from Maine, John and George Drisco, and became the area’s first luxury hotel. It quickly earned a reputation for hospitality, hosting notable guests such as early tourism pioneer Thomas Cook and author Mark Twain. Over the decades the neighborhood underwent many changes and the property fell into disuse. Between 1958 and 2010 it remained mostly vacant until a new ownership group began an intensive eight-year restoration, transforming the building into a five-star boutique hotel. Reimagined by architect and interior designer Ari Shaltiel, The Drisco Hotel Tel Aviv opened in June 2018 with 35 rooms and five suites, showcasing a restored exterior and Ottoman-influenced interiors that honor the building’s history.
© Joanna Tricorache
Guest rooms combine classic details with contemporary comforts. All accommodations feature premium amenities, modern technology and Carrara marble bathrooms with extra-large walk-in showers. Bedrooms are appointed with handmade wood headboards, tear-drop shaped lamps and elegant mirrors. Many rooms include spacious balconies with views over Tel Aviv-Jaffa or the Mediterranean Sea, while some hidden staircases reveal secluded attic suites. Adjacent to the main building, a smaller restored stone house called Villa Drisco adds five guest rooms and the Norton Suite, which overlook an inner piazza and garden courtyard.
© Assaf Pinchuk
Breakfast at the hotel features a generous buffet of seasonal fruits, muesli, yogurt, granola, cheeses, olives, an assortment of breads and pastries, cakes and cookies. Hot breakfast items, including eggs, are prepared to order. An outdoor breakfast patio provides pleasant al fresco dining throughout the year.
George & John, the hotel’s signature restaurant named after the Drisco brothers, operates on the ground floor and serves breakfast and dinner daily. Under head chef Tomer Tal, the menu emphasizes seasonality and local ingredients, blending the property’s historical character with Tel Aviv’s lively culinary scene. In 2022 George & John was ranked ninth among restaurants in the Middle East and North Africa by World’s Fifty Best Restaurants.
© The Drisco Hotel
Examples from the dinner menu showcase Chef Tal’s creative use of flavors and textures: red tuna tartare with kumquat sauce, fresh turmeric and crispy tapioca seasoned with dashi; fish tataki accompanied by Jaffa bagel, garlic salsa, sour kefir cream and black eggplant purée; lamb tartare with sirloin, leek and sourdough twill, pistachio tahini, burnt tomato vinaigrette and yogurt stone; and slowly roasted lamb short ribs served with socca bread, tzatziki, onions and herbs.
The Drisco Bar evokes the era of British rule in Palestine with wood-paneled ceilings, marble columns and oversized armchairs. In the early evening guests can also unwind on the small rooftop lounge and bar, watching the sunset over the Mediterranean while enjoying wine and light plates.
© Assaf Pincuk
Located in the heart of the historic American Colony district of south Tel Aviv, the hotel provides easy walking access to Mediterranean beaches and several cultural highlights. Nearby attractions include the revitalized Neve Tzedek neighborhood, the bustling Carmel Market, the restored HaTachana train station complex and the galleries and eateries of Old Jaffa. Rates vary by season, with typical winter rates lower than peak-summer prices.