Carlton Tel Aviv is a privately owned 5-star hotel located where “the city meets the sea” on Israel’s famed Tel Aviv beachfront, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The hotel sits minutes from the hub of Tel Aviv’s business, shopping, cultural and entertainment options.

Originally constructed in the Brutalist architecture style by famed Israeli architect Yaakov Rechter in 1981, the recently renovated 257-room, 12-suite hotel continues to attract loyal guests despite newer and more modern properties lining the same 3-mile beachfront from the Old Tel Aviv Port area to the north to Yaffa’s famous Clock Tower to the south.

© Harel Gilboa

Carlton is known for its personalized guest services and spectacular, 360-degree rooftop views of the Mediterranean Sea and Tel Aviv. The hotel’s Royal Executive Lounge and its meeting facilities make it a good choice for business travelers, alongside the popular rooftop swimming pool and beachside stand. The breakfast restaurant attracts leisure visitors, as well. The pool area offers a Jacuzzi, sun beds, umbrellas and a fully stocked bar. The rooftop is for the private use of hotel guests only.

During its early years, Carlton Tel Aviv was known for hosting an exclusive clientele of local and international business and political leaders, entertainment celebrities and major sports figures, as well as Israeli Prime Ministers. It is also the only member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide in Israel.

Newly renovated rooms and suites all feature private balconies, with either city or sea views, and include large, flat-screen TVs; high-speed WiFi; a sitting area; minibar; coffee and tea facilities; and a large desk. All bathrooms offer a Carlton Tel Aviv special scented toiletry set.

© Carlton Tel Aviv

The property is known for its large gourmet breakfast served in the Carlton on the Beach venue, located directly on Tel Aviv beach and separated from the main building by just a few steps. Diners enjoy sea views while enjoying a variety of breakfast buffet items, including an omelet bar; fresh juice bar; vegetables, fruit and herbs; smoked and marinated fish specialties; and a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern sweets bar offering baklava, lokum and halva, as well as hot dishes which change daily. Vegan-friendly, gluten-free and sugar-free items are also available.

For fine dining, rooftop cocktails and private events, Blue Sky restaurant is located on the 15^th floor, functioning as both an open-air and closed-roof venue. The Lumina restaurant, located on the first floor overlooking the Mediterranean, is a fresh and breezy bistro, with floor-to-ceiling windows available for private events, meetings and conferences. On Friday evening and Saturday at noon, Shabbat dinner and lunch are served.

The Lobby Restaurant offers guests a variety of options in a casual setting including burger, fish, salads and vegan options. The newly designed lobby features a relaxing area and a circular beachfront bar, where drinks and bites are served all day and into the evening.

© Harel Gilboa

The Royal Executive Lounge, on the 14th floor, offers guests computers, newspapers and magazines, secretarial services, floor-to ceiling-windows, and a light all-day buffet with drinks included. Access to the lounge is offered to Executive Floor guests only 18 years and older.

The hotel offers 10 conference rooms and banqueting halls which can accommodate from 10–300 attendees. Carlton’s gym and spa is a fully equipped state-of-the-art gym, and a modern spa provides a wet and dry sauna, jet shower, massages and spa treatments, as well as a health buffet offering snacks, herbal teas and cold drinks.

There has been a new collaboration with leading contemporary art galleries based in Tel Aviv, with art from local artists exhibited throughout the property, including works by Ohad Benit, Eitan Ben Moshe and Gal Sasson. There is an interesting piece by Ohad Benit called My Big Life: Monoblock, which represents different aspects of Tel Aviv architecture with handmade blocks. The new lobby renovations were designed by Tel Aviv-based Studio Yaron Tal.

© Joanna Tricorache

For the Lumina restaurant and in the ballroom, custom lighting fixtures were also created by Studio Yaron Tal to fully bring forth the most complimentary light schemes possible without ever obstructing the natural light from the glass walls and windows, especially during daytime. Tal created three circled lighting fixtures with patterns inside to change the lighting schemes, all of which boast individual patterns especially for the space in which they sit, which gives Carlton Tel Aviv a range of schemes and perspective from the front of the halls.