The American Colony Hotel Jerusalem

An unforgettable experience. The hotel is the definition of an oasis. It has incredible history and this is evident in its architecture. Everything is beautiful and the gardens and courtyards are lush. All the staff are extremely friendly and personable. The swimming pool area is serene and quite large. Only a short walk to Jerusalem New Town and the Old City.

One of Jerusalem’s most historical and beautiful hotels is the American Colony. While I have only stayed at the hotel a few times (the most recent in early May 2025), I have visited the hotel around a hundred times over the past 25 years for meals and drinks. For me, it is not only one of the highlights of visiting Jerusalem – but visiting Israel. Over the years, I have used the courtyard restaurant for meetings with charities I support and for entertaining friends. The atmosphere is delightful. ||The AC is a boutique hotel with impeccable gardens located in East Jerusalem. The Old City is within walking distance, with the Damascus Gate taking about 15 minutes to reach. There is a Jerusalem Light Rail stop near the Damascus Gate. The AC’s gardens are a real treat on a hot summer day. So is the hotel’s beautiful swimming pool. ||||Given the AC’s unique status and character, the hotel is popular with Jerusalem’s diplomatic community. A sense of the hotel’s history can be appreciated by walking around the AC and enjoying the myriad of period photos.||||While the AC is physically beautiful, the staff makes each visit special. Many have greeted me for years, including the two bellmen. Yet two employees have earned special mention: Jihad, the manager of the Courtyard and Arabesque restaurants; and Yousef Habash, the hotel’s principal concierge. Whenever I arrive at the restaurant – be it for a meal or just a drink – Jihad always personally greets me. He makes me feel at home. Yousef is a fountain of knowledge of things to do, transportation, and local restaurants. My confidence in his skills was highlighted earlier this month when many international airlines stopped flying to Ben Gurion Airport due to a security incident, and my flight to Warsaw was canceled. Although I had already moved to a hotel in Haifa, I called Yousef about logistical details for last-minute travel to Amman Airport – just in case I could not fly from Ben Gurion. Yousef is one of the few Clefs d’Or members in Israel.||||Bottom Line: While the AC may not offer the King David view of the Old City or the opulence of the Waldorf Astoria, it is a boutique hotel that oozes charm with a great atmosphere, offering significantly more value. Even if you decide not to stay at the AC, I highly recommend visiting for a meal or a drink, which I have done so often for years. I am already looking forward to my next stay in June.||||Postscript: On June 12, I left Los Angeles on an overnight connecting flight to Newark for Israel and a two-night stay at the American Colony. Even when I started my journey, the security situation in the Middle East was already dicey. So I was not surprised when arriving in Newark that Israel and Iran were engaged in a full-blown war. But the period to cancel the Expedia-booked American Colony reservation had passed. I contacted the hotel, not expecting any refund, but hoping for at least a partial credit for a future stay. To the hotel's credit and my good luck, the hotel refunded my full payment - and the hotel even responded promptly to e-mails from Expedia and me, though the hotel would have been under constant threat of missile attacks. In this day and age, it is a pleasure to do business with such a reputable establishment.

Our stay at the American Colony was, without a doubt, one of the best local vacations we’ve ever had — and it even surpassed many of our trips abroad. I’ve had this hotel on my list for quite some time, and last weekend we finally got the chance to visit. We originally planned to stay for two nights but ended up extending our stay because we simply couldn’t leave. From the moment you step through the gate, you feel transported. Everything is so full of life and detail — it’s truly one of a kind. The service is outstanding, the kind of genuine, high-quality hospitality that’s incredibly rare to find. The staff strike the perfect balance between professionalism and warmth. The garden is absolutely breathtaking — easily the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. With koi fish, hummingbirds, butterflies, and an intoxicating natural scent in the air, it feels like a hidden oasis. The breakfast is excellent, with a wide variety of delicious options, and the rooms are thoughtfully equipped with everything you might need — even down to luxurious Italian linen sheets. And the pool… you’ll just have to experience it for yourself. In short, the American Colony is a true institution of hospitality. Places like this are rare, and we feel lucky to have found it. Thank you for such a memorable stay. We can’t wait to return.

⚠️ A Serious Warning for Future Guests – Read Before Booking||While this hotel may look like a dream destination, our experience compels us to warn anyone considering a stay here: beneath the surface, things are far from what you'd expect from a luxury establishment.||Let’s start with the good – which is the only reason we’re giving two stars instead of one. The hotel itself is stunning – probably the nicest we've seen in Israel and among the most beautiful we've visited anywhere in the world. We were also upgraded to a beautiful suite, which was a pleasant surprise. Another bright spot was the woman at the reception desk, who was polite and efficient – a sharp contrast to the man who handled the desk later in the day.||That’s where the positives end.||The hotel was almost empty – less than 10% occupancy – which a staff member explained was due to the ongoing "situation" (referring to the war, which began a year and a half ago). This low occupancy was likely why we received the upgrade so easily.||But despite the lack of guests, the service was nearly non-existent. The staff who were supposed to be managing breakfast disappeared the moment we arrived. What was left of the breakfast was frankly shocking. The pastrami was rotten – it had a terrible smell, and we had to call the front desk to remove it. The woman who came to take it didn’t even apologize. The rest of the food was clearly from the day before: dry shakshuka, tired mushrooms, and limp salad.||We gave up on the breakfast and tried to order an espresso. When we finally found someone to ask, we were brought what looked like standard black coffee served in espresso cups – and they insisted it was espresso.||To end on a bittersweet note: the gardens surrounding the hotel are gorgeous. Unfortunately, two of the three buildings are closed – perhaps another reflection of the hotel’s ongoing decline.||Bottom line: The hotel may look like paradise, but the experience is closer to a ghost town with

The American Colony remains one of the truly great hotels in the world. Service, rooms, food and bar* are all tops. The hotel itself is historic with an unmatched atmosphere. Currently as one might suspect the crowds are down, but we wandered around and were greeted warmly everywhere. * the Summer Bar will be opening soon for the season. This bar is one of the absolute best anywhere, so beautiful so fun. Interesting guests from all over the region and the world. Perhaps the only thing that could be improved is the breakfast buffet. Once a true strong suit now a shadow of itself. Perhaps as the crowds return so will the breakfast.

We had a fantastic experience. From the moment we arrived until checkout, the staff went above and beyond. Diana and Yousef at the front desk were incredible. We had to leave at 1:45 AM for our flight home and they arranged for a to-go breakfast and a private taxi to the airport. The hotel has beautiful grounds and rooms. The bed was extremely comfortable and we were even given a free upgrade with a large bathroom. The breakfast was amazing and the The Cellar Bar is a cool spot with excellent service. We felt very safe walking walking around the hotel and to the Old City. We will absolutely be staying here for all future Jerusalem visits.

The American Colony Hotel remains, even in these trying times, one of the truly great hotels in the world. The setting is historic and beautiful. The old buildings echo the historic nature of the city. And yet the accommodations are modern, spacious, first rate. Famous guests have stayed here for a century. Even now you’re are likely to run across familiar stars, journalists, diplomats, and politicians (ok no place is perfect). |Outstanding service, great food and the Summer Bar is quite simply one of the greatest bars in the world. What a setting! The location of the hotel is very convenient to the historical sites in and around the Old City. Now is the time to visit. The locals are friendly, helpful and anxious to have the visitors return. Their livelihood needs it.

We stayed at the American Colony Hotel as part of a family vacation. This is a beutiful hotel that provides a special experience of staying in an elegant place alongside a rich history. Don't miss the tour that the hotel offers its guests with Oded Amitai, a knowledgeable guide who took us on a tour of the hotel and its surroundings - and revealed to us many things we didn't know about the city in his interesting, experiential way that makes you want to see more. There is no doubt that the tour greatly adds to your stay at the hotel