Check In
I arrived at the hotel at about 8:30 AM and was surprised to be offered a very early check in as well as complementary breakfast while I waited for the room to be cleaned. I made the booking for just Friday night and was happy to have received a late check out at 20:00 (8:00PM) on Saturday night due to the Jewish Sabbath. As a diamond member, I was offered a room upgrade as well as two free drinks at the bar worth up to 65 NIS each (18 USD).
Overall it was a pleasant check in experience and I was very excited to check out the room!
Before heading up to my room, I took a quick tour of the massive hotel lobby. The lobby is very impressive with an elegant design and works of art placed throughout.
As you enter the hotel from the main entrance, you’ll find the front desk immediately to the right.
Straight ahead is the main restaurant where breakfast is served in the mornings, a large area for lounging with excellent sunlight coming from the glass roof, as well as a bar/restaurant for drinks and light dining. At the far end of the lobby are the restrooms, designed as elegantly as the rest of the hotel.
The Room
I was offered an upgrade to room 609, a King Grand Deluxe Room with a Balcony. In my experience with Hilton portfolio hotels, as a diamond member they will usually offer an upgrade to a suite if available. However the Waldorf Astoria didn’t offer a further upgrade even though the room was available. Oh well..
Although I was hoping for a suite, this room was spacious and beautifully designed with a massive bathroom, larger than average bedroom, and a nice sized balcony though the view wasn’t too spectacular.
The bathroom was simply stunning. Doors open to the view of two bathrobes below a crystal light fixture, leading up to a large bathtub. Sinks can be found on either end of the bathroom as well as a shower and toilet behind separate doors. The shower was very spacious and among the best water pressure I’ve had at any hotel.
In the short hallway leading to the bedroom is a small table with an electric kettle and Nespresso maker.
The bedroom had everything that you would expect from a five star hotel with a TV, dresser, work desk, lounge chair, as well as a small loveseat at the foot of the king size bed. To the right of the bed was a sliding door leading to a private balcony which had two chairs and a small table. It was great to sit out in the sun, though I wish we could see the old city of Jerusalem as some other nearby hotels can.
We also received a fruit bowl, bottle of wine, and unlimited bottled water during our stay.
Although not a suite, this was one of my favorite hotel rooms I’ve ever stayed in and I would prefer it to several suites I’ve had in the past at Hilton hotels.
Breakfast
My girlfriend and I were brought to our table by one of the hotel staff and offered still or sparking water, a variety of coffee drinks or juices, as well as a small menu of items we can order from. The menu read as follows:
The Waldorf Astoria serves one of the best breakfasts in all of Israel. The delicious food and drinks on offer complement the beautiful restaurant and high level of service from the hotel staff. Do note that the breakfast offered on Saturday morning is limited compared to what they offer the rest of the week as all the food must be cooked the day before.
Friday Morning Breakfast
Aside from these options, there is a full buffet of food to choose from including vegetables, fruit, fish, cheeses, pastries, salads, yogurts, and several Israeli and international dairy hot dishes. No meat is served at breakfast to keep with kosher dietary restrictions.
All the dishes were of high quality and delicious!
Saturday Morning Breakfast
Saturday morning breakfast offerings are mostly the same as during the week with a few key differences. There are no menus to order from, no freshly made coffee drinks like cappuccinos, and a smaller selection of hot food. This breakfast was by no means bad, though certainly a step down from the Waldorf’s usual offerings.
Hotel Amenities
While I can rave about the hotel design, breakfast, and the rooms, The Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem is seriously lacking when it comes to amenities they offer. At the time of my stay, the hotel had no proper gym or pool, nor an executive lounge. The David Citadel and King David hotels located right next to the Waldorf both have excellent pools and gyms, so are the better options for people looking to spend a lot of time relaxing by a pool or at the gym. The lack of an executive lounge is a bit annoying for a five star hotel in the Hilton portfolio as it would have been nice to have access to during our stay.
I did however make good use of my two free drinks at the hotel bar. What a delicious bottle of wine!
Bottom Line
Despite the lacking amenities, the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem was one of my best hotel stays ever. Everything about the hotel feels extremely elegant from the lobby, to the service, to the food, to the rooms. The location is pretty much as good as it gets, being in the center of Jerusalem and close to most major sites in the city. As a Hilton loyalist, I was a bit disappointed to find the hotel was missing an executive lounge, though overall the positives outweigh the negatives here.
I can’t wait to stay here again on my next trip to Jerusalem!