We booked this hotel using United Frequent Flyer miles. It was pricey but using miles softened the blow. Breakfasts had enough quantity and quality to get us through the whole day with little more than some snacks. We ate at the cafe in the evenings, so can't comment on the restaurant. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Room was great and had a very larger bathroom and shower. Overall a great experience.

The American Colony is the perfect place to stay in this City with it's vast history and heritage. One feels a sense of privilege walking around and being surrounded by its unique architecture and framework. It is exceedingly homely and intimate. It's almost like a labyrinth of delights and reminds me of similar properties in India and Sri Lanka. It has a delightful courtyard cafe for breakfast and lunch, a hidden away swimming pool and indoor gym, narrow passage ways, an old wine cellar and scatterings of colourful plants everywhere. This place really is a treasure and a welcome change to the shiny and glitzy International five star hotels. Long may it continue to thrive and inspire.

It's a pleasant ten-15 minutes minute walk to the Old town.



. rich history staying at

I arrived on a cold rainy night at the end of a long stay in Israel and Jordan. I was greeted warmly in a cozy lobby filled with guests enjoying tea.The reception staff swifly dealt with a naggin travel mishap (lost credit card) and , after i declined the offer of refreshment, I was given my pick of upgraded guest suites. I ended up with Room 1, a huge chamber with a soaring arched ceiling and a palatial bathroom.The room had every conceivable modern convenience and, its thick walls and double glazed windows sealed out the sounds of the city.
I was there for four days and the staff made arrangements for tours of local sights including some, like Bethlehem, that require the employment of one of the taxi drivers that seem to be an extension of the hotel staff. The hotel is large enough to provide all the necessary services and amenities but small enough for the staff to get to know you and to anticipate your needs.The breakfast included in the room price was the best I encountered on the trip and as nice as any you could expect anywhere. The pub serves lunch and cocktails in the evening and it was a very enjoyable place to take refuge from this sometimes hectic city. When I left for an early morning flight, the hotel arranged for the driver and--without asking-- for coffee before departure. ( Ben Gurion was only 45 minutes away at that hour.) Interestingly, I really came to appreciate the hotel a week after I had returned home to the U.S. I had left a broken pair of sunglasses in my room when I departed. The hotel sent them back to me by express mail. When I opened the package, i found they had also repaired them so they are good as new..

I really enjoyed my stay at the American Colony - its reputation proceeded it by a country mile and, checking the visitor's book, this certainly is the hotel of choice if you're rich, famous, or in town trying to bring about peace in the Middle East.

And it's so terribly interesting and full of character; spacious and atmospheric courtyards, olde buildings, bags of character and an oasis of calm in the bustling city. The great and the good pass through its doors, a stone's throw from the old city. Years of history blended with modern comforts etc etc.

But while it sits rightly as a feature of the city in itself, I don't think it's quite kept up with the latest in the hospitality industry. While my room was absolutely humongous; it was also a little drab, and a bit cold. Reprogramming the heating was a bit like trying to pilot an Apollo capsule to the surface of the moon. And while I liked having a beer in the courtyard, and loved that it came with a selection of local olives & pickles, I had to wait about 10 minutes for it to turn up, and then another 10 minutes to persuade someone to take my money so I could leave, which is just a bit rubbish. There was free wireless (tick), but it only really worked within 10 yards of the reception desk (cross).

I know, I know - it's a historic institution and I should stop complaining that it's not a modern hotel and soak up the history. I did that - and give it 4 stars as a result. It misses the fifth one because it could actually do better.