Israeli luxury hotel ranked in Conde Nast's 2023 Gold List

The Jaffa, a luxury hotel in Tel Aviv, Israel, has been included among Conde Nast's 2023 Gold List for hotels around the world.

Included in the section for hotels in the Middle East and Africa, The Jaffa was noted for its beautiful interior and how it reflects the current zeitgeist of the city where it resides.

However, the actual history of the luxury hotel is rather fascinating in its own right.

From convent to luxury: What is the history of The Jaffa hotel?

The Jaffa's luxurious aesthetic belies the fact that the building itself originated as the School of the Sisterhood of Saint Joseph convent and adjacent 19th-century former French hospital.

Thanks to British architect John Pawson and local conservationist Ramy Gill, the building was extensively restored, preserved and renovated over the course of seven years in order to create the boutique hotel it is today.

Now the hotel is filled with 120 rooms and ornate neo-classical art and architecture. Overall, it's a blend of the old and new – something that Conde Nast itself noted as being characteristic of the Jaffa Port in Tel Aviv itself.

And that's all without mentioning the food, with bagels and lox and shakshuka available all day long at Golda's deli.

Another thing that is interesting to note is that The Jaffa hotel is actually part of the Marriot hotel brand as part of its Luxury Collection. This, too, reflects the growing trend of collection hotels in Israel, where existing hotels join under the umbrella and platform of a major brand while maintaining their own name and branding.

In other words, while it is a Marriot hotel, The Jaffa is still very much its own luxurious beast.

So if you're curious to see what all the hype is about, come for a stay at The Jaffa here in Tel Aviv. Just note that it's going to be pricy – after all, luxury doesn't come cheap.

Meital Sharabi and Motti Verses contributed to this report.