Market House Jaffa: A cool boutique hotel a stone's throw from the shuk

I always wondered what a hotel would do if a guest refused to check out. As I write this on my balcony overlooking the roofs of Jaffa, with the sea in the distance, I’m tempted to find out.

Market House is a member of the Atlas hotel chain, a group of reasonably priced boutique hotels. The design is welcoming and eclectic. The lobby has a library, armchairs, chessboards, as well as a black-and-white tiled floor. But it’s what’s under the floor that’s the most interesting.

The hotel is built above Byzantine ruins, most likely a church. Much of the floor is glass, so you can see the ruins directly beneath you. Today, the hotel uses the ruins as a wine cellar.

The hotel is just steps from Shuk Hapishpishim and in the middle of all the fun balagan of Jaffa. I came to the hotel to celebrate my favorite daughter’s 30th birthday. How she can be 30 if I’m still 29 is a mind-bending mystery. 

We are both early risers, so we took an early morning stroll to the sea and encountered a merchant wearing a black kippah opening his store in Shuk Hapishpishim.

“How’s business?” I asked, expecting a story about how difficult the war in Gaza had made things.

“Thank God,” he replies. “Everything comes from God, the good and the bad. My father died two years ago and left me this shop, and I feel his presence in miracles that happen every day.”

That’s a lot to absorb before my morning coffee.

Speaking of coffee, the hotel serves excellent coffee. I am a bit of a coffee snob, and I often find that hotel coffee is too weak. The coffee at Market House was strong and delicious.

Happy hour and socialization 

All of the Atlas Hotels offer a Happy Hour with free wine, beer, arak, and snacks – in our case, good bread with dips, cut vegetables, jars of pretzels, nuts, etc. It’s a very nice way to chill out after a day of sightseeing and creates a nice feeling for guests. It also encourages guests to start a conversation with strangers, alleviating some of the loneliness of solo travel. 

There is no dinner served at the hotel, but there are plenty of restaurants nearby.

The room is small but with a large comfortable bed. The balcony was a nice treat, with a small table and chairs. There is an espresso machine and a small refrigerator with complimentary water and soft drinks, which is a nice touch.

From the minute we checked in, the service was excellent. To mark my daughter’s birthday, at breakfast the next morning, they brought her a small box of chocolate with a balloon attached – a very nice gesture.

Breakfast was excellent, with a nice selection of salads, cheeses, fresh bread, and even lox. There is also a menu you can order from, and I chose the green shakshuka, made with spinach and cream. There is also freshly squeezed juice and very good coffee.

The service was excellent. Although it was not an expensive hotel, I felt that the staff really cared about their guests and went out of their way to make them happy. There are even bicycles you can borrow if you want to take a spin around Jaffa.