The Efendi Tel Aviv

The Efendi Hotel Tel Aviv is one of the cultural and magnificent assets of the city of Acre. Between the lights of the lighthouse on the city walls, and the picturesque alleys of the Old City of Acre, lies one of the most fascinating, pampering and special hotels in the world.

The Efendi Hotel Tel Aviv is a classic and elegant boutique hotel located in two historical buildings that represent the glorious period of Acre, beginning in the Byzantine period.

The hotel houses 12 ornate rooms, some of which contain painted ceilings and decorated with ornaments unique to the Ottoman period. Some of the rooms face the sea and others look out over the alleys of the Old City.

Accommodation at the hotel includes a personally served local breakfast. A peaceful terrace and a cellar from the Crusader period, housing a stylish wine bar, a 400-year-old authentic Turkish Hamam, a Spa for couples, and a rooftop with a view to the Galilee Hills and the Mediterranean, from Rosh Hanikra all the way to Mount Carmel.

A hotel that tells a story of heritage, culture and history
For the purpose of the construction of the hotel extending over an area of 1350 m², two antique and stone buildings, formerly large homes of rich merchant families from Acre, were leased and interconnected.

The “Shukri Building”, known by its name “The Palace”, and “Afifi House”, known also as the WIZO House, were combined in the process, to buildings, past and present, a harmonic merge.

The stately building houses 12 rooms, each of which presents its own character and unique style. The ceilings in some of the room are painted and decorated with unique ornaments from the Ottoman period, Reconstructed by restoration specialists, and Italian artists, who had been brought especially from Venice.

In some of the rooms wooden ceilings have been preserved at a height of 6 m. The furniture and accessories in the rooms are the result of impressive detailed collection, great attention, and much love for each piece of furniture, decoration and accessory present in the room.

Each room is unique in style and character, and each of room entails different emotions. In each of the rooms you will find the best accessories and modern indulgence without giving up the enchanting authenticity and the special atmosphere.

Located on each level are four guestrooms, between the rooms there is a common living room with inviting sitting areas. On the large terrace in the northern part of the hotel you may enjoy a view over the Mediterranean, relax and rest in one of the recumbence areas, where you can pamper yourself.

The hotel offers an authentic, 400-year-old Turkish Hamam, and a spa with a variety of professional treatments. The hotel is constructed layer by layer. Its cellar stems from the Crusader period and is 900 years old.

It contains the remains of a 1500-year-old building from the Byzantine period in which you will find today a high-quality wine bar, with the choice of exquisite Israeli wines in an atmosphere filled with mystery and history. Part of the dining room remains from the late Islamic period, when it served as a private church.

The Heritage of the Houses of the Efendis
The Efendi boutique hotel is actually composed of two adjacent Efendi buildings that were connected. The Efendi houses were really splendid palaces, used by the rulers and the Ottoman aristocracy in the 19th century. These buildings reveal the historical cross-section of the entire city of Acre.

These palaces were built on the remains of antique edifices from various historical periods, and they contain to this day Byzantine remains from the 6th century, the Crusader period cellars from the 12th century, and, of course, from the early (16th century) and late (19th century) Ottoman periods, and the late Islamic period.

These buildings are named after their last builders – the Afifi House, known also as the Wizo House, on the southern side, and the Hamar House, known also as Shuqri House, named after the family of musicians that resided there, which is the northern building.

Both together hold between their walls stories, secrets, mysteries and magic, collected during over 1500 years. Part of the northern building, which has become known also as The Palace, was most probably partly built in the year 1768 by Ibrahim El Tsabag – a member of a Catholic Greek family.

The building was erected over the remains of the vaulted Crusader building that has only lately been exposed during extensive archaeological digs, before which their existence had been unknown.

In the 18th century Ibrahim El Tsabag established a soap factory in the lower part of the building. A workshop for the manufacture of soap from olive oil – a most popular product amongst the contemporary Muslim population. Some remains of the soap factory in can be found here to this day.

In the year 1870 Ouda Hamar purchased the building from George and Alexander Jamal, descendants of El Tsabag, and it was he who turned it into the “Palace”. The largest building of the wealthy in Acre.

Ouda Hamar decorated the building with impressive wall paintings, decorated ceilings, marble floors and splendid hallways. Here he resided together with his wives and servants.

Following the end of the Turkish rule, various tenants resided here, and after the War of Independence Jews and Arabs lived here together.

The Old Acre Development Company acquired the building, and in 2003 Uri participated in a tender and purchased the building. 8.5 years of immense investment in redevelopment and restoration returned the building to its roots.

Today it stands in its old glory, bringing with it the historical sense of both exciting and surprising culture and heritage.

Rooms & Suites
Each level has four guest rooms and a shared living room in the center with seating areas where you can relax. The hotel offers five room categories – Deluxe, Grand Deluxe, Royal, Royal Sea-view and the Presidential Suite.

Each room is unique in its nature and character and carries different experience. You will find the best modern pampering accessories combined with the magical authenticity and special atmosphere of every room.

Shiny Egyptian-cotton linen, pillows, blankets made of goose feathers, high-quality towels, bathrobes and luxurious slippers. The marble-covered bathrooms are equipped with wide showers, freestanding bathtubs, and towel heaters.

The rooms have incredibly comfortable king-size beds, a work area, a safe that is compatible for laptops and Wi-Fi. In the rooms you will enjoy a selection of soft drinks in the minibar, a Nespresso machine, a TV with LCD screen.

In the northern part of the hotel, you will find a large luxurious relaxing terrace where you can lie down and look at the landscape of the Mediterranean Sea and Acre.

Breakfast
Breakfast at the Efendi Hotel is an experience influenced by the tastes of Galilee and Acre. A royal breakfast, with guests coming from all over the country in order to discover local and exciting tastes that combine seating around a knightly table in a room hundreds of years old.

This breakfast offers authentic motives as well as local and fresh produce, in the enchanting and special oriental atmosphere of Acre, combining history, heritage and Mediterranean fragrance.

The Uri Buri Restaurant
Uri Jeremias – one of the owners of the Efendi Hotel, known best for his old and famous restaurants – “Uri Buri”. For many years the Uri Buri restaurant in Acre has been a place of pilgrimage in Acre for lovers of maritime culinary arts and gastronomy.

“Uri Buri” in Acre is known as one of the best restaurants in Israel and in the world. In 2019 it was granted the title of one of the best restaurants in the world, and the best restaurant in the Middle East and in Israel, by the international travelers website Trip Advisor.

Its chef Uri Jeremias, the restaurant owner, whose iconic long white beard became his trademark, is a host through and through and he loves all of his guests. Even today, after many years of hospitality and gastronomy, you may still see Uri sitting and talking with his guests, fearlessly exposing his culinary secrets.

“Uri Buri” in Acre is a specialized seafood restaurant. The fish and seafood are fresh, seasonal, and prepared meticulously and creatively, granting its chef titles, and articles in important magazines all over the world.

Uri’s cuisine is palatable for all, and everybody can find their favorite amongst the various menu items that also include vegetarian and vegan courses.

The Tasting Menu
You liked everything you saw on the menu? Don’t know what to choose? Let’s set out on a tasting journey. The restaurant offers an appetite inducing experience with a tasting menu, where the various dishes are placed in the middle of the table, and the diners serve themselves from the central platter to their own plates.

The Tasting Meal is an extended culinary experience that allows diners to enjoy a diverse meal of a choice of dishes, products, tastes and modes of preparation. Not all the diners at the table need to take part in the Tasting Meal. The meal can be served to some of the diners, while others enjoy their personal dishes.

In addition to exquisite dishes, you may find the choice of Israeli quality wines, wonderful and personal service that befit the dishes in accordance with the characters of the diners in a romantic, authentic and perfect atmosphere.

The restaurant is located at a five minute walking distance from the hotel. It is situated between the walls of an antique, 400-year-old Ottoman building, opposite the western walls of the Old City of Acre, and the first line of buildings from the sea shore.

For over 20 years the “Uri Buri” restaurant has been serving the most wonderful fish and seafood dishes the sea has to offer, and a visit is considered mandatory in respect to the restaurants in the north of the country.

The Wine Cellar
Located within the original arches of the 900 year old room underneath the Efendi Hotel is the cellar of the hotel with remains from the Byzantine and Crusader periods. The cellar of the Efendi houses is a wine bar with hundreds of bottles of exquisite Israeli wines with a worldwide reputation.

The wine cellar can be arranged with stylish wine evenings in an intimate atmosphere, dinners combined with wine tasting, and introductions for wine lovers provided by the hotel sommelier.

Spa & Hamam
The Efendi Boutique Hotel and Spa offers a variety of spa treatments for relaxation of body and soul, offered on-site by professional therapists. Hamam treatments are performed within a traditional, 400-year-old Turkish Hamam on location.

The traditional Hamam treatment is performed in a marble covered room with a hot elevated area on which the treatment is provided. The treatment begins with body peeling, cleaning the top layers of the skin, scrubbing with natural olive oil soap, accelerating blood circulation, and muscle massage.

During the traditionally conducted treatment at particularly high temperatures that allow the poisons to be released, hot and cold water is poured over the body. This treatment energizes, cleans the skin, and purifies the body – an unforgettable experience.

The Efendi Treatment
The Hamam treatments at the Efendi Hotel were developed pursuant to a traditional method, preserved from the Ottoman period and compiled by the bathhouse personnel, who professionalize in the treatment of individuals and couples.

The treatment involves scrubbing with the gloves, a short and intense body massage, light beatings to circulate the blood, a soothing foam spread, while constantly switching between hot and cold water streams.

All these trigger the removal of poisons from the body, cleaning and renewal of the skin cells, and relaxation of tense muscles. The Hamam treatment at the Efendi Hotel provides you with a long-lasting feeling of energetic freshness.

Meeting Room
The Efendi Hotel offers a meeting room for up to ten participants, for small and exclusive management meetings, with private and personal service. The meeting room includes a beamer and a screen, a flipchart, and wireless Internet. Light refreshments and/or additional meals.

Events at the Efendi
The Efendi Hotel serves as a location for luxurious and exclusive events as part of a unique culinary experience at the “Uri Buri” restaurant. For events of up to 70 guests, intimate weddings, festive birthdays, Golden Weddings, and any other good reason for a party.

Efendi on the Roof
On the roof of the Efendi Hotel you will find enchanting meeting areas in a comfortable atmosphere. Events with up to 40 seated diners with waiter service, or up to 50 diners at a cocktail event, may be conducted on the roof of the hotel.

Wine tasting in the wine cellars
Underneath the original arches of a 900-year-old room with remains from the Byzantine period, hundreds of bottles of Israeli wines from the best wineries are lying side-by-side.

Wine events are conducted at the wine bar – including winetasting evenings and instructions for wine lovers, under the guidance of the hotel sommelier, private dinners accompanied by winetasting sessions.

Website: www.efendi-hotel.co.il

Rooms: 12

Price: from 356 EUR per night