Jerusalem’s Waldorf Astoria has been named Israel’s best hotel for 2025 at the World Travel Awards ceremony in Dubai today, considered by many to be the “Oscars of the tourism world.”
The Waldorf, located near the Mamilla neighborhood and built on the site of the former Palace Hotel, also won the prestigious title in 2022 and 2024. One of the country’s most ambitious hotel projects ever, it cost $150 million to build, and features 226 rooms, a grand ballroom, gourmet restaurants, a spa and more.
Elsewhere in the capital, the American Colony Hotel, in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, was named Israel’s top boutique hotel for 2025. The hotel, a longtime favorite of journalists and diplomats, is set in a 160-year-old mansion with arabesque arches, hand-painted ceilings and rich carpets.
Winners of the World Travel Awards are selected by more than 650,000 travel professionals and consumers in over 160 countries. The organization was established in 1993 to acknowledge excellence across the travel, tourism and hospitality industries.
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From the Liveblog of
Sunday, October 26, 2025
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