The Drisco Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv is no stranger to contemporary design, nor to the tradition of 20th-century modernism — which is why it’s perhaps surprising that one of its finest new hotels is a renovation of an 1866 Ottoman-style classic in the American Colony district. But that’s the Drisco in a nutshell: named for the brothers who built the original Jerusalem Hotel, it’s a contemporary luxury boutique that’s blessed with a century and a half of historic heritage.

Rooms and suites are lavish, and not afraid of a bit of visual ornament — some feature carved headboards, others ornate tilework. The most unique rooms are those in the Villa Drisco, the wooden structure that adjoins the old Jerusalem Hotel, though that’s not to take anything away from the elegance of the main building’s units. Spaces are generous, thoughtful amenities like Nespresso machines and luxe marble bathrooms are universal, and the largest suites expand to a vast 65 square meters.

The lobby’s Drisco Bar is inspiring, with fans spinning beneath an ornate carved ceiling — it feels like the kind of place the foreign correspondents would have gathered, back when that was a glamorous job. And the restaurant, Zada, serves upscale Ottoman fare — not contemporary Turkish but a menu inspired by what would have been served at a sultan’s table.