7 Best Hotels in East Jerusalem, Jerusalem

Once a pasha's palace, this cool limestone oasis with its flower-filled inner courtyard and gorgeous garden is in a class of its own—no wonder it's a favored haunt of statesmen and celebrities. It's a 10-minute walk from the Old City's Damascus Gate but shielded from the hubbub of East Jerusalem. Owned by a British family, managed by a Swiss company, and staffed mainly by local Arabs, the American Colony combines the best of all these disparate worlds. The turquoise-and-blue tilework, Damascene wood inlay, and potted palms in the elegant vaulted lobby lead to spacious and luxurious rooms with rug-strewn flagstone floors and antique painted-wood ceilings.

Cascading down Mount Scopus, the sprawling Dan Jerusalem has spectacular views, an oasis-like pool, and a bold design. The sophisticated spa, popular among Jerusalemites and tour groups, includes an authentic marble Turkish bath, which was imported piece by piece. About a third of the guest rooms overlook the Old City. Common areas are clean and spacious, but the decor is a bit outdated. Suites are spacious and offer extra amenities like socks, chocolates, and wine. The location is far from Downtown, but the light-rail is nearby.

One of East Jerusalem's longtime favorites, the Ambassador has been tastefully renovated with loads of Jerusalem stone. Rooms are airy and well appointed; for extra space, upgrade to a junior guest room with an Old City view. In fine weather, the Al-Diwan restaurant—Middle Eastern and Italian fare, mostly—expands to the patio where there is a summer bar in the inviting garden. It's a 15-minute walk from Salah-A-Din Street in downtown East Jerusalem.

This huge hotel offers a large, airy lobby with limestone walls and marble arches, and comfortable guest rooms with soft decor and bright bathrooms, although staff can be unresponsive. The suites are impressively large. Complimentary parking is a nice perk.

A huge circular skylight in the middle of the lobby gives this hotel a sense of light and space. Rooms have parquet floors, sophisticated color schemes, and beds covered with crisp linens. "Superior" is the house term for standard rooms; the better "deluxe" rooms are on the 8th floor and have private balconies. This place is favored by local families and large tour groups.

Five minutes from the Old City, this historic hotel puts you in close proximity to Jerusalem's great sights. Back in the 1950s, this was the favorite Jerusalem hangout for Jordan's King Hussein. Rooms are small but decorated with wood furnishings, and family rooms sleep up to four. The well-equipped gym, ground-floor coffee shop, and the al-Watani rooftop restaurant are nice bonuses.

The stone arches, lacey latticework, and bronze ornaments in the reception area help create a distinctly regional atmosphere, as do the old flagstones in the skylit atrium and polished floorboards in the comfortable lounge. The guest rooms are not huge, but are comfortably furnished and decorated with black and gold touches.