I’ve always loved Ein Kerem.

It has a charm that doesn’t really exist in other areas of Jerusalem, if at all.

The narrow, winding alleys, the old Jerusalem stone houses and cafés, restaurants, ice cream shops and chocolatiers are embedded there like in an old piece of jewelry – this place always gave me the feeling that within a 15-minute drive from my house, I can feel like I’m in a small village abroad.

It’s a bit funny, but as someone who doesn’t have a great memory, I clearly remember those Saturday afternoons licking ice cream with my family in Ein Kerem.

There’s no doubt that there’s something very special and different in this area of Jerusalem that etched it in my heart.

The pastoral atmosphere of this wonderful place is magical and romantic, which explains the fact that that’s where one of the most famous and romantic boutique hotels in Israel is located – Alegra Boutique Hotel.

The romance in the hotel isn’t only influenced by the intimate and peaceful surroundings of Ein Kerem, but also, and especially, because of the romantic and daring love story behind the building where the hotel is located. This is a story about impossible love, which took place in the twenties of the last century in Jerusalem, about a Jewish girl named Alegra Blue, who fell in love with a wealthy Christian-Arab, Jabra Francis Rahil, and decided to her family’s dismay to run away to Bethlehem and secretly marry her beloved.

According to the story, from that moment, the connection between the couple and their families was lost, and they found out about the wedding a few months later and decided to alienate them. Alegra's family even considered her dead and sat shiva on her. The connection with Jabra’s family renewed only after the birth of the couple's first child, when his father decided he didn’t want his grandson to live in poverty and built them a beautiful Arab house in Ein Kerem. The famous house, named by the locals ‘The house of the Jewish girl’, was converted several years ago, into an intimate boutique hotel – Alegra Hotel.

I didn’t know the story behind the hotel before Daniel and I decided getaway from Eilat for a short romantic vacation, but I’ve heard a lot about the hotel’s unique character and it managed to find its way onto my bucket list, especially considering my love to its location.

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Let's Cut To The Chase – All Of The Things You Want To Know About The Hotel

LOCATION

Alegra Hotel is located in the heart of the neighborhood Ein Kerem in Jerusalem, which is considered one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the city thanks to its character and natural landscape surrounding it.

According to the Christian tradition, Ein Kerem is the birthplace of John the Baptist and therefore it’s a holy place for Christianity. You can spend two whole days touring between churches and monasteries, getting inspiration from small art galleries and sitting in small cafés, eating chocolates and ice cream and just wandering around the alleys decorated with the famous Jerusalem stone.

I strongly recommend touring according to this guide, which provides you with interesting information about each and every one of the Christian landmarks of the place.

The hotel is located at the top of a narrow, winding alley in the neighborhood, and doesn’t stick out unusually among the other buildings surrounding it – but assimilates among them wonderfully. At the entrance to the hotel you will find a heavy iron gate bearing the golden logo of the hotel.

DESIGN

As appropriate for a boutique hotel, the design of the Alegra hotel is full of character and statement. The big structure, built as classic Arab house, with spacious courtyards, big rooms, arches and high ceilings, and of course, the Jerusalem stone, correspond with the place’s past and with the surroundings that preserved its unique character over the years. However, it’s not an old hotel that froze in time, but a luxurious hotel that manages to combine the amazing design elements of the past with modern raw materials, furniture and artwork.

So, for example, along with the authentic Jerusalem stone, wooden furniture, upholstered heavy sofas and Persian rugs, they also used modern materials and furniture like black marble, smooth concrete, metallic furniture and a combination of daring art exhibitions that changes from time to time.

The modern design can also be seen in the hotel’s huge backyard, which spreads over three levels. I loved the way they used colorful coffee tables and chairs in different styles with the background of the Jerusalem stone and the olive green color that characterizes the city.

Like many other boutique hotels {Gordonia and Maskit, for example}, Alegra also has a lounge area that replaces the classic lobby, and is like a lobby with comfortable sofas and newspapers and is also used as a dining room and kitchen, where breakfast and dinner are served. Since the hotel’s structure is very homey and cozy, this kind of use of the lounge fits perfectly.

SERVICE & ATMOSPHERE

The dialogue between the old and the new is tasteful and manages to add a warm and homey atmosphere full of Jerusalem character. The hotel’s service is also like this, the receptionist who greeted us was very friendly and provided excellent service and so was the chef who served us breakfast.

The homey atmosphere also came across in the lounge where hotel guests can prepare their own tea or coffee throughout the day. On the other hand, I expected to feel the service a little more in such a luxurious boutique hotel – like a worker to serve drinks and snacks during the day.

THE ROOM

The hotel has 13 rooms and luxurious suites in various sizes, all designed based on famous lovers {historical or mythological} inspired by the love story of Alegra and Jarba. Each hotel room is decorated differently, both in terms of the room’s structure and in terms of the furniture arrangement and artwork, and it’s important to know that some of the rooms have showers while the other have bathtubs.

Apart from the hotel’s main complex, in the Jewish girl’s house, another building was recently added offering two hotel suites suitable for families in a secluded area of ​​the hotel.

We stayed in one of the hotel’s Signature Suites, called “Dante and Beatrice” named after Dante, one of the greatest Italian Renaissance poets, and Beatrice, the muse of his works. A fancy suite designed in the same style as the rest of the hotel, combining old and new – Jerusalem stone walls alongside smooth concrete floors and furniture that gives the suite a comfortable and homey feeling.

The huge King size bed and high-quality Egyptian cotton linen were pampering, the bathroom was designed with spectacular black marble made for the hotel by the company Bvlgari, and of course thick and soft towels and personal robes, and next to the seating area there’s a coffee and tea corner with an espresso machine and capsules and a sweet, wintery snack – Krembo! Such a special treat  🙂

My only disappointment from the room was the minibar, which although drinks offered were at no additional charge, there wasn’t a variety and it wasn’t pampering enough compared to the hotel’s style.

HOTEL FACILITIES

The hotel's location in the heart of such a unique and special neighborhood in the city is the hotel’s main attraction in my opinion, after all, you don’t need more than a tour exploring the alleys and resting in a luxurious room to enjoy a romantic and intimate vacation with your partner. But if you feel like adding more activities to your vacation, you'll be glad to discover that the hotel offers spa treatments in a designated area which is surrounded by the hotel’s gardens overlooking the Jerusalem mountains and a pre-ordered dinner from a chef served in the hotel’s lounge.

The hotel also has a pool, mainly for wading, with lounge chairs and a small shower on the rooftop. The pool is a bit too small in my opinion but is good for those who want to spend a few hours in the pleasant Jerusalem sun {during the summer of course…}.

One of the charming spots in the hotel is definitely the rooftop overlooking the picturesque view of Ein Kerem from above – you should bring a good bottle of wine and enjoy the mesmerizing view.

FOOD

Breakfast is served in the hotel’s lounge – you can choose between sitting at a private table for two or alternatively around the big island near the kitchen, where the chef prepares the meal in front of the guests.

We decided to sit at the table for two and started our day with a classic Israeli breakfast, including your choice of eggs, great bread, salad, muesli, a cheese platter and delicious Zakusi. There was nothing special or daring about the breakfast, but it was prepared from great, fresh ingredients and high quality products. The only drawback in my opinion was in the area of the cold drinks – which was industrial and not freshly squeezed.

THE PRICE

The hotel’s rates are completely fair and even expensive compared to other boutique hotels I stayed at this last year.

The price per night depends on the hotel room, time of stay {weekday or weekend}, and of course the season – but there’s no doubt that this is a unique and very romantic hotel that gives you great value for money.

If you’re looking for a different kind of boutique hotel in Jerusalem, it’s worth booking a vacation at the Alegra Hotel.

What do you think about the Alegra Boutique Hotel?

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Thanks to the Alegra Hotel for a wonderful and romantic vacation. 

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