So I'm taking my kids to Israel & we'll be there over Passover--we arrive on 31 march in the afternoon and leave on 9 april at 5 am. They've never been & I haven't been since the '80s. Kids are 22 and almost 17. I have a friend's apartment near Tel Aviv that I can use, but would love to spend a couple of nights in Jerusalem and am looking for a decent, not crazy expensive hotel or an apartment (nephew is joining us). Any suggestions? (I know, Passover. I'm hoping...)

I'm also looking for itinerary suggestions, given that there's a holiday and a shabbat in there. Do we need a guide, or can we take tours? Which ones are good to get an overview of Jerusalem & Tel Aviv, and to go to Masada? (And what about that 5 am departure?)
Any and all advice is appreciated!

It will be very tough. Obviously Passover in Israel is a busy time, especially in Jerusalem. Many people come specifically to stay in Jerusalem plus there are the families of students who are there for a year who also come to visit then.
You might be able to find something for the days after the end of the holiday. but still expect it to be quite expensive $300++ and up per night. The least expensive decent hotel in Jerusalem I've seen is the Dan Boutique. Check their rates.

I know some people rent out apartments if they are going to be away, but I have no specific details, Also they are most likely expecting to rent it out for a week to 10 days at a time, if that's what you're looking for.

If you are staying outside of Tel Aviv, depending on where it is (north south or east of the city)it could be pretty easy to get to and from Jerusalem, so if that's where you end up, you can save a lot of money -- enough to pay for a car rental and lots of meals and souvenirs

Over the holiday the biggest problem days are usually the first day/eve of first day which is actually on March 30th before you arrive, so that isn't a problem.
Easter(april 4) and Good Friday (April 2)will come into play in parts of the Old City of Jerusalem. The last day of Passover April 5 is also a day when museums and some sites will be closed

For maximum flexibility in seeing things, you don't want to be in Jerusalem only on the days or eves of the holiday and Shabbat. National parks all over the country will be open and very crowded most of the days of the holiday. Funny, but places often close quite early the eve of Shabbat and holidays (like at 1pm) but are then open regular hours on the holiday itself.
Make a list of the must see places for you, and perhaps people here can suggest specific days, times, and itineraries that make sense. You really need to check carefully the opening hours of some places during a holiday week.

A 5 am flight means you need to be at the airport by 3 am at the latest. On the plus side, there's no traffic on the roads then, so it will be a quicker drive to the airport

I've stayed twice at the Jerusalem-inn Hotel. Here's how I described it:

"This was my second stay at this hotel. Not wanting to spend $$ on hotel I knew we wouldn't spend much time in, this was the best price in the best location. You can't get closer to the action unless you unroll your sleeping bag right on Ben Yehuda. Everything everyone says is true. But it's still an acceptable place to stay. It's a 10 minute walk to Jaffa Gate, right near Ben Yehuda and Jaffa St. There are countless cafes, restaurants, entertainment within 1-5 minutes walk (even some stuff open on Shabbat. Ssshhhh!) Some of the employees are friendly, and others have an attitude. My husband thought it was terrible, but I just think of the upside and the trade off. It's by no means filthy or bug ridden, but our sheet did have a burn hole in it and there was just no way to make the bed look neat with the type of cover we had, but my husband thought they just threw the bedcover on the bed. We did have hot water. But the phone didn't work and the A/C was just so-so. They let me use the desk phone all the time and were very helpful getting us a booking into the Western Wall Tunnels and getting information on taxis to TA, and we didn't really need the A/C in early May. We could connect to WiFi using our laptop. Ask for a discount and w or w/o bkfst as it's nothing to write home about with instant coffee and a grumpy guy who works there (who I now believe is the owner). We paid US$130 p/n and my husband said he heard some people got quoted a cheaper rate. But some rooms are better/bigger than others. There is no elevator. Rooms are 1,2, or 3 flights up. I'd recommend this only to someone who I told all of this to. Location, location, location...and we did have french doors that opened on to a balcony type thing and the trees were green and not much traffic... I think one of the writers for Fodor's was staying there when we were too. He agreed with my assessment and has stayed there before. My husband says he'd never go there again."

More recent reviews are not much better and maybe worse. But if you really get stuck, and will only be there one night, you might want to try it out. I'd get two rooms at least. Good luck!

Oh yes, if you are not happy with the housekeeping, tell the housekeeper first (I think she's the owners wife) or tell them at the desk and at least they will try to fix it.

Go on Trip Advisor and post your question - it has many Israeli's who promptly respond. They also have a rental section on the website along with good hotel reviews. I love Fodors but Trip Advisor has more Israel info and assistance.

...also try this Israel based travel agent at regent travel...
her name is Chantal [email protected] - the can may be able to help you. Let them know your price range and specifications. I read that tourism is down this Pesach so maybe you'll get a deal.

another option for short term apartment rentals is janglo. i just checked and there were a few pesach rentals listed:
http://www.janglo.net/index.php?opti...=-1&Itemid=170