Hotels Close to Tel Aviv Airport
 

I am planning a trip to Israel and Egypt the middle of November and would like a recommendation of a hotel close to Tel Aviv Airport. My flight from London gets into Tel-Aviv at 1:30 a.m. so I thought it would be best to stay close to the hotel. I have a friend who is coming in on another flight about 14 hours later so I would probably return to the airport to meet her. Also would appreciate suggestions on the best way to get to the hotel during the night (2 a.m.) Thanks appreciate any information.

Sue: Tel Aviv airport (also known as Ben-Gurion Airport - adhering to the recommended tradition that every dead statesman should have an airport named after him), is about 30-50 minutes drive from town, depending on traffic. So what you're looking for is actually a hotel in town.

A regular bus service runs from the airport to town, every hour on the hour - starting 04:00, excluding Saturdays (when they start at 13:00). You should be able to obtain a bus timetable from the driver. I also think that return tickets and multiple trip tickets are available. Once it reaches town, this bus follows the "hotel route" and is very practical to get to most hotels. Before 04:00, you will need a taxi, which should cost around US$25 - use the offical, marked, taxi stand!

As for hotels: go to http://www.eurotrip.com, then do a search on Tel Aviv. You'll get a selection of hotels, starting from the very top 5 star and ending with more down to earth US$60 single (see the ones with the "UTELL" mark). Mind you, there are cheaper (shabby??)establishments, but they might be not too practical to hunt when arriving at such an odd hour. As indicated on the www.eurotrip.com list, the UTELL hotels can be booked from the UK or USA by calling a local toll free number. Write to my email address if you need more specific information. Welcome to Israel!

Eli: Thanks for the information. I did find one hotel that is only 5 minutes from the airport called Avia. It looks nice on the computer screen. Have you heard of it before? I know as large as Tel Aviv is, it is hard to know all the places. I am really looking forward to Israel. I have another question about the train from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Do you know how long it takes (it doesn't look too far on the maps but it is difficult to estimate distances by maps. Do you know if the train runs every day (except perhaps from Friday evening to Saturday evening)? Thanks again for the information. Oh, by the way, I live in Temple, Texas. Where are you located in Israel?

Sue: I called the Avia hotel to get a price quotation. It's US$120 single, including breakfast. The hotel is definitely nice and a stone's throw from the airport. You did not specify what price range you're looking for, but if you say that you are interested I will put here the fax number which they provided me with. I still feel that you can get a more resonable deal with a $60-70 room in Tel Aviv proper plus a taxi or a bus ride to town. By the way, a hotel price in Israel always includes breakfast, which is more of a buffet type rather than the continental one customary in Europe. TRegarding trains: according to the railway information service, the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem train runs just once a day (yes, this is not a typing error) at 9.55 am (8.45 am Fridays). Return trains depart Jerusalem at 2.53 pm (11.56 am Fridays). If all you want is to get from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, use the bus. Regular bus service is frequent, comfortable, fast and cheap. Buses depart either from the Tel Aviv central bus station, or from the northern train station in Tel Aviv. (This message is being sent to you from the town of Ramat Gan, which is located 10 miles east of Tel Aviv. Incidentally, do you speak with that cute Texan accent - living in Texas and all that)?

Just noticed that I forgot one thing. Jerusalem is approximately 50 miles from Tel Aviv. The bus ride taks about 45-60 minutes. I'm not sure about the train - never used it or even heard of anyone having used it.

Eli: Thanks for the info. You were very helpful.
I guess I will probably stay at the Avia since it is
close to the airport and I will be arriving late. I
don't know how long customs and immigration takes in
Tel Aviv but I know that in other parts of the world,
it can sometimes take quite awhile. Also, I will be
returning to the airport later in the afternoon to meet
my friend and then perhaps she and I can go ahead in to
Tel Aviv. I think we will probably take the bus rather
than the train because of the convenience. I really don't
know if I talk with a Texas accent or not. Since I have
lived all over, my accent is probably a mixture of many
different cultures. I have been in Texas for the past 17
years and really love it. I even have a couple of horses
but don't ride much anymore as I am too busy. I really
appreciate your information and would appreciate the fax
number. I own a business and can fax from there. Thanks
again. Oh by the way, have you ever been to Texas? There
are a lot of friendly people here.

Hello Sue, here are the numbers of the Avia hotel - fax: +972-3-5360220, phone: +972-3-5360221, reservations direct line: +972-3-6320246. You couldn't have picked a better location if proximity to the airport is a major concern. I wish you a bon voyage, and don't hesitate to ask here or via email if you need more assistance. I have been on some occasions to the USA, but unfortunately never to texas. I hope to fix this shortcoming some day, but as you may imagine, day to day obligations and conflicting priorities stand in the way...

Eli: Thanks again for the info. Hope that you are able
to visit Texas some day. I know about different priorities.
I leave a week from today so if I think of anything I
will E mail you. Have a great day or great evening
whatever it is in your part of the world.

Hi Sue, <BR>I am leaving for Israel one year from the month you were there. I also am wondering about what to do at the airport at 1:30AM, and also looking for a nearby hotel. I would like to hear how everything worked for you.

Custom and immigration is surprisingly fast when you arrive in Tel Aviv. But leaving the country is something else. Get to the airport early and make sure you can answer hundreds of questions about what you did, where you went, when, with whom, who you talked to, etc.

Leaving Israel is not that difficult, most airlines today joined a system where you can get rid of your luggage a day before your flight, by bringing it to city terminals, located in the 3 main cities. All (or most of) the pre-flight checkup is done there, incl. all the when-how-why questions, which are basically for your own safety, of course. That way you can show up to the airport much later and save yourself all the hassle. It's especially great for early morning flights. Check with your airline. Amik.