The first thing I noticed about the Ritz Carlton Herzliya is that it smells really, really good. While many upscale hotels have a signature scent, this one was particularly special. I found myself taking deep breaths, which already put me on the road to relaxation.
The spacious, quiet lobby has a station offering two drinks – a tamarind juice and a pomegranate gin, along with walnuts and dates. As I arrived around noon, I felt it was a little early for alcohol, and went for the first drink, which was refreshing and not too sweet.
Both the hotel manager Ori and the PR person Keren had been in touch with me before I arrived, and I had told them that a friend from Haifa was meeting me for some time at the beach, and that I knew that my room might not be ready when I arrived. Ori asked me to stop by the front desk before going to the beach, so I could store my suitcase in the luggage room.
He presented me with a lovely Ritz Carlton-branded beach bag filled with everything I might need for an afternoon at the beach: chilled orange juice, cut-up fruit including fresh pineapple, a tablecloth, and a Ritz Carlton hat. I know that as a reviewer I often get special treatment, but as I watched people checking in and out I sensed that the staff here really cared that each guest had a good experience.
Here’s another example. At breakfast the next morning, which had excellent lox and a cook making omelets, a woman asked the if she could have an avocado toast. Avocados are not in season now, and other than the omelets, breakfast is a buffet. But his response was “Of course, madam,” and a few minutes later, an avocado toast appeared.
Herzliya is just a few miles from Tel Aviv, but is much quieter. The marina, which the hotel lobby looks out on, feels like it could be in Europe, rather than in Israel. The hotel is the luxury brand of the Marriott brand, which includes more than 30 brands.
In the past, the hotel has had a lot of tourists, many of whom were repeat customers. But since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, 2023, they have tried to attract more Israelis by offering various packages. I tried the Culinary Moments package, which included an overnight stay, breakfast and dinner at the Herbert Samuel restaurant.
My one minor complaint about the hotel is that there is no direct access from the hotel to the beach, which is about a six-minute walk. The beach was perfect, and I spent a few blissful hours there with my friend Jenn.
When I returned to the hotel, I checked into a large, comfortable room with a balcony,and a view of the sea. The bathroom was especially luxurious, with a full bathtub as well as a shower. After my husband Cliff arrived, we went to the lobby to listen to the excellent piano player who performs on Thursday nights.
Then we went to the Herbert Samuel restaurant, where chef Haim Meir Cohen works his magic. He is an “evacuee” from his home of Moshav Ya’ara, near the border with Lebanon. The menu offers “local cuisine with international fusion touches.” He told us that he buys as much produce as possible from areas near Gaza, especially tomatoes and peppers.
The menu changes frequently, depending on what is available seasonally. Chef Haim said he learned cooking from his father and late grandmother, who came from Morocco.
A delightful dinner
I started with Sashimi Amberjack (NIS 62), one of my favorite fish. It was a lovely, light plate, and the fish was served with melon and mint consume, unripe mango, pineapple, crispy radish, and chili oil for a unique combination of flavors.
Cliff chose the tuna steak from the specials menu (NIS 98), which was a very large portion of seared bluefin tuna with “aqua pazza,” (an herbed broth and smoked potatoes). It was excellent, but if I had that as my appetizer, I would not have been able to eat anything else.
Since I had a light appetizer, I went for a heavy main course of Golan Heights beef fillet (NIS 197), which came on a skewer and was served with velvety mashed potatoes, asparagus, and a large marrow bone. I reluctantly shared a little with Cliff, who gave me a bite of his seared grouper and Mashwiya, which came with roasted and chopped tomatoes and eggplant, fava beans, and crispy greens (NIS 192).
After a great night’s sleep on the insanely comfortable bed and an excellent breakfast (there is even a special corner with Arab coffee and sweets), I headed up to the rooftop pool on the 12th floor.
Rooftop pool
Here as well, guests are pampered with large, fluffy blue pool towels, cold water with lemon or cucumber, a bowl of green apples, and even sunscreen if you forgot your own. I spent two blissful hours there before we headed to our home in Jerusalem for Shabbat.
The Ritz Carlton Herzliya
Tel: (09) 373-5555
www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/tlvrz-the-ritz-carlton-herzliya
Kashrut: Rabbanut Herzliya
Rates start at $550 per night for bed and breakfast.
The writer was a guest of the hotel and restaurant.