Axel's take on Old Jaffa: #4 of 8 in Tel Aviv, 7.0/10
The atmospheric choice for history and evenings around the flea market. Excellent hotels and historic character lift Old Jaffa above its less convenient location, while nearby choice and value are middling.
Old Jaffa offers a genuinely different setting: stone lanes, galleries, the old harbor and the streets around the Clock Tower and flea market. It suits travelers who want history and character woven into the walk home, with market browsing and dinner doing much of the itinerary-building. The flea-market streets also have their own evening scene; this is not simply a district that closes with the sights.
You are choosing Jaffa over central Tel Aviv's convenience. Northern outings take more planning, and the old lanes include slopes and steps. For a short first visit covering the whole city, we would usually sleep farther north and visit Jaffa.
- Best for: couples, museums and culture
- Skip it if: You want equal access to northern and southern Tel Aviv; Steps and slopes are a problem
- Getting around: Walk to Red Line Bloomfield Stadium on Jerusalem Boulevard; explore Jaffa on foot; from TLV, train to HaHagana then bus/taxi, or transfer from Savidor to the Red Line.
- After dark: The flea-market restaurant and bar streets have their own nightlife; do not assume a historic address guarantees silence.
- Rates: Typical Axel rate $246 a night · usually 15% under the public rate
Where to stay in Tel Aviv: every neighborhood ranked
Where to look in Old Jaffa
- Clock Square and flea market. Stay around here for market browsing and restaurant evenings; the surrounding lanes have nightlife rather than guaranteed historic-district quiet. Hotels here: Margosa Hotel, The Setai Tel Aviv, a Member of the leading hotels of the world.
- Auerbach Street. Choose this small American–German Colony street for preserved houses and history-focused wandering, apart from the flea-market bustle. Hotels here: The Drisco Hotel Tel Aviv - Relais & Châteaux - Adults Only.
- Jerusalem Boulevard near Olei Zion. A practical edge for combining Jaffa’s market lanes with light-rail journeys, rather than staying deep in the old hilltop streets. Hotels here: Abba Jaffa Hotel, Joseph Hotel TLV.
How to choose
- Choose The Drisco Hotel Tel Aviv - Relais & Châteaux - Adults Only if a special-occasion stay means personal attention, historic interiors and serious dining rather than a pool.
- Choose Margosa Hotel if you want generous breakfasts, thoughtful staff and a straightforward base for exploring Jaffa.
- Choose Abba Jaffa Hotel if you want a cheaper Jaffa stay with welcoming staff, contemporary rooms and a rooftop terrace.
What paying more buys
The Drisco’s premium over Abba Jaffa buys historic character, highly personal service and destination dining, but no pool. The still-pricier Setai adds a seasonal infinity pool, spa and carefully chosen sea-view rooms, with less consistent service. Abba or mid-priced Margosa makes more sense if your days revolve around exploring rather than hotel facilities. Typical rates with Axel here run from $154 a night at Abba Jaffa Hotel to $587 at The Setai Tel Aviv, a Member of the leading hotels of the world (last 30 days).
The best hotels in Old Jaffa, ranked by Axel's take
Each hotel scored for what it is by Axel's own review; the rate is one stay Axel priced this week, beside the public rate for the same dates.
- The Drisco Hotel Tel Aviv - Relais & Châteaux - Adults Only 9.2/10, historic 5-star boutique hotel in Tel Aviv’s American–German Colony. Choose it for personal service, historic character and food, not resort facilities. Why it's here: Historic character, highly personal service and destination dining for a special-occasion city break. Accept: compact entry rooms, no pool and stairs to attic categories. $390 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate
- Margosa Hotel 9.1/10, comfortable mid-range boutique hotel in Jaffa. A standout Jaffa base for thoughtful service, generous breakfasts and exploring on foot. Why it's here: A well-rounded Jaffa base for thoughtful service, generous breakfasts and market walks. Accept: some categories require stairs, and street noise can intrude. $217 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate
- Abba Jaffa Hotel 8.9/10, comfortable mid-range boutique hotel in Jaffa. A strong Jaffa base with welcoming staff and a rooftop worth lingering on. Why it's here: A cheaper Jaffa boutique stay with welcoming staff, contemporary rooms and a rooftop terrace. Accept: the beach requires a walk; mosque noise is possible. $139 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate
- The Setai Tel Aviv, a Member of the leading hotels of the world 8.6/10, historic five-star luxury hotel on Jaffa’s waterfront. Historic Jaffa character and superb sea views, with a few luxury-service gaps. Why it's here: Historic waterfront luxury with a seasonal infinity pool, hammam and carefully chosen sea views. Accept: pool crowds and uneven service at a premium rate. $448 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate
- Joseph Hotel TLV 8.2/10, small, value-focused boutique hotel in Jaffa. A good-value Jaffa base with praised breakfasts, but choose your room carefully. Why it's here: A cheaper Jaffa base with praised breakfasts, lobby snacks and nearby light rail. Accept: some rooms are small or dark; exposed rooms catch noise. $121 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate
