The pandemic has been tough on the hospitality industry worldwide, but especially in Israel where most foreign nationals have been locked out of the country for 13 months and counting.
IHG previously lost Holiday Inn properties in Ashkelon and Tiberias. Now IHG has confirmed with me that they have also lost the Crowne Plaza Haifa, which has permanently closed and the Crowne Plaza Jerusalem, which is now the VERT Jerusalem.
IHG tells me that the Crowne Plaza Dead Sea Israel and the Crowne Plaza Eilat are “under review,” though the Africa Israel Hotels website indicates that those have been rebranded as the VERT Dead Sea and the VERT Eilat and as former Crowne Plaza properties.
So what’s left for IHG in Israel?
For now there’s the:
-
Crowne Plaza Tel Aviv Beach: 23K-49K points/night
- Crowne Plaza Tel Aviv City Center: 32K-60K points/night
- Hotel Indigo Tel Aviv Diamond District: 26K points/night
- InterContinental David Tel Aviv: 52K-57K points/night
As the Hotel Indigo and Crowne Plaza hotels are owned by Africa Israel Hotels, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Intercontinental David Tel Aviv becomes the only one of those hotels to remain with IHG at some point in the future.
It’s reminiscent of when SPG lost a dozen properties in Israel that were all bargains with Starpoints. I stayed in many of them on a month-long trek across the holy land with 2 of my 5 brothers in August of 2007, spending just a couple thousand Starpoints per night to stay in Jerusalem, Haifa, Eilat, Tiberias, and the Dead Sea. In 2009 Starwood put us up in the Mamilla when the Sheraton Plaza Jerusalem left SPG, but they were never able to get the Mamilla to join SPG.
The Waldorf Astoria is still with Hilton for now despite their pandemic woes as Hilton put a strong management contract in place after getting burned when the David Citadel left the chain. The hotel has even finally completed their pool and spa!
IHG’s Intercontinental Jerusalem is still being built near the old Sheraton Plaza. That was supposed to have opened last year, but I haven’t heard about an updated timeline for that hotel to open.
The Six Senses Shaharut in the Negev desert opens this August, though I’d expect that luxury hotel to cost an eye-watering amount of IHG points.
Other point hotels in Israel include:
- Norman Tel Aviv: Hyatt category 8, 40K Hyatt points/night
- Publica Isrotel, Autograph Collection, Herzliya: Marriott category 5, 30K-40K Marriott points/night
- Renaissance Tel Aviv: Marriott category 6, 40K-60K Marriott points/night
- Sheraton Tel Aviv: Marriott category 6, 40K-60K Marriott points/night
- Ritz-Carlton, Herzliya: Marriott category 7, 50K-70K Marriott points/night
- The Jaffa, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Tel Aviv: Marriott category 7, 50K-70K Marriott points/night
- Hilton Tel Aviv: 80K Hilton points/night
- Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem: 93K-95K Hilton points/night
- Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Netanya: Not currently bookable with points.
- Ramada by Wyndham Jerusalem: Not currently bookable with points.
- TRYP by Wyndham Jerusalem Bat Sheva: 15K Wyndham points/night
- Ramada Resort by Wyndham Hadera Beach: 15K Wyndham points/night
Four Seasons doesn’t have a points based loyalty program, though they do have an elite invite only program. They will be opening their first hotel in Israel in Tel Aviv-Jaffa.
Of course if you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card you can use your points at a value of 1.25 or 1.5 cents each for any hotels via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
Personally I’m partial to using points for stays at the Ritz-Carlton Herzliya and the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem, but what are your go-to hotels or places to stay in Israel?
HT: WTPITP
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28 Comments On "IHG Losing 4 Hotels In Israel; Roundup Of Remaining Point Hotels In Israel"
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I actually spoke with IHG last week after trying to book the Crown Plaza Dead Sea on their site to no avail, and they finally called the hotel directly and were advised that they are leaving the IHG brand on 4/14 and changing to Vert as well.
So much for opening that IHG card specifically for booking the Israel hotels this summer.
Crowne plaza dead sea is amazing, very disappointed
Ramada Netanya is “not currently bookable with points” because it’s closed.
They have paid rates for sale in the future. But no points redemptions.
They closed earlier during the pandemic and the owner still isn’t sure when he’ll reopen.
Now open, had breakfast there this week.
Wonder why international chains have a difficult time in Israel. Owners aren’t happy with the hotel performance when compared to the management/franchise fees?
For the most part, I think it is because property owners in Israel have been able to- or at least, they thought they would be able to- fill up their property with paying customers, and that demand for hotel rooms in Israel is high and they don’t need the chains to bring them customers. Remember, the properties get significantly less money from the chains when someone does a points redemption, than they get if the customer pays directly- the chain keeps a nice commission (even if it’s in the form of wiping points off the books- they got money from the banks when someone earned the points/got customer loyalty when they awarded them for stays). People were always willing to overpay for hotels in Israel.
But I’m sure Dan can chime in with a far greater analysis about the dearth of points hotels in Israel…
I think that the reimbursement rate on point stays depends on whether or not the hotel is at capacity. If so, the rate increases. If not, the hotel is better off receiving some income over nothing to cover their fixed costs.
Do you know which ones have kosher kitchen/breakfast?
Crowne plaza Jerusalem breakfast was huge! (Not as good quality as WA of course but still very solid)
that depends on your definition of kosher
Such a shame. I’ve used many of these for years. The Crowne Plaza Jerusalem had turned into a slum but then they remodeled it in early 2019’ish but then they have used it to house quarantine folks recently and I bet they beat it to crap including the protests there on the news. The Crowne Plaza Dead Sea was good and I really really liked the Haifa property. It was always more of a business hotel. I’d heard they had gone to renting out rooms as an apartment set up recently.
Sorry to post again but the points you show are low. For example, Crowne Plaza Tel Aviv Beach jumps up to at least 60k later in 2021 for some dates.
Beach or City Center?
I sampled ~30 dates for the IHG ranges.
Did Hilton take away 5th night free when booking award stay? Looking at WA Jerusalem, have diamond status (and Amex Surpass) and 372,400 pts in my account. It’s pricing it at 372,000 points + $563 for a stay that’s listed at 93,000 pts per night or $519. If priced for 4 nights, it costs 372,000 + 44, so looks like they’re charging for 5th night even though there are enough points for 4 full nights.
The Jaffa is a fabulous . . . and typically quirky Autograph. Suite upgrade gave an amazing room in the ‘old section’ of the hotel
The Jaffa is not kosher
Are the hotels allowing US citizens who have been vaccinated in the USA but can not get Israeli green passports to stay overnight?
We have WA reservations for May.
Thanks Dan!
You can get a green passport after taking an Israeli antibody test.
I was taking a look at IHG properties during a specific date, and after the recent devaluation, they have all increased significantly. The IC went up +20K points, the CP Beach up +9K per night. The only one I can now book with the points I have is the Indigo. Does anyone have a recent experience? Also, a suggestion for a non chain basic hotel that is affordable for a tourist?
IC was 50K, so it’s +2-7K.
Ugh, I just opened two credit cards specifically for stays in Israel. Oh well.
I wonder what IHG did with people holding reservations at those hotels for the future. My gut tells me that those guests will be lucky if they as much as get an email from IHG informing them of the situation, but curious to see whether IHG decides to honor their reservations with the new ownership or to transfer them to another hotel.
I am still surprised that it’s not standard in the hotel management agreement to include a clause stating that upon termination or expiration of the agreement, any existing reservations for the future will be honored at the Contracted rates.
What about the Hilton Queen of Sheba?
Not quite accurate, as three of the four remaining properties are closed with no scheduled date of reopening.
The only IHG points hotel is Crowne Plaza Beachfront, when the David InterContinental remains indefinitely closed.
There is one global hotel chain with points growing in Israel, which is the French chain Accor.
Bonvoy is now the largest, with Sheraton, Renaissance and Ritz Carlton.
Park Plaza and Ramada also have properties at Government Center in Jerusalem.
I am surprised that all these hotels remained, or were allowed to stay, in the IHG family for so long. Like many Israeli hotels, they were arrogantly managed with a large element of disdain for “non-paying” customers. The idea of strengthening the brand was not an idea that the average Israeli hotelier was able to make any sense of. Still, a shame because they were good value for point redemptions. Isn’t that the name of the game for Dans Deals readers? If you want to spend real $ there are many hotels to choose from. In my view Israeli hotels are generally very poor value for money. The IC David in Tel Aviv is a nice hotel, although nothing special, but compared to the IC Amman it is just a rip off.
@dan is it worth it to transfer chase points to Marriott and get 50% bonus, or is the value still less then a chase sapphire point?
when is the intercontinental opening?
Is this article up to date?