Other than the bed bugs in room #1713, the David Intercontinental is a fine place to stay, in a big behemoth kind of way. The vast hotel lobby is filled with shops that are perfect for those who like their clothes and jewelry encrusted with diamonds. The only indication you are in Israel as opposed to any other big city is the selection of menorahs and other religious paraphernalia for sale in one of the extremely expensive shops. (I swear one of the menorahs was four feet long and five feet wide. I felt guilty just looking at it!) The H. Stern jewelry store was much more exciting, and the sales staff was most attentive. Meanwhile, my credit card curled into a tiny ball and hid in the corner.

The reason why I spent all of my free time time (OK, ten minutes) wandering around the lobby is that the rooms are really nothing to speak of. You can definitely do worse, but at an Intercontinental, you can definitely do better. The one plus is the view: beautiful Mediterranean Sea to the left and crazy and haunting Jaffa to the right.

One tip, if you are staying on the executive floors, avail yourself of the private dining room. The main floor restaurant is kind of bleh, and very noisy.

The gym costs extra, and is unremarkable. Your better bet is to stroll along the Med, which is just outside the hotel.

Date of stay: April 2008
Purpose of stay: Business