Arcadia Ba’Moshava is a lovely boutique hotel located in the heart of Jerusalem that offers rooms with balconies and complimentary breakfast & WiFi.
Location & History
You’ll find Arcadia Ba’Moshava in an upscale neighborhood located in between the Greek and German Colonies. This makes the hotel it a little off the beaten path. I’m not complaining about this, I see it as a good thing but none of our taxi drivers knew where the hotel was. Thankfully my husband speaks Hebrew otherwise we would have really been lost. The hotel itself is a historic building. It was built in 1918, for Mary Harouf, a renowned dressmaker for Jerusalem’s elite women. Upon check-in, guest receive a booklet explaining the history. I regret not keeping it because it was rather fascinating.
Not Our 1st Choice
Arcadia Ba’Moshava was actually not my first choice in a hotel. Jerusalem is one of my favorite cities in the world. When I was planning my trip a few months, ago I immediately booked one of the Dan Hotels. They’re the largest luxury hotel brand in Israel and the only hotel brand I have stayed in when visiting Jerusalem. A week before out trip we were alerted by the Dan that President Trump along with his staff & security also chose to stay at their hotels for his 1st official visit to Israel. During the same time we would be there. The hotel they were offering to re-book us at was unacceptable. As a result, with less than 1 week before our trip I booked the best room I could find on Expedia. Needless to say, I was a little apprehensive yet pleasantly surprised when we arrived.
We arrived after having spent almost 2 weeks traveling through Israel and Jordan exhausted. The hotel is beautiful and extremely well kept. The English speaking staff were all so nice. We arrived to light refreshments such as juices, fruit and pastries. Having spent a great deal of time in the car, we immediately helped ourselves.
Rooms & Amenities
Again, my time in Jerusalem was a brief two nights. The hotel is located in a historic preservation building and it shows.
The building itself is beautiful. The rooms, though small were were very clean and full of amenities like a safe, and even a mini frig.
We stayed in a standard room that came with a balcony that overlooked a courtyard. The bathrooms were modern and looked to be recently updated.
One thing I noticed consistently with this hotel was how clean it was. From the lobby to the courtyard to elevators, everywhere was spotless! They even provide complimentary bikes to ride around the city but unfortunately we did not have time to partake.
Boutique over Major Brand
Maybe I should stay in boutique hotels more! The service at Arcadia Ba’Moshava was fantastic. The complimentary breakfast and happy hour were an excellent added touch. My husband and I spent a couple hours in the courtyard drinking wine and Turkish coffee.
As a self-proclaimed foodie, I judge most places based on the food. Needless to say I was all over the complimentary snacks at happy hour and breakfast. For a small boutique hotel to offer made-to-order breakfast daily is a nice touch.
Overall, my stay at Arcadia Ba’Moshava was perfect. Thank you Arcadia Ba’Moshava for reminding me to not just embrace boutique hotels but to seek them out. I visit Israel every 2 years and if available, I would absolutely stay here again. My only regret is that I didn’t have more time to walk around the neighborhood and explore more.
- Location
- Service
- Rooms
- Hotel Grounds
11 comments
What a sweet hotel! It looks so clean and tidy. And the food looks amazing, how did you find food in Jerusalem? Although it wasn’t your first choice it looks like you got lucky with such a charming place! Do you have any tips for families visiting Jerusalem?
That courtyard is kind of making me swoon! It looks like it should be in a movie or something! I love boutique hotels because you don’t always know what you are getting. So glad this worked out for you. Boo for all the stress of having to find a new hotel last minute 🙁
What a beautiful and clean hotel, seems like you had a great time in Jerusalem.
Wow even though it’s slightly off the beaten track it looks like an amazing hotel, what a stunning building. Also the breakfast and food looks delicious and authentic, would love to stay here
LAura x
What an unexpected situation that took a turn for the better! Complimentary breakfast is the absolute best – also love Turkish coffee! Boutique hotels are so special and I’m glad you ended up having a great time there 🙂
I was in Jerusalem in March, and absolutely loved the city and the country! I’m a flashpacker myself, so tend to prefer boutique accommodation over anything else! Arcadia Ba’Moshava looks wonderful, and very cosy too! Lucky your husband can speak Hebrew!
Despite not being your first choice, this was very impressive. I love the room interiors because it is both chic and cozy. I love the buffet spread too – those selections were amazing. The fact the President Trump stayed at in your first hotel choice speaks a lot about it too, though!
I totally agree that boutique hotels have so much to offer and in many cases, provide a far better and more personal experience that feels more meaningful. The Arcadia Bamoshava certainly looks to have met this definition and experience so well. From the information and photos in this post, I would absolutely love to stay here.
this place looks really nice, and i love the fact that everything was clean and neat from outside and inside. I honestly didn’t know what boutique hotel actually meant, nice to know and something to consider when booking holidays too.
You handled the sudden change in hotels very well. When our preferred hotel brands are not available, I would sometimes prefer staying at boutique hotels because of their chic designs and personal touch. They always seem so cozy and unique! The food and the courtyard look amazing. It’s great that despite your situation, you still managed to stay at a very charming hotel and you enjoyed it!
I want to visit Jerusalem more after reading this post. The hotel looks great and I am fond of boutique hotels. Spotlessly clean everywhere makes it a winner for me.