Emanuel Hotel

We left feeling awful about the whole experience. The hotel is under renovation and officially closed, yet they were taking guests. They only take cash, and only from foreigners, and at check-in they asked for 130 NIS above our booking price. The reception desk had holes in the wood, and the receptionists seemed very suspicious. Their English was very poor. After haggling, we settled on just 28 NIS more than the booking price. Then they swapped out the key that had been left on the desk for us, apparently to "teach these arrogant foreigners a lesson." The room had no partition between the bathroom and toilet (see photo). We'll contact both the police and the Hotel Management Company.

The rooms are very basic, so this only makes sense as a budget stay if you don't plan to spend much time inside. The sheets were clean, there was always hot water, and the air conditioning worked. We did spot cockroaches, though it wasn't a major issue for us. Don't leave food out and they won't bother you. Renovations are happening, but they're more apparent outside than on the floors. For a couple of nights it's fine, as long as you know you're choosing the economy option. Nothing fancy, but good value.

I've never stayed somewhere worse. Cockroaches were all over the beds, the bathroom leaked everywhere, and the beds were broken. The rooms were dirty and the sheets had holes.