The Prima City Hotel in Tel Aviv offers the best of two worlds. It’s a few steps away from busy Hayarkon Street with all the bustle and grime of city living and only a few more steps away from the beach.
But its location, on quiet Mapu Street, sets it off the beaten track and provides it with a slowed-down beach town vibe, that’s still undeniably Tel Aviv. In fact, the hotel’s slogan is ‘Experience the Vibe.’
The 106-room hotel, many with views or balconies facing the sea, feels like the kind of place locals could come to hang out. On the night we stayed there, the lobby lounge – a spacious square bar in the center of the lobby – was filled with hotel guests and Tel Avivians alike, enjoying cocktails, beer, and urban chill music.
A pearl in the middle of Tel Aviv
“I think of it as a pearl in the middle of the city,” said the hotel’s manager Shaul Kadorie. “It’s a perfect package for someone who wants to have that Tel Aviv feel but be a little off the beaten track. You get the fun and excitement of Tel Aviv, and the beach, and all on a quiet street.”
Another major attraction for locals – and a huge plus for guests – is the relatively recent addition of the acclaimed Bazel sushi restaurant as the hotel’s main dining experience. A Tel Aviv staple since 1997, first in Basel Square and later on Frishman Street, the establishment – on the perennial best-of lists in the city – is now kosher. And delicious. But that’s getting ahead of ourselves.
First the hotel and the rooms. Having undergone major renovations, the hotel combines modernism with some elements of old-style Tel Aviv, like the tiny elevators.
There’s limited underground parking – first come, first served – but a number of parking lots nearby with an average of a NIS 70 overnight fee.
The rooms, while not spacious, are airy, furnished and designed tastefully, and have all the accoutrements expected for a comfortable stay. Ours had a great view of Frishman Beach, where we spent the next morning sunning and swimming.
One of my pet peeves in hotel rooms was handled nicely – the nozzle in the shower was excellent, a strong stream from up above, not one of those hand-held archaic contraptions that some hotels consider quaint.
There was room for a relaxing couch, where we enjoyed a complimentary bottle of wine and snacks.
But not enough to fill us up before the dinner at Bazel, which features its signature high-quality sushi and a variety of Asian meat, fish, and veggie dishes.
At the suggestion of our very friendly server, we tried the Avocado chips – avocado in tempura, served with green chili and spicy mayonnaise (NIS 38) – and it was as good as he intimated.
We also started with the Bao Buns: two steamed buns amply filled with crispy white fish, Japanese pickles, and Indonesian peanut butter sauce (NIS 62). Other choices besides the fish were Shpondra meat or Redefine meat for vegetarians. They went down very easily.
For a main dish, we tried the curry stew – cubed salmon(or chicken or tofu) cooked in curry, coconut milk, potato, onions, green beans, and cilantro and served with steamed rice (NIS 64). It was incredibly tasty and filling. But not enough to keep me from trying the Basel sushi (NIS 53). Again, at the server’s suggestion, I had the signature Bazel – Avocado salmon, Japanese chimichurri, sweet potato chips, avocado wrap, black sesame seeds, and reduced soy broth glaze. It was just about the best sushi I’ve eaten. My eyes glazed over and my tummy purred.
Anything after that would have been a letdown, but the breakfast the next morning (served at the same off-lobby location) was also excellent. Made-to-order eggs, made-to-order cappuccino, and a huge array of salads, breads, smoked fish, and pastries got our pre-beach morning off to a rousing start.
Although not as prestigious as the main beach strip Tel Aviv hotels, the ‘Prima City,’ with its fun vibe, the cheery atmosphere given off by the staff, and its side-street charm, would be a winning destination for Israelis and tourists alike.
The writer was a guest of the hotel and restaurant.
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