About
Approaching the archways of Hotel Elmina is like passing through a portal into a bygone era. Located in the swirl of Jaffa’s ancient alleyways, hotel guests are transported back to British Mandate Yafo, when the port city was blanketed in orange groves and served as Israel’s epicenter of culture and industry. Today, Hotel Elmina has been reimagined by world renowned architects Michael Azoulay and Ron Arad in meticulous Art Deco style, ensuring that it remains a gem of Jaffa.
Both nostalgic and modern, Hotel Elmina offers an unforgettably lavish hospitality experience in the heart of Jaffa. The intimate, 10-room boutique hotel is located less than 200 meters from the glistening Mediterranean Sea in one direction, and Jaffa’s famous flea market and most sought-after shops & venues in the other. Situated on Shimon Ben Shetach , near by Jaffa’s historically vital Streets, guests can gaze out through Elmina’s arched windows at the city’s magnificent sunsets and historic remains.
The building, made entirely from Ottoman Era stone, was erected a century ago as a private residence for the wealthy nobility. To bring it into the modern day, visionary architect & designer Michael Azoulay built on the property’s classic bones with playful contemporary accents. Original hardwood floors are draped with colorful African rugs & textiles. Bold, contemporary artworks and decorative woven baskets play against the traditional window treatments. Modern furniture choices and pops of “happy” hues like burnt yellows and crimson reds breathe luxurious life into a centuries-old space. These choice accents help connect the rooms with the hotel’s crown jewel, its stunning rooftop.
Hotel Elmina’s rooftop, named “A La Gag”, was designed by the incomparable Ron Arad, and is an exquisite perch from which to take in Tel Aviv’s skyline while enjoying artisanal cocktails and mezze. The rooftop is enclosed by a stunning custom cover that acts as a flexible light enclosure under which the shadows dance. The gorgeous woven furniture was handmade in collaboration with young Senegalese artisans as part of the collaboration with the Italian furniture company MOROSO and Ron Arad and is being showcased for the first time at Elmina. Every element was designed to facilitate a beautiful, blissful moment atop Jaffa’s best rooftop. As the architect himself said: “The roof is happy, the furniture is happy, I hope the visitors will be even happier.”
