The Setai Tel Aviv is a striking luxury hotel located in the historic heart of Jaffa, set within a complex that dates back to the 12th century. Originally a Crusader fortress, the site famously served as the “Kishle”—an Ottoman-era prison and police station—before undergoing a meticulous 25-year restoration. Today, the property masterfully preserves its past, with original stone corridors and archways seamlessly integrated into a sophisticated, modern five-star experience.
The design is a unique blend of heritage and opulence, featuring walnut furnishings, Middle Eastern fabrics, and custom brass fixtures. Visitors can still see remnants of the building’s history, including iron-barred windows and ancient artifacts unearthed during excavations that are now displayed on-site. One of the standout features is a stunning rooftop infinity pool that offers expansive, panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea and the Tel Aviv skyline, providing a serene contrast to the rugged, historic stone architecture of the courtyards.
The hotel is perfectly positioned for exploring the ancient port city of Jaffa. It sits directly opposite the iconic Jaffa Clock Tower and is just a short stroll from the vibrant Jaffa Flea Market, where guests can browse antiques and local crafts.
Beyond the immediate surroundings, guests are well-placed to venture into the rest of Tel Aviv. Whether you want to wander through the nearby bohemian neighborhoods or visit the famous Bauhaus-style “White City,” The Setai serves as a grand, culturally rich gateway to the region’s deep history and contemporary energy.
Expert reviews
“Set in historic Jaffa along the Mediterranean Sea overlooking the city’s stunning port,The Setai Tel Aviv combines the beauty of its ancient surroundings with a Middle Eastern elegance. The restored 12th-century property was once a fortress and Ottoman prison, keeping the glorious mystery of the past intact while combining it with a modern Turkish flair.”
“The Setai Tel Aviv sits on 900 years of preserved history, built on what was once a stone-clad fortress and an Ottoman prison. This five-star, urban resort in Jaffa also hosts the city’s sexiest rooftop pool, with staggering panoramic views of the Mediterranean.”
“Hotels don’t come more stylish than The Setai, which offers some of the most sought-after accommodation in Tel Aviv. Set in a stunningly converted Ottoman building (some parts of which date back 900 years), this sophisticated hotel in the middle of Old Jaffa is ideally located for everything this historic part of Tel Aviv has to offer.”
What guests liked
- Top location
- Friendly staff
- Comfortable beds
- Great views
- Delicious breakfast
Location
Recent guest reviews
6 May 2025
Wonderful day that was beyond our expectations!
We had a wonderful stay and I have to tell you that Alex the manager went above and beyond right from the start. He was so engaging, kind, helpful, and just wonderful. We really enjoyed our room, the locations, and the breakfast, of course was dynamite, on par with Miami!
Honestly, I can’t think of anything!
26 April 2025
A fantastic way to spend the last two days of our trip to Israel
Excellent breakfast – and particularly lovely the day we could eat in the courtyard.
The more experienced staff were particularly outstanding – the French guy on reception (sorry we don’t know his name), Elizabeth on reception and the head of security were particularly helpful
16 February 2025
Amazing food and experience
Service and staff were amazing
Nothing
10 January 2025
Excellent hotel in Yaffo
The hotel is very clean. The staff was very helpful. The breakfast was excellent.
Nothing
6 December 2024
Luxurious with awesome customer service
The customer service was top notch, from leading us to the room, fixing little mistakes in the room, calling us half way our stay to ask if all is ok, absolutely fantastic! The room was spacious, we were on the fifth floor with a sea and town view, comfy bed, big screen, free mini bar with cookies, all the little details were there, the shampoo etc. Was high quality, we had a bath and shower which was a delight! We had an awesome couple massage, the spa is beautiful with drinks and cookies, The hotel is beautifully designed, the breakfast was in abundance and delicious, the location is awesome with the beach right there and the old city yaffo next to us, 5 min walk to the light rail train, 2 min away from nevei tzedek neighborhood, parking in the hotel although it probably is fully packed when the hotel is full
That the swimming pool was closed, we werent given notice about it and it didnt show on the booking.com page (maybe i missed it but i did see clearly on another hotel that the outside swimming pool was closed) the point is that i shouldnt of have missed it, yet this wasnt the main attraction for us. For me the cookies in the room and in the lobby could get an upgrade in taste
23 November 2024
Short stay yet sweet
We got upgraded for free upon arrival. Breakfast was amazing, scenery was great. Bed and pillows were soft. My husband to be got tasty cake for his birthday
The pool area is closed even for view. Would be nice to have an outdoor bar during fine weather.
7 September 2024
Room are amazing best food and the most beautiful sunset
Everything was amazing no complaints definitely will come back
None
4 September 2024
Good food. Nice mixture of old and new
Very good.
The swimming pool was more of a standing pool. Very crowded.
20 August 2024
Definitely will come back
The hotel the pool the crew everything was amazing came for one night stayed for 2 nights
Was all amazing
23 June 2024
Exceptional hotel, exceptional location. Pricy.
The hotel is perfectly situated near interesting stores and restaurants and near the beach. A short walking distance or short cab ride away from Tel Aviv life. We were upgraded to an amazing room with a view of the ocean. The huge bed was exceptional. The shower towels were huge and comfy. The service was wonderful. Breakfast was amazing. The gym is small but suitable, as is the Hamam and adjacent showers. This place isn't cheap - and we paid for the smallest room!
The rug in our room was a bit shabby. When we arrived two staff members were arguing with each other a bit loudly. Other than that, we loved the place.
20 June 2024
Best beach side place in T.A. to stay
Atmosphere/location
18 June 2024
Amazing design, top location
Great location and views of the beach, amazing restored building
The pool area was packed in the afternoon with no available sun beds. Also we wanted to have dinner at the downstairs restaurant but the service was so slow we decided to leave.
18 June 2024
Amazing stay staff a little slow tho but still great hotel
One of the best hotels iv been too amazing staff nice pool great food very recommended hotel ill be back for sure.
What i didnt like is the staff is a little bit slow they take alote of time to get your order.
22 May 2024
Lovely stay, amazing staff made the experience special
Very nice location, room was nice, food was good. Service was above and beyond
It’s a little worn around the edges
19 May 2024
Wonderful experience, highly recommend the Setai and wikl definitely return!
Beautiful property and shared spaces/amenities. Best breakfast. Right on the beach.
16 May 2024
Great stay, beautiful place , friendly staff
Beautiful hotel, lots of character,
26 April 2024
It was pleasant experience
Great location, but problem with parking. Breakfast was wonderful :everything was tasty, high quality and tasty
Small pool
20 April 2024
Spent very great time,just love it
The property is well recommended,great location,beautiful property,very nice stuff
9 March 2024
The staff was beautifully kind and helpful, and the room was amazing. We greatly appreciated and respected that they wer
Beautiful room. Beautiful views, fun location near the flea market .. not far from the shuk.
Nothing
17 October 2023
Amazing stay real 5* experience
Amazing 5* experience, the staff were the best part of this hotel, so attentive and friendly. The pool & the breakfast we’re also fantastic.
Nothing!
16 October 2023
Had a great experience in the beautiful oasis of The Setai. Wish we extended our stay!
Great location by the beach, opposite the Jaffa Clock Tower, and a 5-minute walk from Jaffa flea market. There are always e-scooters parked outside so it was easy get around the city. Service was great throughout our stay; we got a free upgrade upon check-in, the bellboys would give us water bottles to take with us each day, breakfast was delicious with lots of options for both veggies and non-veggies (everything was kosher). We also stayed during Yom Kippur and the hotel provided cold food at breakfast and room service (also cold food) for hotel guests. Overall, a great experience and would highly recommend!
I would suggest spacing out the sun loungers by the pool as they are quite compact when we were there. Luckily it was never too busy when we were up there, but if it was, you wouldn't get much privacy with people immediately next to you.
30 September 2023
The welcoming was nice
The staff are very kind and helpful
The food was great
Kind Service and staff
Great location
Excellent food
Clean and comfort
Mr. Gustavo the shift manager was very kind and made our stay very
enjoyable.
the front street is very craudy,
17 September 2023
Beautiful hotel in a wonderful location.
We loved the location and the views from the rooftop pool.The breakfast buffet was incredible. The decor in the common parts is beautiful and full of character,blending the old and new parts of the building extremely well. The courtyard restaurants looked stunning at night with wonderful lighting and table settings-very atmospheric.Lovely bar, although lights should be dimmed more in the evening. Gustavo,the manager,was very welcoming on our arrival,friendly and helpful throughout. The rooms were very well-decorated.
Some of the concierge staff were not particularly helpful or informed-Inais was the most efficient. I asked for the bulb in our main bedroom ceiling hanging light to be changed on multiple occasions via the front desk and housekeeping throughout our 5 night stay,but it never happened.Our room was also missing the large floor lamp that our daughters had in their 2 adjacent rooms,but despite requests we did not receive one,just a spot light that did not help.So our bedroom was pretty dark. We ordered an expensive display of helium balloons,including a large ‘24’ for our daughter’s birthday as a surprise to her bedroom,but they were all removed by room staff the very next morning without consultation. We still had several more days of our stay left and she would have enjoyed having the balloons there for her birthday trip,but despite numerous enquiries at the front desk and with Housekeeping we received no response regarding their removal and they were not returned. The bathrooms were rather cramped and dark.
3 September 2023
Nice place - menu could be more upscale
The location of the property. Very central in Jaffa.
Clean and spacious rooms. Nice pool.
The quality of food, the selection of drinks and the service did not meet my expectations for a hotel of this category. It was very frustrating for me to call service and bar tenders multiple times to order something. Especially at a 100 $ dinner. For this reason I‘m only giving 8/10 as - to me - the value for money is not the best. Basically I need to emphasize that this is my subjective opinion. After all it’s a nice hotel and we had a nice stay.
2 September 2023
Beautiful hotel and amazing staff
Beautiful hotel and amazing staff
13 August 2023
A blissful stay
Located in old Jaffa, probably the most charming areas of Tel Aviv, stands this stunning, preserved ottoman property. Staff was friendly and cordial all the time making sure I was feeling at comfort during my whole stay. The views from the balcony and pool are unmatched! Great vibes
Nothing
Hotel facilities
Food & Drink
- - Restaurant
- - Bar
- - Breakfast in the room
General
- - Room service
- - Non-smoking rooms
- - Facilities for disabled guests
- - Family rooms
- - Lift
- - Heating
- - Non-smoking throughout
- - Air conditioning
Business facilities
- - Meeting/banquet facilities (additional charge)
- - Business centre
Reception services
- - 24-hour front desk
- - Currency exchange
- - Luggage storage
- - Concierge service
Activities
- - Sauna
- - Fitness centre
- - Spa & wellness centre
- - Massage (additional charge)
- - Hot tub/Jacuzzi
- - Hiking
- - Spa facilities
- - Steam room
- - Spa lounge/relaxation area
- - Fitness
- - Fitness/spa locker rooms
- - Beach
- - Walking tours (additional charge)
- - Bike tours
Outdoors
- - Garden
- - Terrace
- - Outdoor pool
- - Sun terrace
- - Outdoor pool (seasonal)
- - Outdoor furniture
Cleaning services
- - Laundry (additional charge)
- - Dry cleaning (additional charge)
- - Ironing service (additional charge)
- - Daily housekeeping
Parking
- - Parking garage
Pool and wellness
- - Infinity pool
- - Pool bar
- - Sun loungers or beach chairs
- - Sun umbrellas
- - Swimming pool
Miscellaneous
- - 24-hour security
- - Breakfast takeaway containers
- - Delivered food is securely covered
- - Access to health care professionals
- - Thermometers for guests provided by property
- - Face masks for guests available

More photos

24 September 2025
Wonderful and Unforgettable
Very friendly staff 😍😍
They responded to all my requests and inquiries, prepared my room early, which was very important on a holiday, and also allowed me to extend my room for a few hours at no extra charge 💞💞💞
And of course, I can't forget very nice and delicious birthday cake my daughter received 🍰
The hotel has unique architecture, convenient location and a gorgeous sea view 💖
I’m sure I’ll return to this amazing hotel and I want to spend more time there 💗💗💗
Thanks 💝