156 Ha-Yarkon, Tel Aviv, Israel | (618) 248-8274
Across street from the beach and marina
Walking distance of a main city street
Contemporary rooms with AC, flat-screen TVs, and kettles
Some rooms have sea views
Seasonal outdoor pool parties with free barbecue and booze
Excellent free kosher dairy breakfast with international selections
Lobby lounge serving espresso drinks and a full bar
Free vouchers for city bike rentals
Business Lounge with free snacks and drinks
Free baby kits with food, basins, bottles, and more
Parking available for a fee
Free international calls and Free Wi-Fi
Parking requires gate to be opened by reception
Areas of the hotel are dated and tired
Pool is seasonal
No gym
The upper-middle-range, 134-room Leonardo Beach Tel Aviv Hotel caters mostly to tour groups, business travelers, and long stays. This hotel gets mixed reviews from guests, but is well-reviewed for longer visits. Rooms here are on the small side, outfitted with simple contemporary decor that is starting to feel tired. All rooms have air-conditioning, mini-fridges, and kettles, plus some have sea views. While some areas of the hotel need updating, the lobby and bar area are stylish, and the seasonal outdoor pool area is a favorite among guests, specifically the pool parties with free booze and food. Other freebies include Wi-Fi, international calls, bike rentals, stellar breakfast buffets, and well-stocked baby kits. This is a kosher hotel with Shabbat elevators, keys, and dinners. For a more stylish spot with a superb gym, check rates at Alexander Tel Aviv Hotel.
Scene
Business boutique by the beach, with a mix of chic and dated decor
Leonardo Beach Tel Aviv Hotel is a business hotel that’s close to the beach, though it sees its fair share of Chinese tour groups. There are several Leonardo-branded hotels in the city, and this hotel stands out for its relaxed, intimate atmosphere, and popular pool parties. From the street, it’s easy to spot; just look for the high-rise with rainbow colors decorating each floor and big, red letters spelling “Leonardo” down the side. Inside, the lobby is contemporary and stylish, with modern, thick-cushioned furniture sporting thin metal armrests, ultra-shag rugs in checkered gray and black, and cushioned block stools covered in tweed. The lobby bar's smooth hardwood floors, minimalist black bar, and modern wood laminate chairs feel chic, while the hotel’s well-displayed art collection gives an air of sophistication. Unfortunately, not all of the hotel follows in such sleek suit, as there are tacky branded carpets and cream walls with warm lighting in the hallways, dirty carpet in the dining room, and an overall dated feeling in several spaces. The hotel claims many returns guests. Leonardo Beach is part of the Leonardo brand of the Fattal Hotel chain, Israel’s largest hotel chain. The majority of the chain’s Leonardo-branded hotels are in Europe, which leads to European-inspired design and decor within the brand’s Tel Aviv hotels.
Location
Off the beachfront hotel row, walking distance to the beach and city
Leonardo Beach Hotel is located a few minutes' walk from Gordon Beach and Tel Aviv Marina, and a block from the restaurants, shops, and bars off the edge of central Ben Yehuda Street. It's most convenient for folks who want to frequent the beach or take a quick stroll, but it's otherwise driving distance from most of Tel Aviv's main attractions. To reach the beach, guests will have to cross two busy roads. - Four-minute walk to Ben Yehuda Street
Rooms
Contemporary, if underwhelming rooms with small bathrooms and options for sea views
Leonardo Beach’s 134 guest rooms were renovated in 2015 with new beds, showers, floors, and carpet. Both the Comfort Standard and Comfort Sea View are bright and compact, city-sized spaces that feature wood laminate floors, textured cream walls, and solid accents in light blue and red. An homage to the hotel’s name, headboards contain graphics of Leonardo da Vinci’s "El Hombre de Vitruvio". Bathrooms are snug and have tile floors, old hose-style hairdryers, and small bowl sinks in the vanities. In addition to a king or set of twin beds, each room has a small table and chairs set and pullout sofa. Regular Comfort Rooms have city views, or guests can upgrade to Comfort Sea View Rooms for a peek at the sea across the street. All rooms come with flat-screen TVs, small bar fridges, AC, kettles with tea and coffee, shower/tub combos, and hotel-brand toiletries.
Features
Kosher hotel with Shabbat features and pool parties with lots of freebies
Generally, the Leonardo Beach’s outdoor pool is slightly small for a hotel of its size, though about on par with similar properties in the area. Fake grass and thatched umbrellas give it a relaxed vibe, and guests can catch rays on slatted wooden loungers. During high season, the hotel throws twice-weekly pool parties with free ice cream, popsicles, barbecue, and booze until late. Outside of the pool area, the lobby lounge serves up espresso drinks and a full bar. A small, slick black bar with a polished wood laminate floor keep this area looking casual-chic. This is a kosher hotel, so guests are not allowed to bring in outside food and drink. An expansive free dairy (no meat) breakfast buffet is served each morning in the Golan Dining Room. While the breakfast is remarkable, the space is not. Expect everything from fresh baked goods, pasta, fish, cheeses, ramen, and dim sum, plus a selection of healthy choices and hot egg dishes to be served in a windowless room with tired carpets and dated furniture. Free drinks and snacks are available in the business lounge, and there is a sea-view meeting room that can accommodate up to 60 people. For events, the pool area and restaurant can be rental add-ons for a maximum of up to 150 guests. Events have the option for in-house catering. Parking is available, though reception needs to open the entry gate. This area is also used as storage. Long stays get VIP perks on check-in, like vouchers for food and drink. There are Shabbat elevators and room keys available. Features found in all Fattal chain hotels include a voucher for a free half-hour bike rental from the city’s public bike program, and free baby kits well-stocked with bottles, strollers, Gerber baby food, sterilizers, cots, and baby baths. Guests also received free international calls for up to 10 minutes.