On our recent family trip to Israel, we stayed at Dan Panorama hotels in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and Eilat. We spent four nights in the middle of the trip at the Dan Panorama Jerusalem. Out of the four Dan Panoramas, this one was the most upscale. We especially appreciated the hotel’s great location, enormous lobby/lounge area and rooftop pool. However, we also had the same shower flooding and excessive steam issues as we experienced in the other hotels.

Dan Hotels

Dan Hotels is a chain of Israeli luxury hotels established in 1947. The chain owns and manages 18 hotels covering all of Israel’s most desirable locations. In fact, the most famous hotel in Jerusalem, the King David, is owned by Dan Hotels.

There are a few boutique hotels in the Dan portfolio, but for the most part there are Dan hotels and Dan Panorama hotels. The Dan hotels are the 5-star and 4-star luxury brand, while the Dan Panoramas are part of their more affordable, middle-tier brand.

Overall, there are some common themes I found with all the Dan Panoramas at which we stayed. Generally the hotels have nice rooms, great breakfast buffets, good facilities and fantastic locations. The bathroom showers, however, only have half-walls so water would spray everywhere and quite literally flood the bathrooms. In addition to flooding, they don’t have fans to combat humidity, so expect heavily fogged mirrors.

Location

The hotel is located in the heart of Jerusalem and is just a 20-minute walk to the Old City. Right across the street is Bloomfield Garden, which is one of the largest parks in Jerusalem and offers nice city views. Also just a few minutes away is the historic King David Hotel, which is a popular venue for hosting heads of state, dignitaries and other famous guests. The hotel is a destination in itself with a large marble strip going down the lobby floor, showcasing signatures of its famous guests.

Also within walking distance is the Mamilla Mall, an upscale pedestrian shopping street and Jerusalem’s only open air mall. A little further, but still within walking distance are Yo’el Moshe Salomon and Ben Yehuda Streets. They are part of an area downtown that form a triangular business district. The area is now a pedestrian mall and home to hundreds of shops, restaurants and cafes.

Lobby

Dan Hotels acquired this property from another company and after a complete renovation, it re-opened it in 1999. The beautiful limestone check-in area was located just inside the hotel entrance on the right hand side. The staff at the front desk were very welcoming and made the check-in process quick and easy.

To the left of the front desk is an enormous lounge and bar area. The bar is bright and modern and the lounge area has plenty of seating for those enjoying a beverage or waiting for their party to arrive.

The Room

Our room was clean and modern with a beige and brown color scheme.

I particularly liked that the room was big enough for a chair and table. I used this area to rest when I didn’t want to be on the bed.

The room also had a TV, desk, and mini-fridge.

The Bathroom

The bathroom is a decent size with the typical amount of counter space you’d expect. As with the other Dan Panorama hotels, there are no outlets in the bathroom. So if you need to use a hair dryer or other electronic device, you have to do it out in the room.

Also continuing the unexplainable shower trend in the Dan Panorama hotels, this one also has only a half glass door. Thus, as with the other hotels, there was no way to shower without water spraying everywhere.

Compared to the other Dan Panoramas, this shower turned out to be the worst in terms of flooding. As you can see below, after showering, the entire sink area was covered with water and the mirror was totally fogged up.

Dining

The hotel restaurant has a huge dining room, large enough to fit all the large tour groups who stay here.

Our room rate included a daily breakfast buffet, which was excellent. It had literally hundreds of options sure to meet the demands of any guest.

There was a chef each morning making made-to-order omelets and pancakes. The buffet selection included typical items like scrambled eggs but what made it special where all the middle eastern specialties like hummus, local fruits, vegetables and cheeses.

Miscellaneous

Since we were out touring every day, we didn’t spend a lot of time at the hotel using their facilities. However, one afternoon we checked out the rooftop pool. Although not a sprawling resort-style pool, it’s big enough and has a covered area for those wanting to stay out of the sun. It offers spectacular views of the city and a sundeck for catching rays.

The hotel also has a fully equipped fitness center that’s free for hotel guests and open 24 hours a day.

Bottom Line

If you stay at the Dan Panorama Jerusalem on your next trip to the city, you surely won’t be disappointed. The main reason to stay here is its terrific location near many of the city’s best attractions. While the neighboring King David Hotel is more famous and luxurious, the Dan Panorama gives you modern amenities at way more affordable prices.

Trip Report Index

1. Introduction and Planning
2. The 7 Must Do Activities in Israel
3. Dan Panorama Tel Aviv
4. Dan Panorama Haifa
5. Eight Lesser Known Activities Worth Doing in Israel
6. Dan Panorama Jerusalem
7. Masada
8. My Dead Sea Experience and 6 Interesting Facts That May Surprise You
9. Dan Panorama Eilat
10. What and Where to Eat in Israel