These days, all hotels are in the business of creating experiences. Whether they do this by channeling the communities around them, taking their cues from the best things their destinations have to offer, or simply through the power of design, hotels and hoteliers all want their guests to leave with memories that could not have been created anywhere else. Well, no one who stays at the new, luxurious Jaffa Hotel in Tel Aviv will dispute the fact that it could only ever be located in Israel, especially given its stunning historic context, breathtaking natural surroundings, and incredible new design by famous architect John Pawson.

Pawson, best known for his minimal approach to architectural design, took on the challenge of making the hotel out of a former hospital and convent on Tel Aviv?s pristine seafront. Working with local conservation architect Ramy Gill, Pawson took the historic 19th-century complex, whose existing architectural styles ranged from Arabic to neoclassical, and transformed it into a tasteful and stylish high-end hotel that retained all of the period elements while still feeling fresh and contemporary. This mix of old and new is exquisitely executed in every area, from the central U-shaped courtyard filled with trees to the vaulted chapel-turned-bar and lobby, both of which take full advantage of the convent?s former prayer space. Elsewhere, 120 guest rooms and 32 exclusive residences have been situated in a new addition. ...