President Hotel, Jerusalem, President Hotel is an abandoned hotel in Jerusalem. It was designed by architects Alexander Friedman and Meir Rubin and opened in 1954. it was used, amongst others, by diplomats and government personnel for official meetings.
The President Hotel Jerusalem is a building from 1954 in the upscale Talbiya neighborhood that opened as a luxury hotel with a swimming pool and crystal chandeliers. The structure shows signs of decay today, with damaged entrance areas, broken floors in upper levels, and partially destroyed interiors, though parts of it have been used temporarily as an art space.
The hotel was founded in 1954 by Haim Shiff, a pioneer of Israeli hotel industry, and served for many years as a meeting place for politicians and diplomats during Jerusalem's early statehood years. After Shiff's bankruptcy in the late 1980s, the building was sold and later fell into disrepair, until a new owner announced plans in 2020 to convert the site.
The hotel reflects the early days of Israeli tourism and was a gathering place for politicians and diplomats. Its architecture with high ceilings and crystal chandeliers represents that era and connects to Jerusalem's history during the early years of statehood.
The building is in poor condition and entry is dangerous due to unstable structure, missing floors, and falling ceiling sections. Visitors should know that the hotel is not accessible as a public touring site and can mostly only be viewed from the outside.
The hotel was the first in Jerusalem to have a public swimming pool, an innovation that sparked controversy with the local community as some considered it improper for the area. Founder Haim Shiff showed attention to detail even in practical features like air conditioning in bathrooms to provide guest comfort.
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