Mamilla Hotel

This was one of our best restaurant experiences in over 50 years of overseas travel. The Restaurant on the Roof of the Mamilla Hotel is, as its name suggests, on the top floor of this modern hotel with fantastic views over the old and new parts of the city. It is neatly furnished in an unfussy way and although large is not too noisy. Prices are at the higher end with a fillet steak main course at NIS 168 and a final bill for two at NIS 600 including VAT and service. The excellent food was served by friendly, young knowledgeable staff, identically dressed in black outfits who were attentive and very helpful. An under-cooked steak was rapidly replaced with one cooked to perfection and without any request a complementary desert was brought to our table later. What made the evening special was watching the restaurant senior staff's attention to every aspect of what was going on in the packed restaurant and the manner in which comments were passed to their colleague waiters. Everything and everybody moved effortlessly, like a well oiled machine and it was clear that every member of staff had been trained to a very high standard. It was almost like watching a well choreographed ballet and made our evening particularly special. All the staff were excellent but special mention must be made of our delightful waitress Chava and the restaurant manager David who were outstandingly attentive and efficient. Top Marks all round. We will certainly go again.

I found that the staff went out of its way to please us. The facility is very nice. Location is amazing, 5 minutes walk from Jaffa gate. We received a bottle of complimentary wine which was a very nice touch. L'Occitane soaps (my favorite!) are standard in the rooms and common bathrooms. The food was delicious and abundant. A few things bothered me: 1. The hotel was hard to reach by car as they blocked off the street leading to Jaffa Gate and the police were directing traffic at the intersection leading to the hotel. The valet parking helped but the arrival by car was nonetheless a hassle. 2. The hotel front is situated in an extremely busy street with a constant din of car horns, sirens and other loud street noise. Inside the hotel was not very quiet either as we heard a lot of noise in the hall from the cleaning crew. 3. I had the feeling of being in a US embassy in Iran. The car entrance was barricaded to an extent that I never seen in any hotel. The security guard desk is right in front of the (only) entrance and an armed guard opens the door for you every time you enter or exit the hotel. I found it to be somewhat disturbing. 4. I found the dining room which is located in the basement to be dark and cheerless. All-in-all it was a nice experience. But if you are going for a relaxing vacation this may not be the right place.