- In brief: the World Travel Awards have published their 2026 Middle East awards, the 33rd edition.
- Best hotel in Israel: Carlton Tel Aviv.
- Boutique hotel: The American Colony Hotel, in Jerusalem.
- Business and MICE: The David Kempinski for business hotel, InterContinental David Tel Aviv for conferences.
- Resort: Six Senses Shaharut, in the Negev Desert.
The World Travel Awards have unveiled their Middle East awards for 2026, and Carlton Tel Aviv has been named best hotel in Israel. It is not alone: seven Israeli hotel categories have been awarded, in a market tested by the decline in international tourism over the past two years.
The Israeli awards, category by category
The details are better than a headline because they show how the jury distributed the distinctions between cities and segments.
- Best hotel · Carlton Tel Aviv
- Best boutique hotel · The American Colony Hotel, Jerusalem
- Best business hotel · The David Kempinski
- Best conference hotel · InterContinental David Tel Aviv
- Best resort · Six Senses Shaharut
- Best suite · the Ritz-Carlton Suite at the Ritz-Carlton Herzliya
Tel Aviv sweeps the urban categories, Jerusalem keeps the boutique hotel with American Colony, and the desert claims Six Senses Shaharut. The distribution outlines a three-pole market rather than a single hotel capital.
Carlton outranks more famous properties
Carlton’s distinction deserves a closer look as it disrupts an established hierarchy. The hotel is a seafront property facing the Tel Aviv marina, in a city where the first name that usually comes to mind remains the King David in Jerusalem. This year, the title of best hotel in the country escapes the most legendary addresses in favour of a seaside property.
American Colony, the constant of the ranking
In Jerusalem, American Colony retains the boutique hotel category. The former Ottoman residence, built around a planted patio, has been the go-to spot for foreign correspondents and visiting diplomats for decades. Its strength has never been the number of rooms, but rather its status as neutral ground in a city that has very few.
What these trophies really measure
The World Travel Awards operate on votes from industry professionals and the public. It is neither an audit nor an inspection: this type of ranking measures reputation and the ability to mobilise, just as much as service quality. They are often called the Oscars of travel, and the comparison applies to their limitations as well.
This does not make them insignificant. In a market where foreign visitor numbers have dropped, an international distinction is one of the rare signals a hotel can send to feeder markets without buying advertising. This is precisely why it matters to this edition’s winners.
Practical information
World Travel Awards, 2026 Middle East awards, 33rd edition. Seven hotel categories awarded in Israel, including best hotel for Carlton Tel Aviv and best boutique hotel for The American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem.
