Tel Aviv Hotel Guide: Sheraton Moriah Tel Aviv

On the beach, facing the marina, this property, the former Radisson Moriah Plaza, stands among the towers of the city's hotel row, alongside the Crowne Plaza and the nearby Renaissance. Unfortunately, the Sheraton Moriah has lost its competitive edge, and it is markedly inferior to its neighbors.

Antique classical styling dominates public areas, which are relatively dark and dreary compared to the brightness of other hotels. The reception area evokes an ancient temple with its impressively gilded walls and sconces. The lounge is decked with stone floors, formal designer appointments, decorative painting details, and reproductions of local archeological finds. The furnishings are comfortable, but only just. A stained-glass chandelier illuminates a lonely piano based on a parquet floor in front of a bank of angled picture windows, but it is unclear how frequently the keys are touched. Even the inviting sitting area with photos of old Tel Aviv and Jaffa can't serve as a reason to write home about the public areas.

The main restaurant, one floor down with hardwood floors and rich royal-blue decor, employs angled mirrors to catch breathtaking glimpses of the sea. The more subdued breakfast room and cafe sport cheery fabrics and fine furniture. An Internet sushi bars serves up Japanese delicacies for web-surfers. Water sprites enjoy the saltwater pool and direct access to the beach. The revamped meeting rooms serve up to 400 people. Although equipped with the latest audio-visual facilities, the conference services fall short of those offered in the city's more focused business hotels.

The guest rooms show serious inconsistencies—some show stained carpeting and simple, unadorned upholstery while others look neat as a pin. Double glazing, phones, TVs, minibars, and room safes are standard amenities. The smallish baths add phones, hair dryers and marble vanities. Balconies are small, and some offer uninviting views focusing on cement plazas, rather than the sea.

Rooms on the five business floors feature superior fabrics, large desks, and additional phones with data ports. Royal Guest rooms on the top three floors are better equipped and furnished. Two smoke-free floors appease American sensibilities.

Although a member of the Starwood family of hotels, the Sheraton Moriah appears to have lost its way. Whereas its neighbors, including the Crowne Plaza and Renaissance, are constantly renovating and innovating, this hotel has been left far behind in efforts to satisfy a core audience of businessmen and vacationers.