When President Obama goes to Israel, he stays with Dan Hotels. So do Bill and Hilary Clinton, Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, and yours truly, TGIFguide! Whether you’re a dignitary or diva, traveling with your family or alone in wanderlust, Dan Hotels is the ultimate in luxurious travel opportunities for business and pleasure, and it was beyond a pleasure spending my time in Jerusalem with Dan.
The legendary Dan Hotel chain dates back to June 1947, when two brothers made an investment in a guest house on the shores of Tel Aviv. Now Shmuel and Yuketiel Federmann’s hotel chain owns 14 deluxe hotels, an international convention center, and a hotel training school.
The crown jewel of the Dan chain is the King David, which is situated atop the historic Mount Scopus, overlooking the romantic skyline of Jerusalem and surrounded by the rolling hills of Judea. There are plenty of lush gardens and quite places to relax, and the top notch service leaves guests wanting for nothing more than to stay another night, and another!
The Dans are about the details, and from the deco motifs of the superbly designed carpets and ceilings to the phenomenally experimental gastronomy of Chef David Biton at the hotel’s famed restaurant La Régence, each perfect piece of the King David is pure poetry.
Some people are just born with a fire that burns inside them and guides them to the right passion. Chef Biton is one of those people. By the time he was only 21 he was already head chef at a classical fine dining restaurant, and his curiosity and endless quest for new ways to present Israeli cuisine have helped him take the restaurant to new heights for the past 7 years.
Each bite that was prepared for our group of travel writers was more adventurous than the last. My senses were going wild with extraordinary tastes, textures, temperatures, colors, forms and smells. Have you ever eaten an olive oil candy? How about tomato ‘leather’? Candied quail egg anyone? Each innovative plate was placed before us with exquisite precision, and Chef even came out to shake our hands and share some stories, and bite after bite, we were definitely not without plenty of delicious wine to wash it down 😉
A toast with the fabulous Marge Perry
They say a picture says 1000 words, but you can’t taste real cuisine through a photo, so the only way to experience the magic of Chef Biton’s cooking is to book your own reservation. You simply haven’t lived unless you’ve experienced a multi-course meal crafted by the hands of such a creative chef, so add it to your bucket list people!
“What I try to achieve in my cooking, using superb fresh and local produce, is a balanced harmony. Ingredients of a dish and techniques used are not there to merely impress. They create a whole to which the presence of each item, carefully and thoughtfully chosen, has a significant and meaningful contribution.”
David Biton, Chef La Régence
Dan is ready to welcome you to their club of over 150,000 members from all over the world, where they’ll take note of your interests, tastes, and special requirements so that each stay is customized just for you. The e-dan club is ready to serve you, and Israel is ready to welcome you, so what are you waiting for? See you in Israel!
Written by Jacqueline Chambers
Jacqueline Chambers is the founder of TGIFguide. She uses her innate skills as a natural “connector” to serve businesses, brands and individuals in the LA area and beyond.
