DESIGN
Worth the wait in Tel Aviv
Sereia restaurant , a high-end fish restaurant
YEARS IN THE MAKING , THE DAVID KEMPINSKI TEL AVIV WAS DESIGNED IN A LUXURIOUS AND CONTEMPORARY STYLE TO MEET DEMANDING LUXURY TRAVELER EXPECTATIONS .
Contributed BY ALICIA SHEBER
Good things come to those who wait . For interior designer Andre Avedian , co-founder and codirector of London-based Ara Design , along with developer and hotelier Henry Taic , founder of the Nahal Group , Tel Aviv-based Feigin Architects and Kempinski Hotels , it ’ s been a lengthy journey bringing to life The David Kempinski Tel Aviv , the brand ’ s first Israeli property and its 80th worldwide .
Located in one of two Feigin-designed skyscrapers ( the other houses the David Promenade Residences , also developed by Nahal ), the 34-floor , 250-room Mediterranean Sea-facing destination includes 56 suites plus the three-story , 4,000-square-foot David Penthouse with a 1,200-square-foot rooftop terrace and a private infinity pool . A dramatic , three-story staircase was designed especially for brides to make theatrical entrances .
Avedian worked on the design for more than a decade , while some project participants started 10 to 15 years before he did . “ Everything is a big process in this part of the world ,” he says , “ and getting projects with that level of investment off the ground can be a challenge .”
Taic , whose Tel Aviv portfolio includes the InterContinental David and the Hilton , briefed Avedian to create a level of luxury that would stand out in the affluent market . An operator hadn ’ t been appointed when Avedian began his creative process , so there
78 hotelsmag . com July / August 2022