Carlton Hotel, Tel Aviv, Israel #travel #VisitIsrael

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After a three hour flight from Austin to New York, a five hour layover, and a ten hour flight from New York to Israel, I was exhausted and a bit sore. The time change was interesting, since time in Israel is an eight hour difference from home. As a guest of the Israel Ministry of Tourism, I was quite happy to have an assigned driver to navigate the roads in Tel Aviv at night.

Never having traveled to Israel, I was a tiny bit apprehensive since American media only reports on the tragic events in the country, and stepping into a luxurious hotel room at the Carlton Hotel, Tel Aviv, was absolutely wonderful. The room was large, comfortable, and impeccably clean.

The welcoming room included a king size bed with lots of pillows, sofa and table, desk and chair, large wardrobe, and plenty of lighting. Most important for a blogger, the Carlton had super-fast wifi that was free. I could see the city lights out the window sheers as I closed the drapes to go to bed.

Even the bathroom was beautiful. I woke early, long before the sun rose, since I'd already slept on the flight. I took my time getting ready for the day, delighting in the fact that I was actually in Israel. Visiting the biblical country of Jesus has long been on my bucket list!

As the light outside the hotel, I opened the drapes. To my utter surprise and delight, the room had a balcony that overlooked the Mediterranean Sea! I hadn't even noticed when I checked in the night before. The balcony faced south, with a breathtaking view of the beach.

I walked out onto the balcony to a warm, springlike morning to smell the lightly salted air and watch the gentle waves roll onto the beach. Below me was a boardwalk and off to the right was a marina filled with dozens of boats.

Directly south, I could see lots of high-rise buildings, many of them with construction cranes, since Tel Aviv is a busy economic and entertainment city in Israel. Since it isn't far from the Ben Gurion International Airport, it's the second most visited city in Israel, after Jerusalem, the capital city.

The sun rose to my left and spilled slowly over the city, but my eyes were drawn back to the beauty of the Mediterranean Sea. I could hear a few cars heading into work and the early morning songs of the birds, but mostly I could hear the splash of the gentle waves breaking onto the beach.

There were a few people below, taking a morning run on the boardwalk, swimming laps in the pools, and walking barefoot along the beach. It was incredibly serene for a busy city. The skies displayed brilliant pinks and blues as the sun broke over the city. What a wonderful place to wake up in Israel!

I pulled myself away from the stunning view and went looking for breakfast. The Carlton Hotel boasts an amazing Israeli buffet across multiple tables, with lots of new foods to try. I helped myself to a plateful of both healthy and sweet items, all of which were delicious. I met up with the other two journalists on the trip and we ate by a window that overlooked the glorious beach.

If you're visiting Israel, I highly recommend the Carlton Hotel in Tel Aviv. The staff is ready and willing to serve, the rooms are lovely, and the view is magnificent. After a hearty breakfast, we checked out and met with our driver and tour guide to begin our week exploring Israel.

Stay tuned for many stories to come!

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