The Drisco, the prestigious hotel located in the heart of the American Colony in Tel-Aviv, and the George & John restaurant, are the first in Tel-Aviv to join the global organization Relais & Châteaux, in which hotels, unique hospitality properties, luxury restaurants and 340 Michelin stars around the world, are members.

Relais & Châteaux was founded in 1954, and since its foundation the organization promotes a large number of luxury hospitality properties and culinary traditions, enhancing their prosperity, and acts for the preservation of local heritage and surroundings of each property. Each year, more than 500 requests to join Relais & Châteaux are submitted, less than 2% of them actually get to join the prestigious organization.

The Drisco is situated at the heart of the American Colony in Tel-Aviv and includes 42 rooms and suites decorated to reflect the magnificent history of the hotel, first opened in 1866. In the hotel there are original murals from the year 1925, a bar, a rooftop facing the beaches of Tel-Aviv, a gym, rooms for indulging spa treatments, a nurtured garden etc.

The accommodation in the hotel includes an elite culinary experience at the George & John restaurant, led by Chef Tomer Tal, which was graded among the 50 best restaurants in the Middle East, according to “50 BEST” (2022-2024). Chef Tal and the restaurant are also in charge of the breakfast served to hotel guests, including a varied and rich buffet with home-made delicacies and main courses reflecting the area’s production.

Laurent Gardinier, president of Relais & Châteaux: “finally, there is a place in Israel which adheres to our hospitality culture and a chef which serves gourmet food, while promoting seasonality, localism, and creativity. It is about time that our organization will include representation from this area, and this makes us feel proud”.

Avi Zak, owner of The Drisco and George & John: “No words can describe my feelings towards our joining to the organization of Relais & Châteaux. This is the most prestigious organization in the worlds of hospitality and culinary. Us joining this important organization, especially in such challenging times, is a great honor to the entire team of George & John and to The Drisco hotel. We are proud to be only hotel and restaurant in Israel and in Tel-Aviv to receive such great honor and are more committed than ever to continuing serving our clients with the highest standards.”

Chef Tomer Tal, George & John restaurant: “My team and I are proud to be the first restaurant in Israel joining the organization of Relais & Châteaux. This could not have been achieved without our hard work, insistence and our aspiration to provide our guests with a top-standard culinary experience, one that puts our heart on the plates every single time”.

David Kishka, Culinary Advisor: “It is a great honor for me to be in charge of the international culinary cooperations of George & John and The Drisco. After meeting the team of Relais & Châteaux in Paris, together with the senior management teams of the restaurant and the hotel, I am excitingly anticipating the cross-boarder cooperations planned for the next couple of moths”.