Peace in Jerusalem

For first-time visitors to Jerusalem, the Old City is unexpectedly chaotic and crowded. Welcome refuge can be found in the 154-year-old Austrian Hospice of the Holy Family (Via Dolorosa 37 91194 Jerusalem, Israel +972 2 626 58 00).

My wife and I stayed at the hospice April 17-21, 2012. From its hillside location a short walk from the Damascus Gate in the Muslim Quarter, it overlooks a corner of the Via Dolorosa.

Built in the style of a palace on Vienna’s Ringstrasse, the main building nestles among trees and shrubs behind substantial walls that provide a secure and quiet environment. Access is through locked gates (press a button to request they be unlocked). There’s an elevator, but primary access is via a couple of flights of stairs.

Little intrudes from the outside world other than the call to prayer from a mosque across the street. Facilities include a beautiful chapel, a tranquil garden and a rooftop terrace with terrific views of the Old City.

A variety of rooms and a dormitory are available. For our double room, we paid €114 (about $150) per night, including breakfast. Only cash and travelers’ checks are accepted; you can pay in dollars, euros, shekels or (as we did) a combination of all three.

The hospice’s rooms, renovated in 1987, are simple and spacious. Ours had lots of storage options plus a desk, table and seating for several people. There was a phone but no TV or radio. WiFi was free and fast.

Heat was provided by a radiator and cooling by two large windows that opened. A/C was available in some rooms for an extra €5 per night. The small bathroom (with a too-small shower) had a hair dryer.

During our 4-night stay, all staff members we encountered spoke English, and guests were Austrian, German or French.

The hospice’s Viennese Café provided hot meals from a menu of Austrian dishes plus tea, beer and wine. We had two lunches and three dinners there; the average price was NIS33 ($9) per person, not including drinks (usually another NIS21). An excellent buffet breakfast was served in the basement.

The front desk staff can arrange reliable taxi service (including airport transfers) with “Yousef” (phone +1 972 052 3 44 2831 or e-mail joseph.taxi@hotmail.com).

The convenient location in the Old City and the taste of Austria the hospice provides are a terrific combination.

STEPHEN O. ADDISON, Jr.
Charlotte, NC