So far on my RTW trip, I’ve primarily traveled on the backpacker end of the luxury spectrum. But throughout Israel I get a major upgrade from my usual accommodations.

My uncle works in the hotel world and has selected truly outstanding properties for our time in this country, chief among them the Mamilla Hotel in Jerusalem. It’s easily the nicest place I’ve ever stayed. And it’s got a prime location just outside the Jaffa Gate so the Old City is a short walk away, plus there’s a mall right there with anything we might need to pick up (like delicious early morning iced coffee).

Here is the room my sister and I share:

The glass walls separating the bedroom and bathroom become opaque with the flick of a switch — more on that in a moment.

I can attest that both the bathtub and shower are incredible.

And here’s how this magic glass works. I’m blown away by this technology.

We watch sunset from the rooftop.

That’s the Mamilla mall below us.

And the Old City is just beyond a stone’s throw away. It’s quite convenient to walk to.

On our first night we dine in the more casual restaurant on the Mamilla property called Mamilla Cafe. I love the relaxed atmosphere and delicious food.

Photos of our drinks, salad, and pizza dinner… all of which are outstanding.

If you thought that dinner looked good, wait until you see this breakfast — it’s a spread fit for a king. Or a former Prime Minister of the UK.

Our day-long tour of Masada, Ein Gedi, and the Dead Sea departs around 7am so we are the first ones at breakfast. And we get first crack at this impressive array of dishes. I’ll let the photos do the talking.

One of those breads above is a pistachio roll which is one of the greatest things I’ve ever tasted.

But it gets even better. On our second night in town we dine at the formal restaurant Rooftop at the Mamilla Hotel.

In the hours before dinner we notice Secret Service-type guards around the property. I ride in the elevator with one and he’s got an earpiece and looks like someone I wouldn’t want to mess with. Clearly there’s an important guest staying here.

At dinner we realize that Tony Blair — the former Prime Minister of the UK — is sitting at the table behind us with his security detail. Our evening just got extra exciting.

We order the fish for our main course. It’s served on a bed of hot salt and the waitress pours water over it as it releases steam. How theatrical!

That’s black garlic circling the plate.

Then I take sneaky photos to get a shot of Tony Blair. My uncle pretends to pose as Tony sits behind him on the left.

Another covert shot of Tony Blair:

A British couple approaches him for a photo when he leaves at the end of the night, and he happily obliges. Fair enough as he’s their former leader. If Bill Clinton had been dining there, I would’ve tried to get a photo too.

Side note: a British friend of mine alerts me that Tony Blair has been the subject of accusations of war crimes (along with George W. Bush) stemming from the Iraq War. I had no idea. I found this funny headline about a man who attempted a citizens arrest of Tony Blair for said war crimes in a posh London restaurant recently.

Here’s a few shots of other moments from our meal: the bread is served with ripe tomatoes, olives, and a warm herbed butter spread. For dessert we share the passion fruit creme brûlée with chocolate sorbet and these walnut bars topped with old school peanut brittle. So fancy!

On our final night in Jerusalem we dine at Touro Restaurant in the Jerusalem Press Club within walking distance of the hotel. It’s another truly outstanding place; all three of us rave about the food.

Some shots from dinner: I ordered a Moroccan fish stew and we share the salad, appetizer, and dessert. It’s all incredible.

A few other shots from our meals in Jerusalem…

We eat lunch in the Old City during our day-long walking tour and I order this frozen mint lemonade. AMAZING.

And I order chicken and hummus for lunch… it’s simple, tasty, and flavorful.

And one evening while walking around the Old City on my own, I stumble upon the Austrian Hospice Cafe in the Muslim Quarter. Their apple strudel is famous so I order a plate… and find it to be just so-so.

My friend Lindsay has told me about this coffee chain — Aroma Cafe — and said they have the best iced coffee, which is more like a coffee slushy. I am HOOKED.

It was fun living the high life in Israel. Many thanks to my extremely generous uncle for showing us a wonderful time here!