The most beautiful hotel in Jerusalem, for over a hundred years, the American Colony has been a home for discerning travellers who recognized quality. Immerse yourself in its tranquil beauty while delving into Jerusalem's rich past.
In 1881 Horatio Spafford and a party of 15 fellow Americans left Chicago and traveled to Jerusalem to build new lives for themselves after personal tragedies in the USA. In the next few years the little community, known simply as "the Americans", grew considerably and established good relations with the diverse local communities.
They were never missionaries but aimed at living a simple life with a charitable door open to all from their Jewish neighbours to the Bedouin from across the river Jordan. When their house in the old city became too small to accommodate new comers a large house in the open country became available. This house, formerly the residence of Rabbah Daoud Amin Effendi El Husseini and his four wives became what we now know as the American Colony Hotel.
From humble beginnings in 1902 when Baron Ustinov, grandfather of Peter Ustinov needed somewhere in Jerusalem to house his visitors from Europe and America, the Turkish Inns being somewhat primitive, the Colony members temporarily doubled up to make room for the influx of guests. Through the soup kitchens and hospitality offered to the local community in war and during the uneasy truce, The American Colony has retained good relations as an oasis of tranquility and calm.