THE BLUE

 Friendly host with a nice and clean place in a very good location.

 We stayed at the Blue Apartment, a one bedroom in the center of Emek Refaim in the German Colony. Lovely apartment, very comfortable. Israeli bathrooms are small, as is this one, but functional and clean. Close to good restaurants and cafes. Linda was very responsive to any concerns, and helpful in holding luggage after check-out. If you want to experience living in Jerusalem rather than a hotel, this is a good way to do it.

This is really a nice place and in a great location. The apartment was very clean and very well kept. The location is just off of Emek Refaim (German Colony) where you will find restaurants, small markets and bus lines. We met Linda on arrival. She was very helpful and it was really a pleasure dealing with her. We visit Israel regularly since our daughter lives there and we would not hesitate to stay here.

Spent three weeks at Colony Suites, in the German colony. It was my base for visiting my daughter And grandchildren. The apartment was quiet and comfortable and had everything I needed to feel at home. The neighborhood is full of life and shops and places to eat with people out and about throughout the day. Lindda and Aviva were always available for advice or assistance and made sure I was comfortable. This was my second stay with colony suites and I hope ther are many more to come.

We spent one fantastic month at the Colony Suites. The Property Manager Linda is amazing .We made our arrangements with her several months in advance and everything was exactly ( if not better) than was discussed. There was a good supply of clean linen and towels-the cupboards were well stocked with dishes-utensils- etc. The apartment was very clean and really was a home away from home. It's in a great area full of interesting shops and good restaurants. When we arrived Linda met us at the Blue Room and explained how to use the washing machine-and the code for the door etc.There is even an updated booklet supplied that explains how to use the TV, etc, We enjoyed our first three weeks so much that we changed our previous plans and asked if there was an apartment available at the Colony Suites. Fortunately we got the STUDIO and we had a great stay there. We are already looking forward to our next stay at the COLONY SUITES. Its the perfect place to stay to enjoy Jerusalem.

 
 I found the Colony Suite Apartment to be very satisfactory. It was clean and safe, and suited my long term stay (8 weeks) requirements. Location is great, and Leora and Linda were excellent an answering any queries I may have had. I highly recommend these apts to singles or families, and would return again if I had to.

 
We stayed in the Colony Suites "Blue" apartment for 5 weeks this spring. We loved the Hananya Street location: it was close to everything - shops, cafes, markets, bus routes, synagogues, and to the homes of friends. It was small and simple, but functioned well enough for our needs. The dairy kosher kitchen worked well; the air-conditioning was great. The bed, while not quite comfortable enough for my back issues, was adequate. We do recommend it!

 
My daughter and I stayed in The Blue during our three-week stay in March. It was surprisingly spacious for a one-bedroom apartment. It was very clean and the beds were extremely comfortable. The weekly maid service provided fresh towels and linens. It was chilly during our stay and we used the heat during one week. We also cooked every day. The electric bill was very reasonable for the three week period. It is true that anything you could need is on Emek Refaim. The restaurants were wonderful and the bakeries were memorable. Don’t miss the Marzipan Bakery on Rachel Imenu..oy!!!! The German Colony itself is a lovely area. It was a 20 minute walk to the Mamilla Mall from the apartment. Along the way we stopped at Liberty Bell Gardens for a panoramic view of the Old City, and a visit to the Montefiore Windmill. I was especially impressed with Linda, the apartment manager. She was fabulous to work with. She communicated with us regularly prior to our stay and responded very quickly to anything that we needed or questions that we had once we arrived. She met us at the apartment and explained how to operate the appliances. She took care of all the little details and made it seem like we were at home while we were there. She even ordered a cab for us when we were leaving, which left us time to focus on packing. This is the first time we have rented an apartment while we were in Jerusalem. We were so impressed with the apartment and Linda’s attention to details that we are planning to stay there again on our next visit. If you have ever considered renting an apartment instead of staying in a hotel, please consider Colony Suites. It helped make our trip one of the best ever.
 

 
My wife and I have visited Jerusalem many times. We always rent an apartment to feel less like visitors and a bit like residents. The German Colony is one of our favorite locations. Over the years the neighborhood has improved and offers many fun eating options as well as proximity to the new and exciting "first rail station." 
The one bedroom apartment was clean and adequately equipped with dairy dishes and pots.
We were greeted by Leeora and fresh flowers. David stopped by when we had trouble setting the shakos clock. In all respects we were delighted to be at the Colony. It was easy to get transportation and a fine starting point for our daily excursions. We will recommend the rental to friends.
 

 
It was clean, convenient and home away from home. We'd stay there again when we return to Jerusalem. While we weren't expecting much, we found that our apartment met all our needs and more. It was home after traveling to north Israel, and we could come home and have a cozy, relaxing place to stay. A grocery store was down the street, and although the area was busy, it was quite if you were willing to close the windows and take advantage of the efficient air conditioning.

The bus stop to the central bus station is just steps away. Very convenient if you want to visit Tel Aviv and other locations on your own.
 

 We were extremely happy with our apartment, which was very well equipped and immaculately clean. We stayed with our children, for a week and we thoroughly enjoyed the area - lovely shops, wonderful cafes, supermarket and fabulous felafel just around the corner. We felt close enough to the hub of Jerusalem, without being right in it. The apartment was exceptionally comfortable and spacious and good value for money. We would not hesitate to recommend it and will definitely stay there again. Thank you Linda for a great stay in a magical city.
Stayed July 2012, traveled with family

 The manager Linda was very professional and looked after us from the time when arranged the booking over the internet, on the day we arrived from the airport,during our stay and on the day we departed.She does not live on the property which is a block of about 5 apartments but is nearby and responds quickly.
The apartment is very conveniently located and you can walk to the Old City and local points of interest easily. It is clean and functional which is what we like and is better value than a hotel room.
We totally endorse the comments made in the other reviews that have been posted.

The Surprise was the beautiful walking/recreation track and area only 100 metres away which was the old railway line which has been converted into a bike track, walking track, meeting place for families and offers a pleasant change from the concrete traditional street scape.

Suggestions: Take some ear plugs if you are a light sleeper as it can be a little noisy when the restaurants close sometimes, get a local coupon book for the restaurants nearby and you will generally save 10%, walk the local area first up and discover the beautiful areas.A car parking space may be available if you hire a car if you ask Linda.

Overall we felt very comfortable and secure during our 3 week stay and will rent the same room again when we next return to Jerusalem.

Enjoy your stay........you will not be disappointed.
Room Tip: The Blue Room Apartment on the second floor had a nice sunny aspect to the street while the bedroom behind the Lounge Room that enjoyed this view was one removed from the street noise

Stayed October 2012, traveled as a couple

 One of the things we often have trouble finding at an affordable price is an apartment that is comfortable for our family of four with two kids who don't want to share a bed. The Colony Suites Blue Apartment is a great solution to that problem. The apartment is on a side street right off the main street of German Colony (Efek Rafaim). This means you are close to the restaurants and shops but we never had any trouble with noise. The bedroom has a comfortable bed while the living room has two fold out beds, a chair that turns into s single and a couch that turns into a double. The kitchen is basic but when we are traveling we are not interested in cooking, just being able to make tea in the morning (and there was plenty of tea provided, thanks Linda) and the like. Having a washing machine was a great bonus. You are minutes from the old city by bus and can even walk. We had a car and Linda arranged a parking space for us which was great. Linda was not around the day we arrived but arranged for the apartment owner to meet us. We called on our way into Jerusalem and he was there when we arrived. Check in was simple and quick as was check out.
Stayed November 2012, traveled with family

 We had a week stay in the "Blue" apartment which is unit #6. Note that the address is 3/6 Hananya St which means unit 6 at street number 3 (the opposite of Australian addresses!) which caused a little confusion as we arrived.
Positives
- very clean
- great location near restaurants and supermarket
- large and airy
- well equipped kitchen plus washing machine

Negatives
- Kosher kitchen; we naively thought this just meant no pork and different utensils for meat and dairy. It actually means no meat at all... We did fine with eggs and fish, but if you want to self-cater meat then this won't work for you
- Broken blind and phone line didn't work
- Small TV (but many channels)

Overall, we would give 4.5 stars and would definitely stay again.

One funny thing was electricity - you pay separately; we were worried about this, but in the end the bill was NIS22; we used the washer twice and cooked many times. Perhaps the owners could just add a couple of dollars to the room rate rather than charging a separate cost?
Stayed April 2013, traveled as a couple
 
ColonySuites, Owner at The Colony Suites, responded to this review
May 6, 2013
Dear guest,

Thank you for taking the time to review our apartment. I am glad you liked the location and found your stay pleasant. We checked the phone line and the cord was loose. New guests will now enjoy the channels on the larger screen that we installed and the missing piece for the blind has finally arrived! We charge electricity as an extra to bring our guests' awareness to their consumption, in the past we had people stay with us for a month, and leave the Air Con on for an entire week while they left to another city. The bill was astronomical for us.
You were very considerate guests and we would be happy to host you again soon.

 We stayed in Colony Suites and it was exactly what we needed. The apartment was spotless and had American fixtures, like a nice deep kitchen sink, air-conditioning and an excellent shower head. The kitchen had the necessary appliances to make a meal, but we basically had to open our door and had the option of eating in the best restaurants on Emek Refayim. We had a few questions and the owner was more than happy to help, a rarity when renting an apartment in Israel.

 Excellent stay in the most convenient area of Jerusalem. Coffee houses, restaurants and grocery store all within a few hundred meters of the apartment. Clean equipped and functional apartment. Leora is the kindest most helpful landlord. Will surely return there in the future.

 Colony Suites provided exactly what we wanted and expected for our 2-3 week stay in Jerusalem. Its location, in Jerusalem's German Colony, is marvelous, with the Old City only a half-hour walk away. We started many evenings with a 10 minute stroll to the King David Hotel for drinks in its storied bar. We felt comfortable walking around regardless of the time of day. There are good places to eat for any meal, the cafes have wonderful coffee and pastries, and there's a beautiful pedestrian walkway just a moment from your apartment door. Or it's easy to hop on a bus for a short ride to Ben Yehuda for major shopping opportunities. Our apartment was extremely clean and contained all the essentials. The management is the best: helpful, responsive, and very pleasant.
Recommended for: Families with teenagers, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

 This apartment in the German Colony is perfect for a family and is a great value as compared to hotels in Jerusalem which offer far fewer amenities. The neighborhood has nice restaruants, a food market and is conveniently located. The apartment comfortably sleeps 4 and has a kitchen.

 This is our 3rd time staying at the Colony Suites apartment in the German Colony. It is spacious, clean in walking distance of all the restaurants. Leora and Linda are great to work with and anything that you need they are right there to help you. We wouldn't hesitate to stay again.

We wife and I and our two children (11 & 13) spent a week in the blue apartment. It was perfect for us. The bedroom had plenty of space for my wife and I and all our bags. The two fold-out beds in the living room were great so our kids did not have to share a bed. The kitchen is just what you need to make a little breakfast (though the bakery on the corner is so delicious we mostly ran down there). The neighborhood is great with lots of places to eat, groceries around the corner, and very easy access to the old city. It was also great have access to a parking space as we did have a car. Everything was clean and everything we needed was there. Really could not as for more.

 Apt met our needs perfectly (husand & wife, no kids). Great location. Reasonably priced. Clean. Well appointed. Wi-fi worked well. Would stay there again