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Hotel for Shabbos - tips and advice
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shanarishona




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 10:45 pm
Hi!
Does anyone have any tips and advice on staying in a hotel room for Shabbos? (not as part of a program, but just a regular hotel)

eg. on dealing with the refrigerator light...

what things to do to prepare before shabbos....

thanks!
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Jewishfoodie




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 10:53 pm
Make sure you have a room with a fridge. Also, place to eat and plug in a hot plate. If it's keycard rooms, bring along duct tape to tape the inner tongue of lock so you can go in and out without being mechalel shabbos

Bring havdalah but hotels have strict policies about lighting in the room so ask if there's a place, or do it in a place where it poses no danger.

The fridges are small so pack in small pans.

And most important! You are a guest at the hotel. Do not allow your children to run free and make a chillul Hashem Chas vshalom. They are extremely accommodating so just ask if there's a place they'd prefer your kids played.

Be careful of electric lights, that open as soon as you enter certain rooms like public bathrooms.

And, you can't pack enough band aids,Tylenol or Morin for kids.

Also prepare food for a shabbos party so the kids are excited and behave in the afternoon.

Have a grand time!

And after shabbos, please leave a tip for cleaning woman. It's something people seem to forget but it's expected.
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Blessing1




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 10:58 pm
What Jewishfoodie mentioned. Most hotels don't allow you to have a hot plate/crock pot in the room. You probably won't be able to light candles in the room either.
Duck tape down the switch that opens the light when you open the fridge.
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Jewishfoodie




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 10:59 pm
I also bring toys and games for the little ones so the couples can sleep in the afternoon while the kids play.

I find that packing each kid in his/her own packing cube keeps them organized.

Most most important!

Look the hotel up on the bedbug registry. Public site. If there were reports of bedbugs in the last 6 months, skip it! Not worth it at all!

And you must brink a box or two of kleenex tissues so you don't rip on shabbos.

And all your food. Tablecloths, cutlery cups, all disposable.

Enjoy
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33055




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Feb 12 2018, 11:52 pm
Jewishfoodie wrote:
Make sure you have a room with a fridge. Also, place to eat and plug in a hot plate. If it's keycard rooms, bring along duct tape to tape the inner tongue of lock so you can go in and out without being mechalel shabbos

Bring havdalah but hotels have strict policies about lighting in the room so ask if there's a place, or do it in a place where it poses no danger.

The fridges are small so pack in small pans.

And most important! You are a guest at the hotel. Do not allow your children to run free and make a chillul Hashem Chas vshalom. They are extremely accommodating so just ask if there's a place they'd prefer your kids played.

Be careful of electric lights, that open as soon as you enter certain rooms like public bathrooms.

And, you can't pack enough band aids,Tylenol or Morin for kids.

Also prepare food for a shabbos party so the kids are excited and behave in the afternoon.

Have a grand time!

And after shabbos, please leave a tip for cleaning woman. It's something people seem to forget but it's expected.


I never leave the room open because of safety concerns. I have DH arrange with the desk escorts to pick us up and bring us back to the room and press elevator buttons for us.

We never found this to be a problem. They always accommodate these requests.

Try to get rooms on lower floors.
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doctorima




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Feb 13 2018, 12:04 am
Here's a link to a wonderful comprehensive article from the Star-K on all the common halachic issues involved in hotel stays:
https://www.star-k.org/article.....tels/
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Frumwithallergies




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Feb 13 2018, 12:11 am
I have never had problems with a small hot plate on shabbos in hotels.

Make sure the fridge is a real fridge (not just a drinks cooler.... they don't keep food at a cold enough temperature).
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33055




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Feb 13 2018, 12:16 am
Frumwithallergies wrote:
I have never had problems with a small hot plate on shabbos in hotels.

Make sure the fridge is a real fridge (not just a drinks cooler.... they don't keep food at a cold enough temperature).


I also never had a problem with a hot pot, slow cooker or with tea lights or havdolah.

We also arrange a table with a white cloth. I generally bring flowers and a fold up vase.
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strawberry cola




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Feb 13 2018, 3:27 am
Are there any hotels on the East Coast that offer food?
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doctorima




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Feb 13 2018, 9:45 am
Arlington in NH is kosher and offers food.
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naturalmom5




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Feb 13 2018, 9:50 am
doctorima wrote:
Arlington in NH is kosher and offers food.


Are there any AFFORDABLE hotels on east coast that serve food
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nicole81




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Feb 13 2018, 9:50 am
Squishy wrote:
I never leave the room open because of safety concerns. I have DH arrange with the desk escorts to pick us up and bring us back to the room and press elevator buttons for us.

We never found this to be a problem. They always accommodate these requests.

Try to get rooms on lower floors.


Agreed. After we check in and get settled, we usually speak to someone at the front desk or the manager on duty and explain that we're sabbath observant. Either they are aware of what that means and are more than happy to help, or we explain and they are more than happy to help.
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Jewishfoodie




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Feb 13 2018, 9:55 am
Also, every hotel is obligated to give you areal fridge if it's for medical reasons. (not a cooler)
Many people travel with medications that must be cold at all times.

Also, food allergies etc
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animeme




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Feb 13 2018, 10:40 am
In many hotels, the a.c. or heat goes off when you open a balcony door, and in some, when you open the room door to leave. You usually don't want a very new hotel unless they can disable the sensors for you. The star k article does a nice job of explaining.

Also, if you ask for a low floor, clarify what that means. In a 20 floor hotel, they may consider low anything 10 and under, and you means under 5. Sometimes the first few floors are convention, etc, so clarify that you mean total levels, not just room levels.
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Moonlight




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Feb 13 2018, 1:11 pm
check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrPH0rrmQhQ
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amother
Sapphire


 

Post Tue, Feb 13 2018, 1:37 pm
naturalmom5 wrote:
Are there any AFFORDABLE hotels on east coast that serve food


I saw an ad for a hotel shabbos with food in Connecticut - it was for the shabbos right after Purim
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shanarishona




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Feb 13 2018, 2:34 pm
Thank you. - there was SO much helpful info in here!

I really appreciate it!
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amother
Gray


 

Post Tue, Feb 13 2018, 3:29 pm
Most newer hotels have hidden sensors for everything. Even coming in and out of the room or bathroom can trigger the heat/a.c. The hotel would need to turn them all off for you.
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amother
Seashell


 

Post Tue, Feb 13 2018, 3:33 pm
As someone who runs shabbatons for families of specific support issues I find is absolutely disgusting when families come to hotels relying on our Minyan, havdalah and entertainment . We have random guests walking into confidential programs and ruining a complete shabbaton as they bump into Friends Banging head , neighbors and relatives that would prefer remaining confidential. Apparently people do this all the time. They call around to see who has a group coming and naturally think it's ok to join. Some speakers speak after shacharis, before mussef, so yes, it's not acceptable for you to join minyan. I have so much more to say on the topic.. Banging head
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nicole81




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Feb 13 2018, 3:39 pm
amother wrote:
As someone who runs shabbatons for families of specific support issues I find is absolutely disgusting when families come to hotels relying on our Minyan, havdalah and entertainment . We have random guests walking into confidential programs and ruining a complete shabbaton as they bump into Friends Banging head , neighbors and relatives that would prefer remaining confidential. Apparently people do this all the time. They call around to see who has a group coming and naturally think it's ok to join. Some speakers speak after shacharis, before mussef, so yes, it's not acceptable for you to join minyan. I have so much more to say on the topic.. Banging head


That really sounds terrible. I don't think anyone was referring to doing that here.
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