Where to go away for shabbos (with points)

amother

Wed, Aug 14 2019, 12:41 pm

We live in the NYC area. Usually, our family takes a 2 day summer vacation to some place up to a 4 hour drive away, and we stay in a hotel and do local things. It's the only time the whole year that we go away, including chagim. It's not much, but the kids look forward to it all year and are so excited.

This year, for various reasons, dh is not able to take off any days from work. I'm trying to figure out if we can go away for a Shabbos and Sunday instead, which seems to be the only possibility.

But, we have constraints: Money is tight, so I'd much prefer to use points, which rules out something like air bnb or kosher hotels afaik. And, dh won't go to a hotel where we'd be stuck in the hotel room the whole shabbos, whether bec of the muktzah key, or bec there's no place to go outside the hotel.

Please, I'm desperate for any and all suggestions.

pesek zman

Wed, Aug 14 2019, 12:42 pm

We do this all the time. We haven’t paid for a hotel in years and years.

Tell us more about where you’d like to go and what requirements you have. WHat sort of activities do you like to do?

Also what type of points do you have?

rachelmom1

Wed, Aug 14 2019, 12:58 pm

Can I tap your resource too? 3-4 hours from Brooklyn, suite (pref), walk to shul, no food required. I have marriott and chase points

pesek zman wrote:

pesek zman

Wed, Aug 14 2019, 1:08 pm

rachelmom1 wrote:

Can I tap your resource too? 3-4 hours from Brooklyn, suite (pref), walk to shul, no food required. I have marriott and chase points

Saratoga Springs is my favorite lately. Use your chase points to stay at Hampton Inn and Suites (super close walk to Chabad)

old city Philadelphia: use chase points to stay near congregation Mikva Israel or Chabad

Washington DC: stay in Georgetown. There are lots of suites in the area that are walkable from Kesher Israel

Brookline/Boston. There’s a courtyard marriot that’s walkable to numerous local shuls

That’s just a start

pesek zman

Wed, Aug 14 2019, 1:28 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Pesek Zman, thank you!!

Any suggestions for shabbos meals?

Chabad in Saratoga has meals. Same for Mikve Israel (both for Pay) But as long as your room has a fridge you could bring food from home, right? You’re definitely more limited if you want food provided

amother

Wed, Aug 14 2019, 1:37 pm

pesek zman wrote:

We can for sure bring from home. I heard of people bringing crock pots to hotels, but that sounds complicated to me. I guess that would be the only option for hot food then? Thanks again, I really appreciate this suggestions.

rachelmom1

Wed, Aug 14 2019, 1:37 pm

Was sonidering one of the shabbos in a box packages sold by many supermarkets.Would that work for you?

pesek zman wrote:

amother

Thu, Aug 15 2019, 10:55 am

pesek zman wrote:

About Saratoga Springs. Are there nice walks to take on shabbos afternoon? Whether parks, or interesting streets to see?

amother

Red

Thu, Aug 15 2019, 11:43 am

Be aware, not all hotels will be ok with a crockpot plugged in for 24 hours.
Wasn't there a story last year where some frum people got kicked out of a hotel on a Friday nite because of this?

pesek zman

Thu, Aug 15 2019, 11:55 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I forgo hot food on shabbos when I’m away. Salads, chicken, cold cuts, there’s plenty of food that’s good at room temp. Also many Chabads have a hot kiddish. But if you stay in a suite that has kitchen facilities you can def bring a crockpot (don’t bring one to a regular hospital room) but we also kosher the microwave and heat food up before shabbos for Friday night dinner

amother

Sienna

Thu, Aug 15 2019, 1:30 pm

pesek zman wrote:

Chabad in Saratoga offers takeout food or meals at their premises? Dh would probably want at least one proper meal at a table.

pesek zman

Thu, Aug 15 2019, 2:14 pm

amother [ Sienna ] wrote:

Chabad in Saratoga offers takeout food or meals at their premises? Dh would probably want at least one proper meal at a table.

Meals on premises. (For money, obviously) check out their website for contact information)

pesek zman

Mon, Aug 19 2019, 8:13 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Another question, what do you do about the hotel door on shabbos? Do they have options for non-electronic keys?

No. We leave the door ajar and keep the valuables in the safe. Some people ask the front desk for assistance. Some put a magnet on the inside of the door to block the door from
Locking

amother

Mon, Aug 19 2019, 8:20 pm

pesek zman wrote:

No. We leave the door ajar and keep the valuables in the safe. Some people ask the front desk for assistance. Some put a magnet on the inside of the door to block the door from
Locking

Tysm, this is so helpful

amother

Tangerine

Tue, Aug 20 2019, 1:43 am

pesek zman wrote:

We're considering a mid-week stay in Saratoga Springs early September.
Does the breakfast at the Hampton Inn have items that are kosher like: cereal, bagels etc.
We drink chalav stam so that's not an issue for us.
Do they serve on paper?
Also, is there a supermarket in the area where we can provision ourselves for the next day?

pesek zman

Tue, Aug 20 2019, 6:00 am

amother [ Tangerine ] wrote:

Yes breakfast had cold cereal, yogurt etc. I always bring a few paper good with me and bring to breakfast, just in case. Also the price chopper in nearby colonie has lots of kosher options (including a kosher deli)

amother

Tangerine

Tue, Aug 20 2019, 6:48 am

pesek zman wrote:

Thanks. I read about the Price Chopper.
We're trying to decide if we should stay in Saratoga Springs that night (we will be arriving from the Lake Placid area) and perhaps have dinner at Chabad - if they still have meals in early September - or to push on to Albany to be close to the Price Chopper - both for dinner that night and for provisioning ourselves for the next day of our road trip.
How far a drive is it from Saratoga Springs to the Price Chopper?

pesek zman

Tue, Aug 20 2019, 7:25 am

amother [ Tangerine ] wrote:

I didn’t go to it (I brought from home) but you can google map the distance. I think it all depends on what activities you plan to do. Lake Placid is gorgeous! Albany, is not