Hotel Door on Shabbos

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amother

Fri, Nov 27 2020, 9:25 am

Hi,
Has anybody figured out a way to keep the door from fully closing so that we can go in and out on shabbos if it's electric and has a keycard?

Just looking for practical idea not halachic infomation.

amother

Cyan

Fri, Nov 27 2020, 9:28 am

Use strong duct tape to tape down the part of the door that clicks so it doesn't click shut. Make sure to lock up your valuables in the safe because the door stays open. It can't be locked from the outside.

zaq

Fri, Nov 27 2020, 10:12 am

Or use wadded-up paper or tissues to stuff the recess in the door frame into which the tongue of the lock slides. The paper will prevent the latch from catching.

amother

Seashell

Fri, Nov 27 2020, 10:17 am

We keep valuables in safe and leave door ajar

el2cg

Fri, Nov 27 2020, 10:18 am

Tape your room key / card to the door frame, covering the hole.

jewishmom6

Fri, Nov 27 2020, 10:19 am

amother [ Cyan ] wrote:

We do a piece of cardboard with strong duct tape.

amother

Lime

Fri, Nov 27 2020, 10:21 am

We cut a piece of a fridge magnet calendar to fit on the door. We still tape it well put it prevents the latch from popping out

amother

Salmon

Fri, Nov 27 2020, 10:24 am

Can you ask them for a regular key? I have done that a bunch of times

amother

Cyan

Fri, Nov 27 2020, 10:28 am

amother [ Salmon ] wrote:

Can you ask them for a regular key? I have done that a bunch of times

Many hotels don't have regular keys, only key cards.

saralem

Fri, Nov 27 2020, 10:43 am

We once went for a hotel shabbaton and they gave us a large magnetic strip to put over the lock. We put everything valuable in the safe. Worked fine.

ra_mom

Fri, Nov 27 2020, 11:50 am

The easiest is to place a magnet over the door post, where the tongue goes in. It keeps the door from locking, but it look like it's locked to people passing by.

Or use gum to stick on your key card over the tongue that locks the door.

Here's another cool method.
https://youtu.be/I5mXD8twKOs

amother

Bronze

Fri, Nov 27 2020, 11:56 am

Can you take the magnet out when you sleep or it triggers something that is asur on Shabbos?

amother

Aubergine

Fri, Nov 27 2020, 12:08 pm

Very important to put the Do Not Disturb/Do Not Clean thing on the door, or maintenance will take it off.

Also, you need to know what functions are connected to your door. In some places, opening the door shuts the climate control and closing it restarts it. (This is even more often true for balcony doors, if you have one.) If you are covering sensors on the door, you may not have climate control.

mizle10

Fri, Nov 27 2020, 12:14 pm

ra_mom wrote:

Why gum and not tape? Eww.

amother

Black

Fri, Nov 27 2020, 12:48 pm

If there's a small space under the room door, tye a long rope (bathrobe belt?) on the inside door handle and when you leave the room make sure you can reach it from outside (leave just a little near the bottom of the door). when you need to get inside, Reach for the rope and pull so that the door handle inside opens the door for you!

Last edited by amother on Fri, Nov 27 2020, 1:13 pm; edited 1 time in total

ra_mom

Fri, Nov 27 2020, 1:11 pm

mizle10 wrote:

Why gum and not tape? Eww.

Because you need to put it on and take it off on shabbos when tape isn't used.
Also, for the times you forgot to plan ahead and this is all you have Wink

FranticFrummie

Sat, Nov 28 2020, 1:52 pm

You need to plan ahead, in case your door method fails on Shabbos.

I had to do a 3 day convention once, and I needed to take DD with me when she was 6yo. It was an adventure figuring everything out, and it was fun showing DD all the ways we can keep Shabbos and still enjoy the festivities.

Go to the front desk before Shabbos, and have them write a note down for your room. If you find you can't get in, you can hint to whoever is on staff that "It is Shabbos, and the door to my room is locked. Wink

"

Hotels are actually really used to this, and are more than happy to send someone to your room with a key card to let you in.

Be aware that a lot of the bathrooms in public areas have motion controlled flushing toilets, motion control sinks, and electric hand dryers. Use the bathroom in your own room to avoid needing the public ones.

If your hotel has electronic sliding doors, wait for a non-Jew to pass through, and then dash through on their heels. You may have to wait awhile if the hotel is not busy, so keep that in mind.

(It also helps to have a prepaid tab at the bar when you need a cocktail!)

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