Reply To: Out Of The Mailbag: (Cautionary Story About Hotels)

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#650068
tostien
Member

I know exactly which hotel the poster is referring to… I was there not too long ago. Outside of the food being kosher under a very reliable name, it ends there.

I can understand that non-frum people go there and don’t keep Shabbos. I don’t expect the hotel to exclude people on that basis, but I do expect a hotel which advertises in frum newspapers and sends letters to frum shuls about themselves to at least be frum-friendly.

One of the most offensive things were that they have someone playing the keyboard on Shabbos in the lobby. My wife asked him if he could instead come over and sing to our kids (we were the only ones in the lobby). It turned out he wasn’t Jewish, and perhaps they have ‘kosher’ arrangements with how he’s paid, but it’s still inappropriate for such an organization to do.

The other most offensive thing was that in terms of keeping mitzvos, you’re on your own. Work around their meal schedule, bring your own siddur, arrange with other patrons for a minyan… there’s no davening schedule and it would be impossible to daven with a minyan and eat your seudahs at a regular time.

There was also kol isha for the after Shabbos entertainment and drinks for sale during the Shabbos afternoon entertainment.

On the other hand, on Friday and Sunday we had the pool to ourselves. There’s an indoor and outdoor pool and we were able to go in as a family… had it been busy, it would have been a problem. No separate men’s and women’s hours.

If you go up with a frum group, I hear it isn’t a problem and they are accommodating. However, it’s really a shame because the place is so large and could be attracting such a larger clientele by being truly Shomer Shabbos.