Reviews of Passover Hotel Programs?
After reading the review of the Chevra program, below, I'm Looking for reviews and reports about Kosher for Passover hotel programs, from those who participated in them. While the experience is still fresh in your mind, please share your opinions. I'm particularly interested in those in the greater New York/New Jersey area.
Thanks!
Curious
Apr 23, 2006 09:31AM
This is a great post. I hope you get some replies. I've never been to a hotel, but it's always intrigued me, and once our daughters get a little older, I think we might take the plunge.
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I was in Aruba with "Club Kosher" and my husband and I had a wonderful time. Of course, the ocean was awesome and the weather was great but the food was also very good, especially considering it was on Pesach- 3 huge meals each day (not to mention the Tea Room and amazing desserts). And for everyone looking for next year, I highly recommend them- their pretty reasonable.
Link: http://www.clubkosher.com/
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We have been going to VIP Passover's program for seven years at the Arizona Biltmore. The resort is spectacular, historic and has amazing facilities. The setting in Phoenix is surreal. The program is extremely well-run with a very nice crowd of people (from all over the US, Canada, Israel and even the U.K. and Australia. The food is truly amazing and gourmet- really hard to believe it is Pesach.! It is always our best family vacation.
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We are going to be in Scottsdale during Passover but not staying at the Biltmore. Do you know if their seder is available for people that are not part of the program or who I would contact? Also, we are reform and do not keep kosher and tend toward an abbreviated seder. Would this be too much for us? Any advice is much appreciated.
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Usually they have a fee you pay if you want a guest for a meal or seder, so you should ask them.
In terms of the seder, usually these programs have communal seders led by a rabbi or cantor as well as the option of doing it on your own in a separate room with other people who are doing the same. The communal one usually takes longer.
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I would seriously doubt there is any room at the Biltmore. I understand it is waitlisted only and it is always more crowded for the seders as many families want private rooms which take up more space. We always do our "own thing" in a ballroom with other families doing their own thing and you pre-order your dinner before you start your seder and then signal the waitstaff when you are ready to eat, so you are basically going at your own family's pace. While it is not as heimeshe as being in your own dining room with your extended family and friends, IMO it is a very small concession for being away for Passover.
There are two other Passover programs in Phoenix/Scottsdale that I am aware of. The Scottsdale Princess runs a program that many of my firends go to and love. Additionally, I think Lasko runs one at one of the area Marriott's. Last year was the latter's first year. As they say, competition is good for everyone.
In terms of your comments about being reform, I think the level of "observance" (am I being politically correct?) varies from location to location. I know the Biltmore and Princess cater to a modern orthodox crowd, as opposed to other programs which are more to the "right". Our family keeps kosher but we are conservative and have never been made to feel uncomfortable. There are a number of families like ours who keep Passover and are not orthodox, particularly in Toronto, Canada where we are from. Common sense should dictate certain behaviour- ie no cell phones in dining room on the Yom Tov days etc.
Hope you find what you are looking for.
Happy Passover to all.
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I was with WorldWide Kosher at the Hyatt Monterey and would definitely go back. Great price, great food, great staff. The hotel was clean, but not what you would expect from a Hyatt though.
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I think a ballpark figure of cost p/p would be in order in order to compare apples to apples.
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we've stayed at the wyndham hotel in miami its run by leisure time tours, the hotel and roms are nice the food is excellent and very well done as is the tea room, the service is ok and during chol hamoed there is a massive BBQ for lunch
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The Biltmore is definitely more varied than most in terms of observance and more open.
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Anyone know anything more about Club Kosher? This year it is in cancun mexico.
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I'm also curious about club kosher... i am looking to go on one of their trips but haven't been able to find any substantial reviews. also, i'm a little concerned that they don't accept credit cards. any feedback?
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last year club kosher canceled their program a couple weeks before it was to start for some dubious reason. I would be wary.
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interesting. i just signed up to go next week, so hopefully it will be fun. did you end up going to cancun with them or was that the trip that they canceled?
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Just in case you did not see my response below:
Club Kosher never canceled for any dubious reasons. They had their "Passover in Paradise" program in Cancun for many years. It is public knowledge that there was a hurricane which devastated Cancun, and Club Kosher moved their Pesach vacation to Aruba for that one year (there's even a glowing review of it on this board). Unfortunately, they felt that the hotel wasn't properly prepared for the kosher kitchen and for everything that was needed to have a perfect Passover in '07, so rather than give their clients a lesser program, they moved their guests to other accommodating programs, including their competitors. That's not canceling, nor is it dubious. They did the right thing. Now that the Cancun Hilton is 100% ready for the kosher program in '08, Club Kosher is not only back agin where they had their best Pesach events, but myself and many of their long-time guests are returning. Furthermore, it's loshen horah to be using words like "dubious" if you don't know the truth of the circumstances. I have been on several of their trips, and they are ethical, and run what is possibly the best Passover program out there. If you want to understand what a "mensch" means (because there are less and less of them out there), go with Club Kosher and you'll see what I mean.
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Club Kosher never canceled for any dubious reasons. They had their "Passover in Paradise" program in Cancun for many years. It is public knowledge that there was a hurricane which devastated Cancun, and Club Kosher moved their Pesach vacation to Aruba for that one year (there's even a glowing review of it on this board). Unfortunately, they felt that the hotel wasn't properly prepared for the kosher kitchen and for everything that was needed to have a perfect Passover in '07, so rather than give their clients a lesser program, they moved their guests to other accommodating programs, including their competitors. That's not canceling, nor is it dubious. They did the right thing. Now that the Cancun Hilton is 100% ready for the kosher program in '08, Club Kosher is not only back agin where they had their best Pesach events, but myself and many of their long-time guests are returning. Furthermore, it's loshen horah to be using words like "dubious" if you don't know the truth of the circumstances. I have been on several of their trips, and they are ethical, and run what is possibly the best Passover program out there. If you want to understand what a "mensch" means (because there are less and less of them out there), go with Club Kosher and you'll see what I mean.
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They did not "move" people to an adjacent resort, but made them pay the difference. Furthermore, what exactly could have been wrong that they didn't know earlier but they knew 2 weeks before Pesach began? They should have known the status of the hotel months before when they started advertising it.
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For the last 2 years,we have spent chol hamoed and the last days of Yom Tov at the Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch,NJ,run by Matza Fun Tours.It is only between an hour to about one and a half hours from Brooklyn. The hotel is right on the boardwalk on the Jersey Shore,near Deal. The hotel is gorgeous. The first things you see upon walking into the hotel are a grand piano and a lovely fountain. The rooms are spacious,modern and clean. The toiletries are attractive . Liquid soap and body wash are even thoughtfully included. The food is excellent and plentiful.On Yom Tov and Shabbos, it seems like the food is never ending. On Chal Homoed breakfast and lunch are buffets. This is a wonderful thing as you can sample all and eat more of what you like. For the most part,the flow is fine. There are omelet stations, pancakes,french toast(yes I did say Pesach
program),potatoes,cheeses,lox,whitefish,herring,sable,,fruit,cereal for the kids,smoothies,and more. Lunch included pizza(gebrochts made outside the ballroom),nongebrochts inside,paninis,fish,potatoes,pesach noodles,vegetables,tuna,egg,vegetable,and Israeli salads and more. Dinners generally offered a red meat option,a chicken option a vegetable option and a kids' option.There was generally also a salad course as well as fruit and dessert. The food choices were imaginative and delicious .We loved the soups,both at lunch and dinner. The tea room was generally open before/during breakfast(if you need to take breakfast and go to work-fyi the hotel is near 2 NJ transit stops.), and after meals , into the wee hours of the morning. It offered snacks,dried fruits,cakes,cookies,frozen treats(both dairy and pareve).The tea room is a great place to relax and socialize . Shmurah Matzo is always available. Cholov Yisrael is readily available. The location definitely enhances Yom Tov. Two years ago, Yom Tov was eighty degrees. Kiddush was on the hotel's deck overlooking the ocean . What a wonerful,memorable experience. Chol Hamoed was spent on the beach in good weather. On Yom Tov, the afternoons could be enjoyed by walking on the boardwalk just behind the hotel and (for Shabbos)in an Eruv. The program provided varied enertainment as well. There was a bus for teens to Great Adventure,only about 45 minutes away. There was a day camp with shows on Yom Tov afternoons . They had a carnival for the kidson the second day of Chol Hamoed complete with inflatables ,carnival games and video games. There were air hockey,fooz ball and basketball games for the boys. Adult entertainment was varied as well. There were excellent lecturers,singers and a casino night. There is an indoor pool with mixed and separate hours with a jacuzzi. There is a lovely spa with womens' and mens' sides. People loved the massages. The jacuzzi in the spa was as hot as could be. I loved it. The dry sauna brought me back to Grossinger's days. In case of cool weather, there are malls,movie theatres, and bowling alleys nearby. We recommend it.
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momrn you certainly sound satisfied with the Matza Fun Tours program at Ocean Place resort! I'm wondering what type of crowd it attracts? I'm looking for a place on the east coast that would be comfortable for modern orthodox as well as non-observant family members.
In the past we've gone w/Leisure Time to Nevele but feel the hotel is really going downhill so we're looking for a change.
Thanks!
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sanekosher,we were satisfied. The program attracts a wide range of people from modern to yeshivishe. There were women in pants,women with heads uncovered. On Shabbos/Yom Tov,there were some people dressed down ,using the facilities in the afternoons. There were lectures on a wide range of topic from Israeli and American politics to family dynamics etc-truly something for everyone. There was mixed and separate swim. I definitely think your whole family would be comfortable. Enjoy.
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I've also been with Elite Dimensions in Disney, I thought the food was good. The food was also good with Ma'adan tours at Sanibel Harbor, and Resort Classics tours at various locations. All the crowds were modern, although there were people of all stripes.
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does anyone have any info or a review of any of the las vegas programs? how about the programs in cancun (other than club kosher)? thanks.
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I have travelled with the group sponsoring the Lake Las Vegas Montelago trip. It was fine. I would travel with them again.
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am I like the only one who still stays home for Pesach?
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