Author Topic: Pesach Hotel Experiences  (Read 68993 times)

Offline Dave321

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #180 on: April 26, 2017, 02:13:39 PM »
Any ball park price range for 2 rooms?

around 6-7k a room. well worth it. you will not go hungry here.

also theres no food grabbing or anything like that which ive seen in other programs.

Offline Denverite

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #181 on: April 26, 2017, 05:04:16 PM »
We stayed at the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem (rooms free on points, including breakfast) and had to pay for any other meals.  I wrote in detail and posted pictures in the WA Jerusalem thread.  Seders were about $250 per adult and $200 per kid.  I thought it was amazing and all the food was insanely good.  You could save where you wanted to by not doing the big buffets for lunch or all the evening meals (for one Friday night we had matzah and wine ready  in the room and ordered room service sandwiches right before candle lighting).  They've blocked standard rooms for the 1st and last days of Yom Tov but Chol HaMoed March 25-29 is still open.  Considering they gave us an upgrade, a free roll-away bed and fridge and it includes a ridiculously amazing breakfast (that served as our Yom Tov lunch a few days) it was the deal of the century...if any of you are sitting on free night certs and HHonors points, I'd book it and then you could always decide what you wanted to do for the other nights later or cancel it with no penalty. 

Even if you paid $600 per night for for the other 4 nights of Yom Tov next year and got the seders and paid for every Shabbat Yom/Tov meals for next year (it is only 8 total meals because Shabbat falls out on Yom Tov but I think you could easily get away with not paying for every dinner and lunch) you could probably do the whole thing for about $3500 total for two people or $4500 for 2 adults and one kid in the same room. 

Again, you could spend way less by making other arrangements for some of the meals.  You'd get breakfast every day, seriously 5 star food (no kitniyot, non-gebrokst) and there are tons of mehadrin restaurants open where dinner won't cost you that much.  We had an amazing trip, got to do so many fun things also, earned tons more HHonors points from what we did spend and didn't feel stuck to one dining room on a program, I highly recommend it and hope others can book before they block these standard rooms!

Offline shiframeir

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #182 on: April 26, 2017, 05:40:13 PM »
Relax. Plaza isn't 5 Star (maybe 3.5) and meals aren't Le Marais/Loft quality
maybe you didnt visit for pesach. as a bochur i wasnt so impressed with their food 15 years ago, but they were on their a-game and the truth is their food was better than loft and les marais (in my calculation those places are mid-range luxury restaurants). Though the buffet lunches dont have the special signature apps/soups that put the dinners over the top, overall it comes to loft quality (not real aged steaks, but as good as they could be).

Offline damaxer91

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #183 on: April 27, 2017, 09:22:54 AM »
maybe you didnt visit for pesach. as a bochur i wasnt so impressed with their food 15 years ago, but they were on their a-game and the truth is their food was better than loft and les marais (in my calculation those places are mid-range luxury restaurants). Though the buffet lunches dont have the special signature apps/soups that put the dinners over the top, overall it comes to loft quality (not real aged steaks, but as good as they could be).

Maybe they've upped it in the last year but I've spent several YT's there and was never impressed with anything other than Primavera. Back in the day Jimmy Carter used to come eat at Primavera pretty often (Shalom Kadosh is his favorite Chef) and the UN used to take care of the tab for him. Even the Arab waiters used to joke about it.

And as per the 5 Star hotel, don't even think its 4 stars by the old Soviet system

Offline shiframeir

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #184 on: April 27, 2017, 06:04:22 PM »
Maybe they've upped it in the last year but I've spent several YT's there and was never impressed with anything other than Primavera. Back in the day Jimmy Carter used to come eat at Primavera pretty often (Shalom Kadosh is his favorite Chef) and the UN used to take care of the tab for him. Even the Arab waiters used to joke about it.

And as per the 5 Star hotel, don't even think its 4 stars by the old Soviet system
Its 4 stars for Israel. I stayed for shabbos at the Waldorf. the WA rooms themselves of course blow the plaza away, but they dont have the views the plaza has (we really loved the big balcony). Also some rooms in the plaza are relatively recently renovated (i got one) and it was comfortable and pleasant with a nice robe and slippers, though not blown away like in the WA. classic israeli 4 star that would be 3.5 in NY.
I eat a lot of good and expensive food regularly (i'm sure you do too, just noting my "bona fides" as a fatty :)). and the food at the Plaza was better and more impressive than the food at the Waldorf. the Service and styling of where you eat at the waldorf was much better, and the wine selection was better too. but i think the plaza wins on food quality and interesting menus with some great non-traditional choices.

Offline yuneeq

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Offline shiframeir

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #186 on: December 18, 2017, 08:58:25 PM »
ok if one has to go away and flights/points are not an issue, where does one go for pesach? Unfortunately Israel is not in the cards this year, so somewhere relatively close to NYC. Thinking about atlantis (since its rare to be able to go with so much good kosher food) since its big and on sale. any other programs to consider where there are lots of rooms and i could haggle for a decent price?

Offline Denverite

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #187 on: December 18, 2017, 10:00:09 PM »
ok if one has to go away and flights/points are not an issue, where does one go for pesach? Unfortunately Israel is not in the cards this year, so somewhere relatively close to NYC. Thinking about atlantis (since its rare to be able to go with so much good kosher food) since its big and on sale. any other programs to consider where there are lots of rooms and i could haggle for a decent price?

If you are willing to wait very last minute, I think you can haggle almost anywhere.  ;D

Offline bobeli

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #188 on: December 18, 2017, 10:05:54 PM »
anyone knows if pesach for less is open this year or any similar priced programs?

Offline Dave321

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #189 on: December 19, 2017, 07:02:56 PM »
ok if one has to go away and flights/points are not an issue, where does one go for pesach? Unfortunately Israel is not in the cards this year, so somewhere relatively close to NYC. Thinking about atlantis (since its rare to be able to go with so much good kosher food) since its big and on sale. any other programs to consider where there are lots of rooms and i could haggle for a decent price?

ive quoted with atlantis and pricing seems extremely high compared to others.

Offline shiframeir

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #190 on: December 20, 2017, 05:30:18 AM »
ive quoted with atlantis and pricing seems extremely high compared to others.
any other ideas based on your diligence? really don't know what's a good price etc.

Offline shiframeir

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #191 on: December 20, 2017, 03:55:59 PM »
ive quoted with atlantis and pricing seems extremely high compared to others.
right now there is a sale, really leaning to it (got quoted 12k for my family of 5 stuffed into one decent room). a little scared bc i've never done this before and i have no idea what to expect. will there be more normal frum/modox people like me who go to atlantis for pesach, or only much more modern people? will i have any sort of good davening/yomtov feeling if right outside they are running around in bathing suits? will food be top level bc its Kosherica or is it really kind of their secondary pesach program so i will be disappointed?

Offline Dave321

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #192 on: December 21, 2017, 06:55:39 PM »
right now there is a sale, really leaning to it (got quoted 12k for my family of 5 stuffed into one decent room). a little scared bc i've never done this before and i have no idea what to expect. will there be more normal frum/modox people like me who go to atlantis for pesach, or only much more modern people? will i have any sort of good davening/yomtov feeling if right outside they are running around in bathing suits? will food be top level bc its Kosherica or is it really kind of their secondary pesach program so i will be disappointed?

all good questions. I like to stick to a reputable place such as gateways, greenwald and on the high end KMR. I also hear VIP tours by trump doral is excellent. stick to reputable places and realize you get what you pay for. the first three programs have more of a yeshivish crowd tho...

Offline Srsy

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #193 on: January 07, 2018, 10:07:34 PM »
Anyone went to Losinj, Croatia (Hotel Bellevue) last year?  I am also looking for feedback on Leisure Time Tours in Rome.

Offline plainbachur

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #194 on: January 08, 2018, 07:20:31 AM »
anyone knows if pesach for less is open this year or any similar priced programs?
chef avrumi flam from lakewood making one

Offline A3

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #195 on: January 14, 2018, 10:28:54 PM »
Is there a program in Key Largo this year?
Last year was at https://playalargoresort.com
Thinking about going for second days, but if there's a program may change locations.

Offline bobeli

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #196 on: January 17, 2018, 10:39:13 AM »
chef avrumi flam from lakewood making one
any information on the hashgacha, I didn't find enough information

Offline bobeli

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #197 on: January 21, 2018, 10:09:45 AM »
any recommendation in tristate area with a normal hotel?

Offline E R K

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #198 on: January 21, 2018, 10:21:25 AM »
any recommendation in tristate area with a normal hotel?
What’s “normal hotel”?

Offline ludmila

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Re: Pesach Hotel Experiences
« Reply #199 on: January 21, 2018, 03:44:18 PM »
What’s “normal hotel”?
I think he means not luxury or high end, average rates.
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