Once you have made up your mind to take that much-needed Pesach vacation you have to decide on the right Passover resort for your family. A lot of people become really frustrated during this process because there are so many fabulous resorts available.
We are going to try to make the choice of the resort easier for you to do by sharing some advice from other vacationers.
1. Destination Location
The first consideration for your Passover resort is going to be the location of that resort. You have to decide what country you want to visit. You generally will also have to decide what part of that country you want to stay in because there are Passover resorts scattered across almost every country, county, and region in the world.
2. Make a Dream List
One way to narrow down the location of choice is for you to make a dream list of all of the locations you and your family want to visit. This is very fun if you get the entire family involved.
Have a family meeting and propose making the vacation destination dream list.
Give everyone time to think about where they would like to travel and what they would like to see. Plan the next meeting for a few days later so everyone has time to think. Ask them to write down their suggestions, and the reason they chose that particular place. Limit the number of suggestions to two or possibly three.
At the next meeting make a list of all of the locations by compiling the lists of the family members. Make a star or a note beside any location that is suggested more than once. Discuss amongst the members the reasons why certain locations were chosen, like to see national monuments or to see somewhere and experience a culture you have never experienced before.
Then you can write the names of the locations that received the greatest number of suggestions. Place the pieces of paper into a bowl or hat and shake them up. Allow the youngest member of the family, or the oldest member of the family, to reach into the bowl and pull out one slip of paper. The destination on that slip of paper will be your family vacation destination for that year.
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3. Resort Requirements
Now that you know where you are going you are ready to start choosing the resort you plan to stay at. In order to find accommodations that everyone in your group will be happy with you need to make a list of requirements. You can get the entire family involved in this list creation, or the adults can decide the most important requirements.
Consider the following:
- Will you want a private family seder or to join a dining room of seder participants? Does the resort you are considering offer the option?
- Will you want a room that is like a hotel room or do you want a suite of rooms with a living area and possible dining area?
- Is the resort located close to activities like water parks, beaches, great shopping, golf courses, theme parks that your family will be excited to visit?
- Does the resort offer teen or youth programs to help keep the young people entertained and educated on the religious reason for the Pesach holiday?
- Does the resort offer entertainment that will interest your family?
- Is the resort pet friendly?
- Will there be access to child care services if the adults in the party wish to go out at night and leave the children at the resort?
- Does the resort have swimming pools?
- Does the resort offer exercise equipment or spa treatments?
- Are there private cabins available or does the establishment have rooms on floors like a hotel?
4. The Food
Part of the problem with taking a Passover vacation is making sure the place you are staying observes the Jewish traditions and keeps the food chametz free, and Passover kosher. You will need to research the resort by visiting your travel website or going to the website of the hotel and resort and looking for this information.
You can also email any questions you have using the contact us a portion of the resort website. Ask specific questions to see if the establishment is going to be perfect for your vacation.
5. The Cost
The cost of the vacation is going to vary depending on location and the type of resort you wish to stay at. If you want a five-star luxury resort then you will pay a higher price than people who would be happy with a three-star resort.
The best way to consider if you want five-star or can accept three-star is to decide if you plan to spend more time at the hotel or in the locale towns and villages.
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Final Thought
The process of choosing is one that many families spend an entire year doing. As soon as they return from one vacation, they begin to plant their next adventure.
