Shabbat & Minyanim at Baha Mar
There are a few things to know about spending Shabbat and Minyanim at Baha Mar.
- Friday night Shabbat meals at Cinkō must be reserved and paid for in advance. Kosher guests should not show up at the restaurant day of and expect the restaurant to have meals for you for this prearranged meal. I advise making all of your restaurant reservations at the time of booking.
- Friday night Shabbat candles are available to light inside Cinkō on the lower level.
- There is usually a minyan Friday night and Shabbat day inside Cinkō hosted by the Chabad rabbi and/or the mashgiach, or both. Sometimes the minyanim can be held at the nearby Chabad house (about a 10-15 min walk from the lobby).
- Minyanim, for both Shabbat and weekdays, are generally coordinated by the Chabad, mashgiach, and guests on WhatsApp in this group.
- Please keep in mind that minyanim cannot be guaranteed as it will be entirely dependent on having enough Jewish guests on the property at a given time.
- While the hotel does not offer Shabbat keys, they do offer special magnetic strips that allow for entry without needing a special key, or to carry anything.
- There is no Shabbat elevator (that we are aware of) at Baha Mar (subject to change). Staff at Baha Mar is super friendly and mostly understanding of the Sabbath / Shabbat / Shabbos if you need to hint at an elevator helper.
- In terms of carrying / eruv issues, the local Chabad holds that as long as you’re staying on the premises of the large Baha Mar resort complex, carrying is not an issue. Leaving the property and/pr heading onto the public beach are not advised if you’re carrying. Please consult your rav for specific advice in this regard.
Feel free to read up on related Shabbat and Yom Tov halachic guidelines for hotel guests in this article.
- It is important to note about meals on Shabbat day as both Cinkō and KNOSH are closed, including on Saturday nights most of the year:
- Preorder your Shabbat boxed lunches; pickup at Cinko. Confirm what times they’ll be available when making your order.
- To-go kosher meals at Cafe Madeline can be ordered via room service in advance and delivered to your room on Shabbat day OR you can pick up these meals and store them in your room. If your room does not have a fridge or kitchen, you can request a small fridge from the hotel for a small fee. I recommend doing this for both Shabbat day breakfast and Seudah Shlishit.
- The only kosher food available Motzei Shabbat for most of the year will be ice cream (not CY) at Sugar Factory. It is possible that Cinkō may open Saturday nights when Shabbat ends earlier.
