A harrowing incident took place this Shabbos afternoon in Hunter Mountain when a contingent of law enforcement officials forced a Lakewood family of over 30 people, including 20 young children, amongst them two with special needs, to leave a Hotel on Shabbos afternoon.
The family shared the experience exclusively with TheLakewoodScoop.com.
The family related, the Hunter Lodge, a Bluebird by Lark hotel in Hunter Mountain NY, called in the Hunter PD, Greene County Sherrifs and NY State Troopers to evict a large family staying at the hotel for Shabbos.
The hotel’s complaint? There were prayers in the room and the kids were too noisy.
We called the hotel before we booked telling them that we were coming with a large group, including many children. We booked many rooms, including one large apartment with a large kitchen and eating area.
Within a few hours of us arriving, the front desk started telling us that our kids were not allowed to leave their rooms. They threatened that they were going to ask us to leave. We made every effort to keep our kids inside the rooms, and have them accompanied by an adult in the common areas.
However, the front desk repeatedly kept coming over to us that the children were leaving their rooms and stated that we are not allowed to leave our rooms.
Note that this was during the day on Shabbos, and there was almost nobody else in the hotel.
This is the story from one of the family members:
“At around 2pm they began on insisting that we leave. We explained to them that we couldn’t leave on Shabbos, and that we had nowhere to go.
The hotel then called the Hunter PD. Soon the Green County Sheriffs and State Police arrived as well. We explained our predicament to them, and that we would leave right after Shabbos. However the hotel management insisted that we would need to vacate the property immediately. When we told the cops that we simply couldn’t leave on Shabbos, they said they have enough cuffs in all different sizes, and that they would take us to the precinct in shifts.
There is a Jewish family that has a home around 25 minutes walk from the Hotel.
Being that there were many children who couldn’t make the 25 minute walk, the Police were going to transport them in their vehicles. The children were traumatized and refused to enter the police cars. The police then brought in a trolley to transport the mothers and little children.
The experience was dreadful, and traumatizing particularly for the children”
Apparently there have been a number of such incidents at this hotel with Jewish guests. If you know anybody that has had a similar experience please email hoteleviction@gmail.com
In case you were wondering why there are no negative reviews for this hotel, the family says that all of their negative reviews have been removed by the hotel.”
They have almost no way of removing a Google Review. The should be going that route.
Yea its actually pretty easy to get reviews removed
Horrible story, everyone reading this should go to Trip Advisor .com and leave a 1 star review. Trust me it will affect there bottom line.
Flood their Google maps profile with 1 star reviews
Reviews on google maps won’t be removed that easily .
Wonder how many people reading this will take the time to leave one
Your right, going to leave review now on their good work at keeping the place quiet
100% true story.
I personally know them!
I’d caution anyone reading reading this to consult their Rav before committing a chillul haShem by leaving a review when they didn’t witness the event.
The issue could very well be antisemitism. But the writer says they had to “keep coming over to us that the children were leaving the rooms.” Why did the staff have to come over? Were the parents unaware? Were they away from the children?
The police were wrong and traumatized the children! There is no excuse for that. But the hotel staff had no more control of the police than they did of the children.
Please consider if you’re harming the hotel or yourself by posting negatively.
There are two sides to every story. I’d like to hear more about these events. How many is ‘many rooms’. We’re the children running amok without adult supervision? Inquiring minds and all that.
None of these accusations warrant threats of cuff and putting children in police cars. Absolutely horrible.
I agree with you 100 percent.
Right now the FBI is investigating LA County Sheriff’s deputies for several violent encounters.
Many stories have two sides however it is not sensitive to state that. I don’t mean to compare this situation to the Holocaust but there many countries said there are two sides to every story.
Stop minimizing the Holocaust by comparing events such as this to a genocide.
A holocaust starts with things like this, so this is not a minimization of the Holocaust. Hitler ym”sh could not have done it without the hate of the average private German citizen.
Leave negative reviews where they will be more believed and seen: on Google Maps. And leave an explanation of what happened, not just a 1 star rating, so people reading know why you gave it that rating and can be more informed to make their own decision of where to stay.
Leaving reviews on the company website is wasted as they moderate what goes active on the actual webpage. By Google Maps there’s less that they can do.
Put your whole story (that you expressed above) there and help others who may want to go there with their active children!
In case anyone wants to leave a “review” 😉
Search “Hunter Lodge”
How honest is it to leave a review for an accommodation you never stayed at? Two wrongs don’t make it right.
Probably Not the whole story however it’s not like hotels have only docile guests….. Parties and noise are the norm.When its quiet they are losing money…..
Sounds like this hotel will soon be sold to Frum yidden – pretty much the way many other hotels that didnt cater to yidden
is there no way to engage the local and state police who should have records of exactly what the proprietors claim was and if it was true and well founded? and why don’t they have a chaplain or community liaison who can tend to the religious needs of members of different communities? not everyone in this country or in that state is expected to be WASP!
I have a very hard time believing that a hotel will thru out such a large group with the authorities involved
I’ve been to hotels and to lots of places where yidden had their kids with them and I’m sorry to say that the kids do not act in a proper way, and are not being controlled by their parents whatsoever
I don’t blame the hotel for taking action. If it wasn’t justable, the authorities would not have allowed it to happen
Just my opinion
Nebach that a Yid could be so heartless. Especially during the three weeks when we’re supposed to increase our ahavas Yisroel.
So because it’s the 3 weeks you are not allowed to find out what really happened & hear the other side before passing judgement? I doubt this is what Yiddishkeit had in mind for “Ahavas Yisroel”
Your allowed to find out, but before finding out, don’t state “I don’t blame the hotel for taking action, if it wasn’t justifiable the authorities would’t have allowed it to happen”
There’s no justification to harm young children (even if the parent’s might have been wrong)
Agreed.
Uber ver zugt az Dave iz a Yid?
Just tried leaving a review. Google didn’t let. Try it yourself
When did you stay there? Are you reviewing a hotel you never stayed at on a one sided story ?
Totally agree with you. We need to hear the other side of the story.
If only the lakewood scoop would write up one of the many stories of malpractice being done too often by a regional trauma center that is called a hospital. This is a matter of life and death so people can be informed in case of emergency. This is actually a matter of life and death.
I agree!
This should be big news!!!
Not malpractice chalila just trying to make $$$ like making it almost impossible to transfer out to a REAL hospital pulling every trick in the book like not taking any calls from the other hospital, refusing to share medical records. Beware. You go there your stuck!
Interesting point. But that doesnt discount the malpractice.
how can one be informed to know which hospital to go to in case of emergency? Any advice?
Please elaborate. Where’s is this?
jersey shore
100%!!!
You’d be surprised what a concerned parent is capable of. I’ve had both good and bad experiences there. The bad could’ve gone tragically bad if not for me standing my ground and an angel Doctor who took action when I did.
True!
Good for you that you were not being manhandled whike you were trying to advocate for your family member. Unfortunately, there are too many stories where even with advocating there was not such a favorable outcome.
I’d love to hear the other side. It seems very unusual. But of course we’ll chalk it up to “Antisemitism”
I’ve stayed in many hotels & never had an issue.
Did they light candles or cook food in an area where it’s not allowed? I’ve seen numerous times where the Yidden refused to follow the rules (because we know better) & ended up getting thrown out.
Right.
First we question the veracity of unzerrer.
They must have been really bad to deserve an entire police escort.
You make me wretch.
I’m not questioning anyone. I’m just an honest person who wants to hear the whole story before passing judgement.
(& Sadly I’ve seen too often when Jews are playing the “Antisemitism” card their half truths & exaggerations know no bounds.)
I just posted a bad review To make sure nobody ends up in this hotel again.
Just curious, what right do have to post a review on a place YOU never stayed about a story YOU didn’t experience? What is wrong with everyone?
& what if you find out it was not as we were told & their behavior warranted being thrown out?
they can request from google to lock the reviews if too many people from same story leave negative review.
Something doesn’t smell right. The police wouldn’t get involved if they everything was kosher.
Any idea how many rooms the took? The hotel clearly says 2 ppl per room. Was that so? Or did the stuff more into rooms? Usually you need to rent a party room with a big party did that happen? Seems like it was a big party. I’m sure there is more to it
Let’s assume your right, Does that justify throwing a large group of children in the street on Shabbos?
They couldn’t wait a few hours for them to leave?
That depends on the situation. Many Yidden have gotten too fat in the Golde Medina that they expect everyone to cater to us.
If a hotel has a legitimate reason to throw them out & the police agree no one cares about your “Sabbath” or what you can or can’t do.
In Sedom they didn’t either care. A few loud children in a hotel doesn’t warrant them being thrown in the street. Sedom had many “Legitimate” reasons for acting the way they did & Hashem didn’t accept those “reasons”. Even if they had a legal right to send them out, that doesn’t give them a moral right to do so.
Clearly says 8 per room in the Chalet suite.
Hmm how many Chalet suites are there at the lodge? So these guest discussed their large party with mgmt prior to booking. I’m sure they agreed to observe occupancy limits and control of their children. What happened is still up for speculation.
Their site has no review, but tripadvisor has a lot of negative reviews, especially regarding the manager. Same for kayak, add all your negative comments to both.
The hotel clearly does NOT say 2 per room . The Chalet suite can accommodate up to 8 people and offers a full kitchen plus. Please actually read their website. I did
Is this hotel affiliated with Hunter Biden?
Not sure about Hunter Biden but the hotel definitely has to do with white powder. No not Hunter’s snack left in the White House cubbie but I mean the large amounts of snow, which makes Hunter a very attractive place during snow season…
So because it’s the 3 weeks you are not allowed to find out what really happened & hear the other side before passing judgement? I doubt this is what Yiddishkeit had in mind for “Ahavas Yisroel”
I just left a negative review on Google maps. I’m apparently the first to do so and it definitely posted.
Hope they have written or email confirmation of the rooms and arrangements. If paid with credit card(s) I would request/ demand at least partial refund for non- provided accommodations and services. And file a complaint with NY consumer affairs
I understand that these people didn’t have any bad intentions. However, apparently, they don’t appreciate this type of family noise in that location, and that’s understandable. For your next vacation, consider opting for Airbnb accommodations where you can have your own space.
I think that it can be a chillul hasham to write negative reviews. We don’t have to take over the non-jewish places!
I just reviewed them accordingly on Maps and on Trip advisor. All readers should do the same instead of just shaking your head in disbelief.
To threaten with “cuffs of all sizes” is really not ok and must be dealt with either politically or legally. That said, bringing 20 young children to a hotel which is not accustomed to our sometimes noisy way of life due to our b”H large families, is not smart. It is one thing to do it for an overnight weekday stay, but not for a shabbos where you are locking yourself up with potentially impatient goyish hosts and fellow patrons, for over 26 consecutive hours.
Agreed. I feel really bad for these families and it was terribly wrong of the hotel and police. At the same time lets all take it as a reminder that ka”h large families locked up for a whole Shabbos in a non-Jewish environment causes problems. I’ve seen it myself. Sometimes families aren’t careful to keep the hotel rules and laugh them off or try to get around them when the staff ‘aren’t looking’. Other times they try to be careful but don’t understand non-Jewish hotel ettiquette (ppl are expected to be very quiet, polite…). And sometimes even with the most careful parents, kinderlach cause noise, mess and action bh. To the traumatized families that were chased out, we really feel for you. To the rest of us, let this be a cautionary tale.
Hmm cops wear cameras, I’d love to see the replay of that comment about handcuffs in many sizes.
The fabricated negative reviews are a tremendous chillul Hashem. If the hotel staff have an antisemitic disposition then the fake reviews will certainly solidify it (the fake reviews are outrageously scathing and clearly authored by Jews). The family should hire a lawyer and the judicial system will take care of it.
For some reason my carefully written reply from last night wasn’t posted, so in the interest of brevity I’m validating much of what lakewood mom & josh wrote. Both made very good points, not least the fact that posting many fake negative reviews will be a chillul Hashem & only increase their hate for us.
And while hotel management & police definitely were too heavy-handed in dealing with whatever issues existed, I find it very troubling that Yidden “aren’t careful to keep the rules, laugh them off and try to get around them” and that they “don’t understand non-Jewish hotel etiquette, like being quiet and polite”. Rabbosai, what have we come to? Laughing off rules and trying to get around them…because we’re above the law? Not being quiet and polite in public places?…it isn’t about non-Jewish etiquette, it’s about lack of respect for others. We are supposed to be a “light unto the nations”. What kind of examples are we setting?
The three weeks are supposed to be a time of tikun. Menchlichkeit would be a good place to start. Are we listening to Hashem’s messages?
I doubt this family didn’t follow etiquette with malicious intent. It is impossible to keep 20 children locked up for 26 hours. My family had such a shabbos with far more adults per child than this party, and it was a shorter winter shabbos, and still it was difficult to adhere to hotel etiquette. The idea of making such a shabbos in a goyish hotel needs to be reconsidered. However I can’t believe they did anything that warranted the response – I have no doubt that was out of proportion.
What you describe as ‘hotel etiquette’ is really terms and conditions specified when you sign in. Read the fine print. If minor children must be accompanied by an adult when on the premises follow through. Don’t book into an accommodation that doesn’t even have a playground if you are bringing many kids. Figure out ahead of time how you will handle these restrictions.
For those who mistakenly believe that any credit card charge can be challenged, be aware that the hospitality industry is granted special exceptions. It is almost impossible to challenge a charge.
I’ve been in a hotel with a large group, a bunch of kids, and we were told we were being too noisy. We were not being noisy. We were very careful about that. There were other non Jewish groups in the hotel that were noisy and they didnt have a problem with them. Unfortunately, this story is very believable. Anti-semitism is alive and well in this golus.
What I’d like to know is did the police ultimately take away the Shomer Shabbat guests off the premises on Shabbat?
WHile I agree the cuffs comment sounds very threatening, I have been at numerous hotels through out the years where I have seen and heard the loudness, rudeness, inconsiderate way that people have let their children run around with no or very little Adult supervision. I have also seen the shared tables that each paying customer is supposed to use to have breakfast, meals, etc that they don’t throw away their garbage, leave it to others to clean up for them?? Is that right or fair? The kids running around with no shoes on in the cafeteria/food area’s, taking all the chairs by the pools, leaving their garbage at the pools as well. I am sure there are plenty of good people too that clean up and take care of their kids, my personal experinece has been, they don’t.
I would love to hear the full other side of the story. If the Scoop can contact them and keep us all posted would be great. If the family in fact acted inappropriately it would be a great learning experience for all. If they overreacted and acted with anti-Semitism we can all know not to patronize this hotel.
The real issue here is the police comment about “cuffs in all sizes”. That’s unprofessional at best, and possibly lawsuit material
It’s easy enough to get a copy of the police report.
I’m not sure how it was paid for, but disputing the credit card charges for throwing you out would at least get your money back…
I have stayed in this hotel many times and had a wonderful experience.
Must be a second side to the story– I have a hard time believing that the staff would order them to stay in their rooms and then call the police. There must be justification.
Hi, I was there on Shabbos and would like to speak to you. Can you please send your contact info to hoteleviction@gmail.com.
Thank you.
As many commented, I am sure there are two sides and the family wasn’t angels. Maybe there was some dishonesty and kids were out of control. But here is the thing. They could have still been senstive enough to say, you can”t throw out little kids on the sabbath. i am sure rooms were paid for till sunday morning. They could have said listen we know its sabbath and 90 degrees outside. From a humanity side of things we will let you stay till after sabbath concludes. However, the second it ends we want you to leave or then we will call the cops. I mean even if they were right a little humanity goes a long way. And its not like they never saw a jew before. They are in the thick of it and fully get the culture.
Kids shoould be suppervised by an adult no matter what!!!!!
if not i gonna send the cop
do you think before you write
dont lookfurther its just simple antisemitism send the police for noise for people that paid
they didnt steal or hadguns
They may have broken the contract they signed when they registered. It always pays to read the fine print.
When looking at the reviews you can add a thumbs up under the review which shows its importance and will show it more to other online viewers
I think it’s time we return to the lifestyle of the past. No, I’m not saying we should return to the 1800’s. How about the 80’s, when you either could afford a bungalow or not. If you couldn’t afford the catskills you stayed home. Further, you were happy with your life, and didn’t spend your time looking across the street.
There’s absolutely zero reason to go to a gentile place and expect them to understand our way of life. I personally find that in Lakewood people give their children much more freedom to roam then say people in Brooklyn. Thus to a Lakewood family the behavior of the children was perfectly normal. However, to someone who believes that children should be quieter they were rowdy and out of control. Remember, they went to a quiet town, they prefer a quiet crowd. I am not saying these yidden did anything wrong. I didn’t see or hear anything that would lead me to believe such. I’m referring to general Lakewood lifestyle, versus other communities. Also asking why the need for such a vacation? I would imagine they couldn’t afford a so called fancier style vacation. If that’s the case, do what your unwealthy parents did in the 80’s.
Thinker, after reading your comment, I’m regretting my previous comment. Perhaps I spoke negatively about Jews falsely. I’m not sure that people laugh off the rules or try to get around them. Maybe I just saw some momentary carelessness. Many people are polite and do keep all hotel etiquette.
my grandfather owned a hotel in germany and the s.a. brownshirts trashed the place and they called the police and the police came but refused to help so his mother said if the police are antisemitic then there is no hope and they left in ’33 way before people realized that his mother was correct in the way she learned the truth from the way the police behaved
To all those doubtful if this was a true event and if there is another side to the story- I don’t blame you . I wouldn’t believe it myself if it didn’t happen to my own brother. They rented 9 rooms. When told to leave they offered to all stay in one room until nightfall- and the police responded we have enough handcuffs for all in all sizes.
The reason it’s hard to believe is bec it so truly outrageous. But it’s true. As a person who hates when people use antisemitism as an excuse for any thing and everything- I can’t seem to find any other reason. The fact that the PD followed up and supported this outrage is the more worrisome part of this story. There is no chillul HaShem in leaving a bad review. What they did was disgusting.
I think there are still a lot of blanks. With a group this large did they have one central contact person who interfaced with hotel management? There is no timeline to any of this except for the arrival of law enforcement. And I truly wonder about this great neighbor who had room to put up 20-30 adults (reported numbers vary) and numerous children only one mile away from the hotel. When the reservations were made was the management of the hotel notified that there were going to be special needs children who may have needed accommodation?
believe it or not, there are yidden in klal yisroel who will bend over backwords for you even if its uncomfortable for them. You dont need to give prior notification of disabilities to be treated decently.
I agree with you tl, I don’t find the generosity of the frum incredible. If local accommodations were available with a frum family that could house apx 50 adults and children, why go to a hotel?
I stand by my prior comment. I’m sorry about what happened to your family, but to suggest that people should make statements they didn’t witness, and tell them that it’s not a chillul haShem? Have you gotten their Rav’s permission to harm the business on your behalf?
Reach out to the police. Reach out to the company. But don’t suggest that others speak against something they have no knowledge of.
Wow Amil Zola, are you always so dan lekaf zechus or only to defend goyim?
Is there anything anyone can say that would get you to not look so negatively at Jews?
I’m not , chas vesholom, suggesting you even think bad about goyim. Oh no. But maybe just lighten up a drop about how absolutely terrible Jews are?
My thoughts exactly. Self hating Jew.
Thanks, I just won a bet with my pal. I figured at least one person would call me a self hating Jew for my post. Ignore the reality that it’s likely these guests violated their contract with the inn.