For large orthodox Jewish families, the holidays can be a strain. Not only is there a kugel to be baked, there are guests to accommodate. In Brooklyn, this is the norm. Zalman Glauber, a 35-year-old father of five in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, saw an opportunity where a problem existed.
Six weeks ago, Glauber and his partner, Zelig Weiss, opened the 35-room Condor Hotel in Williamsburg, which targets observant Jews who don't travel on the Sabbath or major holidays, and prefer a hotel to accommodate their needs. Glauber tells the Daily News that the hotel is a block from both a shul and kosher food. Rooms rates start at $159.
The Daily News also reports that the "idea of a niche hotel for Orthodox Jews had already been tested in Borough Park, which has at least two." Demand for the Condor has already been strong, Glauber says.
This hotel has amenities (or lack thereof) particularly focused on Hasidic Jews: there are no TVs in the rooms and no Bibles. However, there are stands for the wigs traditionally worn by married Hasidic women. Note: The concierge at the front desk speaks Yiddish. However, don't call them from sundown to sunset on the Sabbath (Friday evening through Saturday evening), because nobody will answer (use of phones and other electrical devices on the Sabbath is a no-no for observant Jews).
The hotel also has a 3,000-square-foot ballroom in the basement (including separate entrances for men and women). We think this hotel wil have a booming weddings and bar mitzvahs business.
Brooklyn continues to churn out new hotels. The Daily News reports that "while five years ago, the borough had just 600 hotel rooms, there are now 2,400, with up to 900 more under construction."