To host a Jewish group that keeps kashrut and Shabbat, a hotel does not have to become a kosher hotel. It needs a kitchen (or part of one) for exclusive use during the stay, a hall for meals and Shabbat, a few technical arrangements in the building, and a clear split of costs. The food, the equipment and the supervision come from the team that cooks for the group.
What the hotel provides, and what we do
- The hotel: rooms, an exclusive kitchen or part of one, halls, utilities, housekeeping, reception and a contact person for breakdowns.
- The SEBIR team: koshering the kitchen, our own equipment where the hotel's cannot be koshered, buying certified products, cooking, a mashgiach on site, organizing Shabbat.
- The group's rabbi: sets the kashrut standard. The hotel does not need to know the laws - only to agree to the working rules in the kitchen.
The kitchen: what happens to it
Two days before the group arrives (we agree the exact timing with the group), the kitchen is koshered under a mashgiach: thorough cleaning, boiling water, a blowtorch on selected parts, covered work surfaces. From then on the kitchen works only for the group and is locked when our team is not cooking. Before arrival, the hotel should tell us which surfaces must not be treated with boiling water or heat, and what equipment it has (ovens, dishwashers, fridges). At the end of the stay we agree the condition in which we hand the kitchen back.
Shabbat: what the organizer will ask
From Friday before sunset until Saturday night, guests do not use electrical devices. For the hotel this means a few specific things:
- a metal key or a staff member instead of electronic key cards;
- corridor and stair lights set to stay on, not on motion sensors;
- the hall free from Friday afternoon to Saturday night;
- sockets on separate circuits for platas and urns running about 26 hours;
- a safe place for candles and information about smoke detectors;
- a pause in room cleaning on Saturday, if the group asks.
When the hotel has no free hall for Shabbat or activities, a tent on the grounds can serve as a synagogue, an activity space or a shared Shabbat dining room. Lit from inside (lights switched on before Shabbat), it works in the evening too; in cool weather it needs heating. All it takes is the hotel's consent and space on a lawn or a yard.
The full list we send to venues: Shabbat for a group in a hotel - 10 things to agree.
Day to day
- Hot water and coffee early in the morning - religious guests get up early to pray.
- A fridge in the room is a frequent request.
- Women's and girls' groups: a female lifeguard at the pool is best, and staff dressed modestly.
- Children's and youth groups are active until late - exclusive use or separation from other guests helps.
Costs and written agreements
Before the contract we agree in writing: who pays the hotel for the kitchen, power, water and gas, how many hotel staff help, at what hours and who pays them. In our experience, most misunderstandings on site come from things agreed "on a handshake". Before we sign, we send the hotel a technical questionnaire about the kitchen, power, water, lights and halls.
What the hotel gains
Organizers of Jewish groups go back to venues that have proved themselves, because finding a hotel ready for a kitchen and Shabbat is the hardest part of their planning. A hotel that knows these rules has an advantage with the next enquiry.
Frequently asked questions
Does the hotel need a kosher certificate?
No. The meals are kosher - we prepare them under a mashgiach to the standard set by the group's rabbi. The hotel provides the kitchen, halls and service, but it does not become kosher and should not describe itself that way.
Will koshering damage our kitchen?
It should not. Koshering is mostly thorough cleaning, boiling water, a blowtorch on selected parts and covering work surfaces. Before arrival the hotel tells us which surfaces must not be treated with boiling water or heat, and we replace equipment that cannot be koshered with our own.
Can our staff work as usual?
Yes. Hotel staff work as usual - housekeeping, reception, halls. Our team works in the kitchen with the mashgiach; if the hotel provides extra hands, we agree it in writing.
How early do you need the kitchen?
Usually two days before the group arrives, for koshering - we agree the exact timing with the group.
SEBIR works with hotels and venues in Poland and Europe to host Jewish groups: kitchen, meals, Shabbat and one contact person on our side.
Prepared by the SEBIR team. Since 2023 we have been running kosher kitchens and Shabbat for Jewish groups in Poland and Europe. Last updated: October 2026. If something here is out of date, write to info@sebir.pl - we will check and correct it.