From a Kosher Today report:
La Jolla, CA – Guests planning to spend Pesach at the luxury Hilton La Jolla were jolted this week when they learned that the Prime Experience has cancelled the holiday program.
According to several guests who contacted Kosher Today, they received an e-mail notifying them that the program had been cancelled less than four weeks from the first Seder. It was not clear whether Prime was relocating the program to another location. One report said that the program would be relocated to a luxury hotel in New Mexico, but this could not be confirmed.
Prime had announced the new 2017 location in San Diego with a great deal of fanfare even highlighting the fact that it was “Zika Free.” With prices beginning at nearly $5,000 per person, it was considered one of the most luxurious Pesach programs for 2017. The Prime Experience is part of the Prime Hospitality Group, owned by Joey Allaham, that includes The Prime Grill and Prime at the Bentley Restaurants and the Prime Butcher Shop.
THE FOLLOWING IS BASED ON A NEW YORK POST REPORT:
Organizers of a Pesach getaway for 700 New Yorkers say they feel passed over after a California hotel allegedly canceled their stay despite a $1 million deposit.
Joseph Allaham, of kosher steakhouse Prime Grill, has organized Pesach trips under his Prime Experience brand since 2014.
This year, his lawyer Mark J. Heller claims, Allaham booked a 10-day event at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines in San Diego back in November, but “the Hilton organization refuses to honor their commitment to host this event or to return the proceeds they received as an advance.” He says one family paid $230,000 to bring all their kin on the April trip meant to include guest speakers, rabbis, a kids’ camp and entertainers.
Heller told us, “Just as the pharaohs in ancient days caused the Israelites to suffer and endure starvation, the Hilton management in La Jolla . . . has chosen to ‘pass over’ . . . [guests] by refusing to welcome them.”
The dispute is now headed to arbitration in California.
A Hilton spokesperson said it “does not comment on matters in pending litigation. The rules applicable to the arbitration which the hotel filed in California against the Passover group prohibit us from further comment.”
Something is missing here. Why/how can the Hilton just cancel their agreement and keep the money? I hope the Prime has a very good lawyer.
If Hilton Inc. had a boycott levied against the corporation, boy will they come around! They will inevitably claim that this is an independent facilty and has no direct connection to the brand name it carries – a general boycott will inevitably get the result.
They deserve it!
Five grand a person, per family price would be like a down payment on a house. Wouldn’t it be more productive to stay at home and save the money or perhaps even donate to tzedaka. It’s their money and they spend it as they see fit? – fine, then why should the rest of us shed tears for these guys’ ruined vacations?!
Please people! You gotta know the whole story!
Not just one side of it !
Abe