Apartments with a Shabbat lift
Above the second or third floor, a Shabbat lift stops being a convenience and becomes the difference between a workable stay and a very long weekend. In Israel most residential towers have one and it runs automatically over Shabbat and Yom Tov. In Miami Beach and Surfside it is common in the buildings along the water. Elsewhere it is the exception, and you should assume there is not one unless the host says otherwise.
Even where a building has one, the details vary: which floors it stops at, whether it runs on Yom Tov as well as Shabbat, and whether it is the only lift or one of several. Ask.
What to check before you book
- Confirm the lift exists AND that it operates on the days you are staying.
- Ask which floors it serves — some stop only at odd or even floors.
- Check how many flights you would face if it is out of service.
- For a high floor with no Shabbat lift, ask whether a lower option is available instead.