http://www.chronogram.com/issue/2009/2/Lodging/Hudson-Valley-Havens
Hudson Valley Havens
The lobby of the Belvedere Mansion.
The Hudson Valley has long been known as a travel destination for those looking for a break from their hectic lives. It’s not a typical tourist area dotted with motel chains—instead, people come to seek out local business and in return are presented with lodging that suits all personalities. Here, Chronogram profiles lodging choices that are far beyond a room with a view.
A great number of restaurants in the region have created a concept that make local and organic de rigueur, and anything less is becoming unacceptable. Many of the resorts below have adopted the same concept. One hotel that was chosen has an accomplished restaurant that has won a slew of best-of awards.
Some resorts have sprawling properties that take an entire visit to roam—one even has a maze. Most of these featured also have plush spas, even some that are eco-friendly. Buttermilk Falls, one of the more well regarded properties that manager Dan Reyburn says “is neither b&b, hotel, inn, spa. It’s really just not definable,” has a menagerie of animals that roam the property.
Most have stood the test of time—some throughout hundreds of years, while the owners have painstakingly preserved the history, where generations have lived, visited, and created memories. This is about the best of the Hudson Valley’s multiple personalities.
www.mohonk.com
For some, the perfect getaway is not about rest, it’s just about getting away. The Mohonk Mountain House and its 2,200 acres of property with activities around every bend, are ideal for keeping cabin fever at bay. The Victorian castle is perched atop the Shawangunk Mountains, with uncompromising views of the lake. If that doesn’t float your boat (an activity that is also an option) there’s a head-spinning number of things to do, including ice skating, skiing, hiking, swimming, rock climbing, and golf. There’s even a Victorian maze on the property. It’s rumored that Stephen King has paid a visit to the Mohonk to work on his novels. Activities and daily meals, along with afternoon tea are included, but rather than schlepping it to dinner in cargos and flip-flops, gents are required to wear a jacket. And for those who want to wind down, Mohonk has an eco-friendly spa, with an outdoor mineral pool and spa treatments that will make you feel as if you did nothing the entire visit.
www.belvederemansion.com
Antique aficionados will swoon over the one-stop road show at the Belvedere Mansion. Luxurious rooms boasting canopied beds are draped in silk damask, and the fireplaces and antique collection (mostly of the Chinese and European variety) offer the ultimate in neoclassic comfort. The marble bathrooms have claw-foot tubs. But something fascinating is happening at Belvedere—old melds with new in a conglomeration of lodging options. The owner, Patricia Rebraca, offers some interesting tidbits about the Belvedere’s newest addition, the Timbers lodge. “This earthy structure was designed using and inspired by Hudson Valley sources,” she says. The lodge features the modern amenities of a stainless steel kitchen and glass-bowl sinks, combined with natural materials of wood beams, sisal, and a rugged stone fireplace. The Timbers was recently christened by playing host to Anthony Hopkins, who Rebraca says “takes five tea bags in one cup of boiling water to make it strong enough for his liking.”
www.emersonresort.com
The East-meets-West theme at the supremely chic Inn at Emerson Resort and Spa is unique from the outdoorsyness of many Hudson Valley resorts. Each Asian-inspired, jewel-toned room of the 26-room of the Inn is equipped with a gas fireplace, jetted tub, and a private deck. There’s also a 24-bottle in-room wine selection. These touches attract celebrities like the Clintons, Bill Cosby, and Victoria’s Secret and Vogue Italia models. The spa at Emerson specializes in ayurvedic rituals drawing from ancient Indian healing wisdom, along with wellness classes for those seeking rest and rejuvenation. Tamara Murray, public relations director, explained that many of the guests love the property because it’s self-contained (though exploring the area’s outdoor beauty is encouraged). You never need to leave the property to visit the spa or restaurant. Also, the Inn at Emerson is adults-only (but not in that freaky-deaky, hedonistic way), so this is the ultimate retreat. If you can’t manage a sitter then you can bring the kiddies (and the pets) along to the Lodge, the more rustic property located across the road.
www.scribnerhollow.com
To say that Scribner Hollow Lodge is unique would be an understatement. With themed rooms decked out in Southwest-adobe, hunting-lodge, classic ski-duplex, and penthouse-suite styles, the lodge seems almost kitschy, but upscale comfort might be more appropriate. What makes the lodge so loveable is the modesty that it maintains. The über-accomplished on-site restaurant—worth a trip in itself—has been made famous by food and wine magazines across the country. A bathing suit should be packed for the equally fascinating grotto, an indoor, cave-like heated swimming pool that spills over with waterfalls, Jacuzzis, and a sauna. (There’s also an outdoor swimming pool.) Wintertime is king here thanks to skiing in Hunter. The lodge has partnerships and ski packages for their guests. This would be the optimum time to book that classic ski duplex.
The Rhinecliff Hotel
www.therhinecliff.com
Just a quarter mile from the Rhinecliff Amtrak station lies some fascinating musical history. What began as a restaurant in the late 1800s evolved into a boxcar hub where musicians would come to jam. (Miles Davis is rumored to have been one of them.) The dusty dive sadly closed shop by 2003. Five years and $5 million later, James Chapman and his brother David (who often frequented the seedy joint to drink beers and ponder what it might be like to fix the place up) have restored the Rhinecliff Hotel to historic brilliance. They pay homage to the locals by hosting community events, many of which are in the bar. “The bar is the main hangout, but what’s surprising to people is that it’s a relaxed pub atmosphere, and then all of the sudden, some very serious food hits your table,” James Chapman says. The entire hotel maintains this effort. The rooms are fresh and airy with lovely views. There was a recent article about noise from the train. What did James have to say about the commotion? “The Rhinecliff was built because this town was once a transportation hub,” he says. “We embrace that.” They go as far to put earplugs with an endearing note in each room that states “We love trains.”
www.therhinecliff.com
Just a quarter mile from the Rhinecliff Amtrak station lies some fascinating musical history. What began as a restaurant in the late 1800s evolved into a boxcar hub where musicians would come to jam. (Miles Davis is rumored to have been one of them.) The dusty dive sadly closed shop by 2003. Five years and $5 million later, James Chapman and his brother David (who often frequented the seedy joint to drink beers and ponder what it might be like to fix the place up) have restored the Rhinecliff Hotel to historic brilliance. They pay homage to the locals by hosting community events, many of which are in the bar. “The bar is the main hangout, but what’s surprising to people is that it’s a relaxed pub atmosphere, and then all of the sudden, some very serious food hits your table,” James Chapman says. The entire hotel maintains this effort. The rooms are fresh and airy with lovely views. There was a recent article about noise from the train. What did James have to say about the commotion? “The Rhinecliff was built because this town was once a transportation hub,” he says. “We embrace that.” They go as far to put earplugs with an endearing note in each room that states “We love trains.”
www.innatstoneridge.com
There comes a time when you’re too old for your summer-share house. Or you simply can’t endure another family reunion at a cramped cabin in the Poconos. The Inn at Stone Ridge is the lodging aspirin to your group-getaway headache. “We’ve worked to convert from a traditional b&b to a large guesthouse and are designed for big groups,” says Dan Hausprug, the owner. “Weddings are big here, but anything from reunions to girls weekends is not uncommon. Whether it’s a wedding, family reunion, or group-getaway weekend, the inn can be rented nightly, weekly, or monthly.” Built in 1757 and expanded in the late 1800s, this beautiful Dutch stone mansion lies on 150 acres of grounds. Whomever or whatever brings your group here, know that it won’t be the average vacation. How refreshing to take a dip in the almost 100-year-old swimming pool, have a bonfire, or visit the fully operating orchard/farm to pick apples, strawberries, pears, and stone fruits. If that isn’t enough to entice you, there’s always the tavern.
www.beekmandelamaterinn.com
The Beekman Arms has been called America’s oldest operating inn. Built in 1766, the list of powdered-wig-era guests is highly impressive. George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Philip Schuyler, and Benedict Arnold all ate, drank, and slept at the Beekman Arms. From the looks of the common areas, like the Colonial Tap Room, you’d never know much had changed—and that’s a good thing. The open-hearth fireplace, overhead beams, and broad-plank floors look as if time has stood still for the last 250 years. Much of the hotel has been updated and renovated. Yet while the owners have modernized, they’ve maintained the historical colonial relevance, with fireplaces, four-poster beds, cozy quilts, and a decanter of sherry—revolutionary comforts to lull you to sleep.
www.buttermilkfallsinn.com
Buttermilk Falls Inn and Spa has managed to ditch any real “concept” and focus instead on putting an obsessive amount of energy into providing guests with the best possible experience. In fact, when you have an inn with antique-filled rooms, a modern, solar-powered spa, and a small meangerie of animals running wild on the property—it’s hard not to question the idea behind the inn. Every detail is taken into account. The eggs and veggies for your omelet come from the chickens and organic garden on the property, and the honey in your tea is from the on-site bees. The owners also make their own wax for the spa treatments (that spa boasts a new, glass-enclosed mineral-salt pool). And the animals? Llamas, angora goats, and peacocks roam the 70 acres of lush land here, where you’ll most likely see more four-legged friends than your fellow guest (there are only 16 charming rooms at Buttermilk Falls, each with their own whirlpool tub). How’s that for a concept?
Its interesting to see the different sides and opinions here. I recently stayed in Canada and, although i originally entertained the idea of a B&B, I went with a standard hotel. it was a very nice one, I might ad. I found it on http://www.topcanadianhotels.com . pretty good reference site, i must say. jamie-
Posted by: jamie | February 02, 2009 at 12:53 AM
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Posted by: hotels in hyderabad seems undeterred by the global ecomonic slump ! | March 06, 2009 at 06:37 AM