The 7 Best Hotels in the Catskills & Hudson Valley for a Spring Escape From NYC
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The 7 Best Hotels in the Catskills and Hudson Valley for a Spring Escape From NYC
After a long year, New Yorkers are looking for a safe escape. And there's perhaps no place more in demand this spring than the Catskills and Hudson Valley, where the snow is melting, the blooms are breaking, and the air is crisp. Social distancing? It's built right in.
Fortunately, the region has seen a huge influx of new places to stay over the past few years. It's so buzzy that Travel + Leisure named it one of the most exciting places to travel in 2021.
But that raises the question: Where exactly should you stay? Fortunately, our mostly New York City–based editorial team has plenty of opinions.
Here's our shortlist of the best new places, all opened since 2018, to escape this season.
Eastwind Hotel & Bar
CREDIT: LAWRENCE BRAUN
This small lodge about 150 miles north of New York City caught T+L's eye thanks to stylish rooms and suites decked out with "hand-woven Turkish rugs, custom wall-hangings, Masaya & Co. furniture, and private fire pits," as T+L wrote in 2018. But last September, Eastwind stepped things up with stand-alone Scandi-inspired cabins — known as Lushna Suites, pictured — with private decks, hammocks, and outdoor showers. (These A-frame beauties are also stocked with cozy Pendleton robes if the spring weather hasn't quite warmed to "outdoor shower" temps.) eastwindny.com
Hotel Kinsley
CREDIT: TARA DONNE
This chic stay spreads across two historic buildings in the Uptown neighborhood of Kingston, New York. The hotel's HQ sits in a 19th-century bank building that's been impeccably restored with 10 guest rooms, a gorgeous restaurant and bar (designed by Studio Robert McKinley), and a petite spa treatment room plus sauna. A sister building a few blocks away occupies a three-story mansion dating to 1770 that's today kitted with every modern convenience, including heated bathroom floors and Bluetooth-enabled Tivoli Audio hi-fis. Each of the 13 rooms is a little different, but the real showstoppers are those with pedestal bathtubs, begging for a spot on your Instagram grid. (The hotel plans to open two more guesthouses later this year, bringing the total to four.) hotelkinsley.com
Kenoza Hall
CREDIT: LAWRENCE BRAUN
A one-time boarding house, this newly renovated property is the latest from Foster Supply Company, which has five hotels across the Catskills region. Kenoza "marries historic touches like the original hardwood floors with custom elements, including sleigh beds," wrote T+L senior editor Sarah Bruning in a recent issue. "As a complement to hiking, canoeing, and other vigorous activities, daily programming focuses on wellness, including yoga, hydrotherapy, and meditation." A sixth hotel from the Foster Supply, Hotel Darby, is slated to open this season near Narrowsburg, New York. kenozahall.com
The Maker
CREDIT: FRANCINE ZASLOW
This Hudson, New York, hideaway was a revelation for T+L associate editor Hannah Walhout, who visited in January. "My suite, the 'Architect,' felt like it could have been the apartment of some Bauhaus luminary," she said. "The best part: an unbelievably massive — like, swimming-pool sized — bathtub, made using two slabs of Roman black marble." Other suites and public spaces are just as enchanting, decorated with beautiful objets d'art, vintage furniture, and antiques galore. "It felt like everything was exactly in its place," Walhout said. themaker.com
The Shandaken Inn
CREDIT: KIRA TURNBULL
"This rustic yet refined getaway — the brainchild of Catskills resident Jay Jacobs — has graphic textured wallpaper and restored wood-burning stoves," Bruning wrote in a recent issue of T+L. It's a short drive from spring skiing — or warmer-weather ziplining — at Hunter Mountain or hiking to the dramatic Kaaterskill Falls. shandakeninn.com
Starlite Motel
CREDIT: JODY KIVORT
This stylish re-do of a 1960s roadside motel opened in June, and the vintage vibes and proximity to some of the best trails in the Catskills have made it a must-visit for T+L associate editor Liz Cantrell. "Just minutes from Minnewaska State Park and Mohonk Preserve, this is the perfect base for a weekend of serious hiking. Plus, the large saltwater pool and canteen-style bar will help you recover. There are 16 traditional rooms, but I've got my eye on the camper, which will be open for bookings this summer." thestarlitemotel.com
Urban Cowboy
CREDIT: BEN FITCHETT
This 28-room lodge is set on the edge of the Big Indian Wilderness, a 33,500-acre expanse of land managed by New York State, which offers hiking and other outdoor pursuits. But guests can also hang closer to home base, according to Bruning: "Guests mingle at the nightly bonfires or over meals at the live-fire restaurant, which highlights foraged, seasonal ingredients. On-site pursuits include swimming and fishing for trout in the Esopus Creek, which runs through the grounds." urbancowboy.com