Hotels I Dream About
A few upstate spots currently on my wish list
When we were in the process of moving to NYC, my husband and I talked a lot about what we were most excited for—and for both of us, exploring the state was high on our list. So since then, I’m been bookmarking all the gorgeous hotels and inns that I’ve come across and have compiled a list of my dream spots for weekend getaways.
These are the ones I’m most excited about, and am already planning my visits to during this autumn and winter.
The Six Bells Inn
Rosendale, Hudson Valley
I found The Six Bells about a year ago, and absolutely fell in love with their curation of home goods…and then I found out they were opening an inn, so you can imagine my excitement. Now, I live a short walk away from their store in Brooklyn (which I pay weekly visits to), and their inn is at the top of my list of places I’d like to stay upstate. Their designs are quite literally what my dreams are made of, and I already can’t way to cuddle up in one of their rooms with a good book and a cup of tea. Each room has a unique design and adorable names like The Innkeepers Suite and Gable’s Hallow. At the inn you’ll find a shop where you can peruse all their home goods, and a restaurant called The Feathers with a very American and traditional-style menu where you can enjoy dishes like Corn & Potato Chowder, Flatiron Steak and Dutch Chocolate Cake. Overall, I’m obsessed with everything The Six Bells does and think their building something truly special.
The Henson
Hensonville, Catskills
The Henson is a stunning boutique hotel in the Catskills with breathtaking gardens, a rooftop deck, and interior that is any design-lovers dream. The building has been used as a hotel for over 100 years, but the current owners have renovated it to be a haven within upstate New York where you can relish in slow morning and a languid evening. There’s 16 guest rooms, sprawling gardens and lawns, a large common living room and restaurant Matilda, which is described as follows on their website: “The food is good and the wine is exceptional and the produce and meat and dairy are all grown and raised by friends and farmers who we deeply respect. This is the restaurant we want to be in. Designed intentionally as a place to gather and share marvel at this beautiful world, together.” As someone who’s obsessed with copy and good food, this description speaks to me on a spiritual level.
Deer Mountain Inn
Tannersville, Catskills
This cozy spot feels like a mic between a Swiss chalet and a turn-of-the-century hunting lodge. The interior is warm and welcoming, and the buildings and property itself feels like it’s straight out of a fairytale. There’s 6 rooms in the main lodge, and 4 new standalone cabins, each with unique designs and decor. You can access hiking trails by foot, there’s fire pits throughout the property where you can roast s’mores and play lawn games, and they have a beautiful restaurant with a huge focus on local and seasonal ingredients—and an award-wining wine list. I have a feeling this will be the perfect spot for a winter weekend getaway.
Seminary Hill Catskills
Callicoon, Catskills
A working orchard and cidery with a farm-to-table restaurant…that you can stay at. Sounds pretty idyllic to me! The Boarding House at Seminary Hill is a collection of 8 private apartment-style accommodations with heavy Shaker design influences. Most of the apartments feature 2+ bedrooms, so it’s a great place to go with friends! When you stay overnight, you get 2 bottles of cider, a $50 tasting room credit AND 2 tickets to the weekly tour and tasting. You’ll get the chance to explore their 12-acre orchard, enjoy a complimentary breakfast, play board games over cider, and dine at their locally-sourced seasonal restaurant, The Tasting Room. This would be the perfect fall getaway with your girlfriends.
Bovina Farm & Fermentory
Bovina, Catskills
A 20-acre homestead in the Western Catskills with dairy sheep, chickens and ducks, an orchard, vegetable and flower gardens, a root cellar, forest trails, a donkey, and incredible views of the valley. There’s four guest rooms, a brewery and a small restaurant. They host monthly dinner parties, and if you’re interested in hunting your dinner, they’re hosting a Field Day Dinner at the beginning of October, where you’ll spend the afternoon with Jake their licensed NYS hunting guide learning about tracking, technique and tradition, then butcher and cook your dinner together while drinking their house beer. I think I want to move in.
Inness
Accord, Catskills
Inness is a luxury hotel and resort set on one of the most breathtaking 220 acre properties. They have 28 cabins and a 12 room farmhouse, so it’s definitely much bigger than the other spots on this list. They have a 9-hole golf course, 2 tennis courts, 2 pools, a spa and gym, a gorgeous shop in a greenhouse full of curated homeware, and a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant that sources local ingredients whenever possible. This is the kind of place I want to spend a week at to relax, recharge, and retreat from the city.
A weekend away has started sounding more appealing to me than a big trip to Europe lately, and with stunning hotels and inns like these out there, it’s easy to see why. A quick 2 hour drive or train ride out of the city, and I can find myself in an oasis within nature. Now I just have to choose where to go first. What hotels are on your wish list this year?