The
Cultivation of Quiet Pleasures
By
Poppy Carew
New
York City is one of America’s most popular destinations,
but during the exhausting, tourist-laden summer months, it becomes
notorious as a place people need to escape from. Big
Apple-ites are known for their seasonal flights to
cooler climates, dashing off to tony Hamptons’
beach retreats or cheesy Catskill lodges. For those
who don’t have a manor in the former or the
stomach for the latter, there is Mohonk Mountain House,
just a ninety-minute drive from Manhattan.
If
you’re expecting someplace small and cozy, you’ll
quickly discover that the word “house”
is a misnomer. While not quite a castle, this impressive
Hudson Valley resort—which is almost an eighth
of a mile long—recalls the royal residences
of Europe. Adding to the striking appearance is its
perch, fitted into massive rock formations on Shawangunk
Ridge, overlooking Lake Mohonk. Thousands of acres
of preserved land, webbed with 85 miles of hiking
trails, surround it, and it’s easy to see how
this landscape inspired the hotel’s founders.
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Elegant
Interiors |
Old-fashioned
Carriage Ride |
Alfred
K. Smiley came to this spot for a picnic in 1869,
and within a year, along with his twin brother Albert,
he owned the land and opened a ten-room inn and tavern.
Now comprised of nine buildings, Mohonk Mountain House
is a designated National Historic Landmark. It provides
a quiet escape and comes by its peaceful ambience
honestly. From 1895 to 1916, it hosted world peace
conferences, and the Smileys—who were Quaker
pacifists—were seminal in Andrew Carnegie’s
creation of the Carnegie Endowment for International
Peace.
The
resort preserves its original 19th-century character
in details such as carved woodwork, period furnishings
and hearty hospitality. Guestrooms have a pleasant
B&B feel to them, with their old-fashioned Victorian
style. Each is individually furnished—you’ll
find everything from wicker to brass to Mission-style
oak—and many have balconies or fireplaces. There
are also four seasonal guest cottages set 1,200 feet
above the Wallkill and Rondout Valleys. One sits off
the golf course’s second tee and is exclusive to adults only, while the most secluded cottage,
Oakwoods, offers a particularly rustic mood, with
a pine paneled living room, stone fireplace and screened-in
porch.
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Lake
Mohonk |
Not-so-secret
Garden |
Originally
intended to draw cultured guests, the resort offered
a library instead of dancing, lectures instead of
libations. The legacy of this Quaker approach to life
can be found in the many programs offered throughout
the year, with themes as diverse as Jazz on the Mountain,
A Celebration of Readers and Their Favorite Books,
and Hudson Valley Harvest. The majority of these programs
are complimentary (nominal fees are required for tastings,
college accredited sessions, etc.), as are three meals
each day, afternoon tea and weekday play on the golf
course; over 100 years old, this nine-hole course
was modeled after the Old Links tradition of St. Andrews
in Scotland.
Catering
to 21st-century sensibilities, the resort is now devoted
to well-rounded stays. Along with the lecture series
and golf, recreation also includes canoe rides, horseback
tours, blacksmithing demonstrations, cross-country
skiing, fishing and ice skating in the 18,000-square-foot
pavilion. A new eco-friendly spa was recently added, which features an outdoor heated mineral pool and an indoor heated swimming pool, as well as a salon and a yoga studio. Among the most popular pastimes—and
one of the property’s biggest draws—are
explorations of the gardens, which are a prime example
of mid-19th-century landscaping. The Smileys’
original French and Italian-influenced designs have
been maintained, and today you can peruse the herb
collections, butterfly garden and greenhouse with
its orchids and fuchsias. If you’re seeking
a challenge, try to find your way through the Victorian
maze, which was added in 1998.
The
resort has a fine dining restaurant, serving American
cuisine, as well as substantial event facilities,
which cater to conferences, weddings and family reunions.
The latter are so popular that there is even a dedicated
reunion planner. Given the property’s reverence
for the past, it’s no wonder generations gather
here to celebrate. When it comes to honoring tradition,
you’ll find no more appropriate place to do
it than Mohonk Mountain House.
(Updated:
06/30/08 KR) |
Mohonk
Mountain House
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