Mohonk Mountain House Vacation Resort
A Mountain Lake, Healthful Sports and Great Food 90 Min. from NYC
Jan 19, 2009
Mohonk Mountain House was founded not by high-rolling Vegas types, or even ordinary businessmen out to make a buck. It was founded by teetotaling philanthropists.
In 1869, Alfred Smiley visited the Shawangunk (pronounced Shawngun) Mountains on a picnic outing. With is twin brother, Albert, he envisioned a nature retreat. Purchasing the site of the current hotel, the brothers turned an existing ten-room inn and tavern into the grand 265-room Victorian landmark house it is today. It is on the National Historic Register. And, in 2009, it is celebrating its 140th birthday. There will doubtless be special offers, and there will definitely be daily historic tours of the site for guests.
It’s an all-inclusive resort, and has expanded its dining amenities since the teetotaling days of the Smileys. It has, in recent memory, added a cocktail lounge and makes wine available with dinner.
Located near Ellenville, NY—about 90 minutes from Manhattan—the resort is literally perched on the rocky cliffs surrounding Lake Mohonk, “a half-mile long, sixty-foot deep mountain lake. Rock formations rise majestically above the water and the natural surroundings remain virtually untouched,” according to the hotel’s website.
While its lakeside setting makes outdoor water sports a big draw in summer, in winter, guests can engage in a little cross-country skiing in the morning, and swim in the indoor pool in the afternoon.
The hotel also offers several special weekends each year. A popular one is the Jazz on the Mountain Weekend. All weekends include three meals a day by award-winning chefs, plus afternoon tea and cookies, a welcome holdover from Victorian times.
Daily activities include:
- Swimming in the indoor pool (and the lake, as well, in summer)
- Tennis
- Golf
- Boating (weather and ice permitting)
- Guided hikes
- Nature walks
- Ice-skating
- Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Greenhouse tours
“Run of the house” is also included, with lots of sitting rooms, lounges, porches, solaria, and so on available for reading or embroidering or having a quiet chat or just drinking in surroundings more gentile than most Americans encounter the rest of the year.
Indeed, Mohonk Mountain House brings back Victorian ambiance in other ways, too. Neat sports attire is the order of the day for all the activities, with casual attire in the dining rooms for breakfast and lunch. And no bathing gear indoors! In the evening, “jackets are suggested for gentlemen age 12 and over. Other appropriate attire includes slacks, collared shirts, for women, dresses, skirts and evening slacks.”
Nor does the hotel crassly refer to liquor. The hotel notes: “For overnight guests and meal guests who would like to enjoy a beverage during the evening hours, the Carriage Lounge is open from 5-11 p.m. daily, serving cocktails, mocktails and light fare.”
For a Victorian experience in today’s world, The Mohonk Mountain house seems a workable compromise.
There are, however, other all-inclusive resorts in the Catskill Mountains (of which the Shawangunk are one range). Click here for listings.
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