Mohonk Mountain House Offers Another Look At History

Tucked away into the mountains of New Paltz, NY is a peaceful oasis where the hustle and bustle of Manhattan car horns and traffic can’t reach. Mohonk Mountain House, one of the acclaimed Historic Hotels of America, sits just over a mountain ridge and budded up against a beautiful lake. It’s the perfect weekend getaway for those outdoorsy New Yorkers looking to escape the city and immerse themselves back into nature.

Mohonk Mountain House takes an interesting approach to representing the historical nature of some of the country’s oldest hotels. While old hotels like The Plaza in New York City, another member of the Historic Hotels Of America, continues to renovate and update its rooms and corridors to exude the same level of luxury today that guests would have felt in its first years, Mohonk has gone the route of authenticity, creating rooms that feel as though histories greatest figures slept in this very bed. In Mohonk’s case in particular, this is true, with the registry touting names like Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Rutherford B. Hayes. The guest rooms feature wood bed frames and soft sheets overlooking a fireplace in each room, which gets refilled with new firewood each morning. There are no televisions in the hotel, and Wi-Fi comes at a price of just under $10 per day, to entice guests to spend less time on devices and more time exploring the beautiful grounds.

The resort also features an all-inclusive dining package. While this does come at a cost on the bill, not having to worry about driving into town to eat each night has its definitive upsides. The restaurant features a three-course menu and a range of cocktails nightly. The hotel is also known for its world-class spa in the mountains.

Mohonk Mountain House goes to great lengths though to fill every gap in guests’ schedules with exciting outdoor activities. These range from canoeing in the lake in the summertime to throwing tomahawks in the fall. The hiking trails also reveal breathtaking views of New York State, and the valley below. For more advanced hikers, there are more challenging terrain options and rock squeezes, both of which promise to get the fresh air flowing before having to head back to work on Monday in the the city.