“IN THE MOUNTAINS!”--Mohonk Mountain House
LOOKING FOR AN ESCAPE FROM YOUR FAST-PACED LIFE? IF YOU ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LIVE IN THE NEW YORK AREA, LOOK NO FURTHER. YOU WILL NEED NEITHER PLANE NOR TRAIN. JUST HOP IN YOUR CAR AND DRIVE 90 MILES NORTH OF NEW YORK CITY. THERE YOU WILL DISCOVER THE SHAWANGUNK MOUNTAINS OF NEW YORK (ADJACENT TO THE CATSKILLS), AND YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU DID!
MOUNTAINS, LAKE, VIEWS, SPA, PEACE, TRANQUILITY, GARDENS, DINING….THOSE ARE THE WORDS THAT COME TO MIND IN DESCRIBING AN ESCAPE TO THIS RESORT. IT IS NICKNAMED THE “CASTLE IN THE SKY”; HOWEVER, I MUST ADMIT AS WE APPROACHED THIS LARGE, DARK HOTEL ON THIS CRISP, CLEAR, BEAUTIFUL SEPTEMBER DAY, IT LOOKED A LITTLE EERY UP AGAINST THE BRIGHT BLUE SKY. MY SISTER HESITANTLY INQUIRES, “THIS LOOKS LIKE THE HOTEL FROM THE SHINING…WAS IT FILMED HERE?” WE ALL GIGGLED A NERVOUS GIGGLE AND HOPED FOR THE BEST! “IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE ON THE WEBSITE”, I ADDED. WE’VE ALL SAID THAT AT LEAST ONCE IN OUR LIVES… BUT DO NOT WORRY…..THIS RESORT DID NOT DISAPPOINT…AND TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, IT WAS NOT HAUNTED!!!
OUR BRIEF TWO-NIGHT STAY INCLUDED MANY HIGHLIGHTS. WE ARRIVED ON A SUNDAY AND VERY MUCH ENJOYED THE SUNDAY BRUNCH. BUFFETS ARE NOT USUALLY ON THE TOP OF MY LIST, BUT THIS ONE WAS EXCELLENT! THE FOOD WAS FRESH, NOT OVERCOOKED, VERY TASTY, AND THERE WERE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CHOICES, EVEN FOR THE FUSSIEST FOODIE!
THEN IT WAS TIME TO WALK OFF THE ZILLION CALORIES WE JUST ENJOYED. WE PUT ON OUR SNEAKERS AND WENT HIKING IN THE MOUNTAINS. THERE WERE MANY MOUNTAIN TRAILS THAT LED TO “NOOKS AND CRANNIES” THAT WELCOMED US WITH BENCHES AND SEATING AREAS THROUGHOUT THE MOUNTAINS. THE VIEWS WERE EXHILIRATING. WE WERE ABLE TO RELAX AND TAKE BREAKS, ENJOY THE VIEWS, AND THAT WE DID.
THE SPA AT 4PM WAS NEXT….WE ARRIVED EARLY BUT MOHONK WELCOMES ALL SPA PATRONS TO ENJOY THE SPA FACILITIES FOR THE ENTIRE DAY IF AN APPOINTMENT IS BOOKED. WE SOAKED IN THE OUTDOOR HEATED MINERAL SPA (WHICH WAS LIKE A VERY LARGE HOT TUB), SIPPED LEMON WATER, AND SHARED STORIES UNTIL IT WAS TIME FOR OUR APPOINTMENTS. HAVING HAD MANY MASSAGES OVER THE YEARS, I OPTED FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT THIS TIME. I CHOSE THE “BODY GLOW”. I RECOMMEND THIS TREATMENT BECAUSE IT IS LIKE GETTING TWO TREATMENTS IN ONE. AS A GENTLE EXFOLIATING SCRUB IS BEING USED, A MASSAGE IS BEING DONE AT THE SAME TIME. AND THEN THE TREATMENT IS COMPLETED WITH A VELVETY BODY LOTION. I VERY MUCH ENJOYED THIS TREATMENT. AT THE END OF OUR TREATMENTS, WE RECONVENED IN THE SPA SOLARIUM WHERE THEY SERVED US COLD TEA AND GRAPES. WE CHATTED AND GIGGLED SOME MORE AND WENT TO OUR ROOMS TO PREPARE FOR DINNER.
THIS RESORT IS ALL INCLUSIVE, EXCEPT FOR ALCOHOL. WE ENJOYED OUR DINNER. I SUGGEST THE MEAT AND CHICKEN ENTREES AS OPPOSED TO THE SEAFOOD OR PASTA. THE SERVICE WAS EXCELLENT AT ALL MEALS AND THROUGHOUT THE RESORT. THE EMPLOYEES ARE VERY PROUD OF THIS RESORT AND THEY SHOW IT. THE ONLY “GLITCH” WE ENCOUNTERED WAS AS THE FRONT DESK. THERE WERE SOME TRAINEES WHICH CLEARLY NEEDED MORE TRAINING.
THE ACCOMMODATIONS ARE COZY, COMFORTABLE, AND ROMANTIC. PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT THIS IS AN OLD BUILDING WHICH WAS BUILT IN 1900. EVEN SO, ALL OF THE BATHROOMS ARE UPDATED TO MODERN STANDARDS, WHITE, AND SPOTLESS. THERE ARE ACTUAL “KEYS” TO OPEN THE DOORS…REMEMBER THOSE? NO PLASTIC CARDS. THERE ARE NO TELEVISIONS IN THE ROOM, SO CHOOSE YOUR TRAVEL COMPANION CAREFULLY. LUCKILY, WE DID NOT MISS THE TV AT ALL, AS WE CHATTED AND GIGGLED UNTIL MIDNIGHT. THERE IS WI-FI AND THERE ARE A FEW COMPUTERS IN THE LIBRARY ON THE MAIN FLOOR. AS A TRAVEL AGENT, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHECK OUT MANY OF THE DIFFERENT ROOMS. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE LAKEFRONT, VICTORIAN ROOM WITH A BALCONY. YOU CAN SIT ON THE BALCONY AND ENJOY THE LAKE VIEW. AND THERE IS A FIREPLACE IN THE ROOM TO ENJOY IN THE COOLER SEASONS.
THE FOLLOWING DAY WE ENJOYED OTHER ACTIVITIES. WE PARTICIPATED IN THE “GARDEN STROLL”, WHICH WAS AN INFORMATIVE TOUR OF THE BEAUTIFUL GARDENS. I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH BEAUTIFUL, COLORFUL BLOSSOMS AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER….AND NOT ONE MUM IN SIGHT!!!! SINCE FLOWERS AND PLANTS COME TO MY HOUSE TO DIE, I TRULY APPRECIATED THE BEAUTY OF THIS MAGNIFICENT GARDEN!
THEN THE HORSE AND CARRIAGE RIDE! IT WAS A TWO MILE RIDE THROUGH THE GLORIOUS MOUNTAINS. THERE WERE A FEW STOPS AT 1350 FEET CLIFFSIDE….FELLOW PASSENGERS GOT OUT TO ENJOY THE VIEW….I ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH……SITTING IN THE CARRIAGE..…THANK YOU! WE MET OTHER PASSENGERS WHO TRAVELED FROM SOUTH CAROLINA AND FLORIDA TO VISIT THIS RESORT. I WAS EMBARRASSED TO ADMIT THAT, BEING AN HOUR AND A HALF FROM THIS RESORT, I NEVER EVEN KNEW IT EXISTED UNTIL NOW!
WE FINISHED THE AFTERNOON WITH TEA AND COOKIES. AND THEN DINNER AGAIN. AFTER DINNER, IT IS VERY QUIET. THERE ARE NO BARS OR NIGHTCLUBS. A MOVIE IS SHOWN EACH EVENING AFTER DINNER. OBVIOUSLY, DO NOT GO HERE FOR NIGHT LIFE. GO HERE FOR NATURE, PEACE, AND RELAXATION. IT IS ABOUT ENJOYING THE OUTDOORS.
THERE ARE MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE HERE DEPENDING ON THE SEASON. TAKE NOTE THAT ON THIS LAST WEEKEND IN SEPTEMBER, THERE WERE NO CHILDREN CHECKED IN THIS HOTEL. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SUMMER DRAWS MANY
FAMILIES AND CHILDREN. OTHER ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:
MOUNTAIN BIKING, ROCK CLIMBING, SWIMMING, PADDLE BOATING, ICE SKATING, SNOW TUBING, AND CROSS COUNTRY SKIING. THERE IS ALSO A VARIETY OF THEME PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE HALLOWEEN BALL, BALLROOM DANCING, MYSTERY WEEKEND, ROMANCE GETAWAY, YOGA WEEKEND, ETC.
THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE HERE AT MOHONK! IT REGULARLY RECEIVES AWARDS IN THE CONDE NASTE TRAVELER POLLS, AS WELL AS THE TRAVEL AND LEISURE BEST AWARDS. MOST RECENTLY, IT WAS RANKED NUMBER 6 OF TOP 20 RESORTS IN THE NORTHEAST IN THE NOVEMBER 2013 ISSUE OF CONDE NASTE TRAVELER.
I LOOK FORWARD TO RETURNING MOHONK DURING A DIFFERENT SEASON, SO I CAN CONTINUE TO APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY IT OFFERS.
HAPPY TRAILS!
