A Romantic Weekend Escape 90 Miles from New York City

My husband and I were introduced to Mohonk Mountain House in the fall of 1979 after a friend recommended it. We used to travel to Vermont to enjoy beautiful mountain scenery, but when we first visited Mohonk for a Columbus Day weekend in 1979, we were immediately hooked. This is a very special place. It is not a hotel with a swinging night club and posh entertainment. It is a romantic hide-away in the midst of the most beautiful gardens and forests in the Shawangunk mountain chain ( just below the Catskill mountains).

Mohonk Mountain House sits in front of Lake Mohonk, a natural "sky" lake an eighth of a mile long, and the House is surrounded by acres of natural forest trails and gardens. The House was built , and expanded over time, by twin brothers, Albert and Alfred Smiley. The Smiley's were Quakers, and when the initial portion of the house was built as far back as 1869, it was host to many well-heeled travelers from New York City and Connecticut. The Smiley's were also involved in efforts to foster world peace and unity, and hosted in the hotel many dignitaries of the early 20th century and held conferences for many worthy causes. The Smiley's have also supported environmental issues, and their on-going preservation of the natural environment is evident through the work of the Mohonk Preserve. The Smiley family have managed the hotel almost continuously since its early days, and all of the money received through its patrons is used for the appropriate modernization and upkeep of the hotel and its grounds.

In the Quaker tradition, until the 1980's, there were no phones in the rooms, no drinking, and no in-room TVs. The food was always wholesome, and weekends in the summer and early fall were known for barbecue lunches at the "Granary." Today, Mohonk Mountain House is still preserved in its victorian grandeur, with updated bathrooms, air conditioning, full bar-service and in-room phones. There are three public rooms with TV, but you can also order a TV for your room if you wish. The food is still wholesome - wonderful full breakfasts, indoor luncheon buffets, or the "Granary" barbecue in summer, and a gourmet-like meal in the evening. There is also afternoon tea and cookies - a Mohonk tradition.

The rooms are comfortable, but in a traditional or victorian, romantic style. Most rooms in the various sections of the hotel have balconies. There is now a bar that serves drinks and hors d'oevres in the evening and up until about 11:00 p.m. The House is host to several corporate groups throughout the year, and its most wonderful new addition is the Mohonk Spa. The spa is located right next to the main house and is built in an architectural style that matches that of the victorian-style house. Views from the spa are breathtaking as they overlook the Shawangunk mountains and valley. Huge stone fireplaces and a outdoor mineral pool add to the ambiance. The spa offers a broad range of services, as well as exercise rooms, and a huge pool with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the forest.

An old-style ice skating pavilion has also been in use for the past several years. The ice skating rink is huge, and sits under a partially-open cathedral-style canopy. In front of the rink is a huge stone fireplace, and skaters can enjoy hot cocoa in front of the fire. The ice skating rink was built as the winters in Mohonk became milder, and the lake would no longer freeze deep enough to permit safe skating. In 1988, my husband and I actually skated on the length of Mohonk's natural lake, as it was frozen solid to a depth of one foot or more. By the mid-1990's, most winters were not cold enough to permit safe skating.

In addition to ice skating, a favorite winter sport at Mohonk has been cross-country skiing. Mohonk's hiking trails make the most wonderful cross-country skiing trails in winter. However, because of recent warm winters, cross-country skiing may not always be possible.

The summer months are the most beautiful at Mohonk. The show gardens are in bloom from late-May to early October (depending on the weather). Late spring and summer shows the full beauty of the resort in the midst of the beautiful gardens, trees, mountains and forest. There is rowing on the lake, horse back riding, miniature golf, tennis courts, and the nearby Mohonk golf course to keep one busy in the better weather. Or, you can walk or hike the many hiking trails - from easy to diffult. Along the many trails, and in the gardens, there are gazebos that dot the landscape in areas where the view is most spectacular.

As a weekend romantic getaway for those in the New York City tri-state area, or for longer vacations, you cannot beat Mohonk Mountain House. Rates differ from season to season, but average about $500 - $600 per night, double occupancy. There are also mid-week specials that are offered from time to time, and AARP members (50 years-old and over are offered a 15% discount.) The double occupancy rate includes three full-meals and afternoon tea, as well as the use of the lake, grounds, and ice skating rink. There is a charge for spa treatments, but excerise rooms and classes are free.

Mohonk Mountain House is a place you must put on your list to visit. It is an experience of a different kind, a taste of a bygone era, and a communing with nature that most of us do not experience in our daily lives.