Despite the region's newfound popularity, Jerry Jacobson, the
general manager of the Emerson Inn & Spa, feels the best is yet
to come. "The Catskills are an invaluable destination and the area
is far underutilized," says Jacobson. But while the businesspeople
and residents are adamant about thoughtful, conscientious growth,
if you want to sample the best of its new, sybaritic pleasures and
still get a sense of the old-fashioned, sleepy Catskills that
lulled Rip Van Winkle into a 20-year nap, now's the time.
where to stay
the eurpean-style
copperwood inn and spa (845-688-2460; from
$285, includes all meals and a spa treatment) is a bit on the
quirky side, but the sps is tremendous. recently named one of the
top 15 wine resorts by
wine spectator,the emerson inn
& spa (845-688-7900; from $500, includes breakfast, tea,
and dinner) is the ne plus ultra of fine catskills accommodations.
the
mohonk mountain house (800-772-6646; $335, includes
activities, three meals, and afternoon tea) is a classic wooden
mountain house where jackets are required in the dining room, and
afternoon are spent reading on the porch rocker.
onteora the
mountain house (845-657-6233; from $165), the former vacation
estate of mayo mogul richard hellman, is now an intimate b&b.
nestled at the base of the foothills, the
minnewaska lodge
(845-255-1110; from $145, includes breakfast) serves as a luxurious
base camp for rock climbers. the
nevele grande
(800-647-6000; from $85), near ellenville, boasts both robert trent
jones- and tom fazio-designed golf courses. formerly the
stevensville hotel, the overhauled
swan lake resort hotel
(845-292-0783; from $115) features 206 newly appointed guest rooms
and 20 suites, with more on the way. - l.v.
where to eat