Grand Hotels Mix Elegance, History
Published Nov 05, 2008
Tech Valley is a region known for its innovation, but it also has a strong sense of history.
And that history is on display at a bevy of signature resorts and hotels, which combine the very best of old-time tradition and today’s most-desired amenities.
Lake Placid’s 100-room Mirror Lake Inn, which opened as a hotel in 1924, offers breathtaking views of the water and Adirondack Mountains on a seven-acre hilltop site.
The Mirror Lake Inn features a full-service spa and, befitting its locale in an epicenter of winter sports, a range of seasonal outdoor activities from ice skating and skiing to kayaking and biking.
The hotel, which has won the AAA’s Four Diamond Award for 24 straight years, blends old-style amenities such as hardwood furniture and triple-sheeted beds with modern touches such as wireless Internet and Jacuzzis in each guest room.
Opening in 1926 to house U.S. Military Academy personnel and guests, the Thayer Hotel at West Point sits perched above the Hudson River.
Through a $26 million restoration and additional renovations earlier this decade, the 151-room Thayer is still in touch with its roots, from the Gothic-style granite exterior, leaded glass windows, chandeliers and portraits of past military leaders on display.
Sharing National Registry of Historic Place honors is the Sagamore, which has been housing guests on Lake George since the 1880s and was twice destroyed by fire. Today, the Sagamore is a year-round resort that includes a Donald Ross championship golf course, spa and sailing school.
The Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz in Ulster County is a resort that includes an 1869 Victorian castle with 265 rooms, 85 miles of hiking rails, fully equipped spa and sporting activities on Lake Mohonk at the top of Shawangunk Ridge.
The Mohonk has been operated by the same family for 138 years and has been a member of Historic Hotels of America since 1991.
Rhinebeck in Dutchess County is home to the 23-room The Beekman Arms and 50-room Delamater Inn. The Beekman Arms is the oldest continually operated inn in the United States.
In Saratoga Springs, the 120-room Gideon Putnam Resort is enjoying a renaissance as the surrounding area expands its cultural and entertainment offerings.
The 72-year-old resort is in the heart of 2,300-acre Saratoga Spa State Park and offers two golf courses, full spa services and a variety of activities and attractions, including the nearby Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
A $20 million capital improvement project has an eye towards the resort’s past as well as the future. Delaware North Cos., which manages the property, is in the design and build stage for interpretation boards for the main lobby that will detail the history surrounding the Gideon Putnam Resort and the park, says Michael Barnes, general manager.
“We believe these and the other enhancements we have made at the property thus far will go a long way in providing our customers with a memorable getaway,” he says.
Story by Joe Morris
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