MOHONK MOUNTAIN HOUSE

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MOHONK MOUNTAIN HOUSE

After years of following the Mohonk Mountain House on Instagram, drooling over photos of ice skating, giant porches, and hiking around the historic property and gorgeous lake, my dream of staying there finally came true! This historic resort on the edge of the Catskills, rich in history, architecture, and endless activities, always seemed like the most relaxing getaway. I could not be more honored or over-the-moon that I had the chance to visit!

The resort was created by Albert Smiley in 1869. I loved walking the hallways lined with photographs documenting 150+ years of the hotel’s history. And what is even more impressive than its many years in business is the fact that it is still run by the Smiley family to this day!

Where do I start with this amazing place?! The winter months mean the resort is peaceful and cozy; there is a hot chocolate option at every meal, and guests are provided with firewood for the wood-burning fireplaces in their rooms! When we arrived it was almost tea time. This meant a trip to the Lake Lounge for chocolate chip cookies, shortbread, and tea, while overlooking the beautiful frozen lake just outside the door! Tea and cookies happened every afternoon at 4, and it was the perfect way to wind down after a day of activities. It might have been my favorite part of each day…

Outside there were endless adventures to be had! The ice skating rink sits just up the hill from the hotel, in the marvelous pavilion! On one side of the pavilion is a view over the lake, and on the other is a 30 foot tall stone fireplace to sit by and warm up with a cup of hot chocolate from the skate shop. Guests also have access to cross-country skis, snow shoes, and micro-spikes, so they can take advantage of the miles of trails throughout the property! We enjoyed a beautiful walk around the lake, with unbeatable views back toward the hotel.

Peppered throughout the property there are small, wooden structures. Their purpose is for guests to take a moment, sit down, relax, and enjoy the views. There are a total of 89 structures, and the resort is working on bringing that number up to the original 119 they had back in the day!

Every meal at the Mohonk was divine! All dinners were three courses, and my favorites were the French onion soup, the maple pork, and the chocolate mousse…heaven on a plate! Breakfasts and lunches provided uncountable options! The french toast station blew it out of the park at breakfast, and I indulged in the most delicious truffle risotto from the risotto station at lunch. And the BEST part is that all the meals are included in the stay!

We ended our time at Mohonk with a swim in the pool at the spa. It was the most relaxing way to finish off a good trip. Outside the trees were covered in snow, but inside the pool was heated, only a couple other guests were there, and spa music was playing under the water. I left the pool feeling like I had just enjoyed a relaxing massage.