The incredible Mohonk Mountain House, in New Paltz, NY - Vitality ...
The incredible Mohonk Mountain House, in New Paltz, NY - Vitality ...
The incredible Mohonk Mountain House, in New Paltz, NY - Vitality ...
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Mohonk</strong>’s ice skat<strong>in</strong>g r<strong>in</strong>k<br />
Quaker values: no dr<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> public areas,<br />
no danc<strong>in</strong>g, no cards. It was <strong>in</strong>stead a place<br />
to dr<strong>in</strong>k <strong>in</strong> nature <strong>in</strong> all its beauty, quiet,<br />
and solitude. In spite of its never advertis<strong>in</strong>g<br />
much, word of the place spread over<br />
the next 140 years, and the place grew and<br />
grew.<br />
Presently run by Bert Smiley (the<br />
fourth Smiley generation), you can drive<br />
up and park at the <strong>Mounta<strong>in</strong></strong> <strong>House</strong> upon<br />
arriv<strong>in</strong>g. Up until the 1940’s, however,<br />
they’d have you park at the gatehouse and<br />
take a horse-drawn carriage to the place—<br />
the idea be<strong>in</strong>g for guests to get <strong>in</strong> the right<br />
frame of m<strong>in</strong>d. Even today, walk<strong>in</strong>g trails<br />
are off-limits to motor vehicles, and signs<br />
on the entrance road say “Slowly and Quietly<br />
Please.” And you even notice the delightful<br />
chorus of birdsong you hear upon<br />
awaken<strong>in</strong>g each morn<strong>in</strong>g at the <strong>Mohonk</strong>.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Mohonk</strong> has 85 miles of hik<strong>in</strong>g<br />
trails, several tennis courts (Har-Tru clay<br />
and conventional), lake swimm<strong>in</strong>g, boat<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
fish<strong>in</strong>g, ice skat<strong>in</strong>g, cross country<br />
ski<strong>in</strong>g, snowshoe<strong>in</strong>g, rock climb<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
golf<strong>in</strong>g on a 110-year-old course that is<br />
fashioned <strong>in</strong> the old l<strong>in</strong>ks tradition of St.<br />
Andrews, Scotland.<br />
In keep<strong>in</strong>g with the Quaker-<strong>in</strong>spired<br />
love of quiet and solitude, you will f<strong>in</strong>d no<br />
phone or TV <strong>in</strong> your room—although TVs<br />
and phones are available <strong>in</strong> public areas.<br />
Pretty much all the guests “get this.”<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is loads for you to do on your<br />
own; plus, there are optional scheduled<br />
group activities all day. <strong>The</strong>re’s a movie<br />
screened nightly <strong>in</strong> the resort as well as a<br />
live presentation--maybe a talk of some<br />
sort. Plus there’s often live music.<br />
<strong>The</strong> resort’s historic observance of<br />
temperance has been modified. <strong>The</strong> resort’s<br />
three restaurants serve alcohol; and there is<br />
a Lounge. Of course, they didn’t have that<br />
until 1969.<br />
Rates are all-<strong>in</strong>clusive, with the exception<br />
of horseback rid<strong>in</strong>g, carriage rides,<br />
weekend golf and Spa services. Three<br />
meals daily are <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> room rates, as<br />
A walk through the <strong>Mohonk</strong>’s Barn Museum is a trip back <strong>in</strong> time.<br />
Overlook<strong>in</strong>g the lake from the <strong>Mohonk</strong> <strong>Mounta<strong>in</strong></strong> <strong>House</strong><br />
well as afternoon tea.<br />
<strong>The</strong> food is absolutely superb. <strong>The</strong>re’s<br />
no lack of options or quality. Breads and<br />
other baked goods and desserts are all made<br />
on the premises, and are only served fresh.<br />
<strong>The</strong> daily lunch buffet is impressive, with<br />
six different meat dishes plus a carv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
station, served <strong>in</strong> the high-ceil<strong>in</strong>ged Ma<strong>in</strong><br />
d<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g room with century-old woodwork<br />
that is to die for. <strong>The</strong> tables are l<strong>in</strong>en-covered<br />
and you have an expansive view of the<br />
Rondout Valley. One wonders how you can<br />
top this come d<strong>in</strong>ner time.<br />
(And by the way, if you hook a legal<br />
sized trout <strong>in</strong> Lake <strong>Mohonk</strong> while you’re<br />
stay<strong>in</strong>g at the resort, they’ll gladly cook it<br />
for you.)<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Mohonk</strong> is a self-conta<strong>in</strong>ed community<br />
on the mounta<strong>in</strong>. It has 800 fulltime<br />
employees, owns and ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>s its<br />
own roads, forests, and plant<strong>in</strong>gs.<br />
<strong>The</strong> 30,000 sq. foot Spa w<strong>in</strong>g—completed<br />
<strong>in</strong> 2005--is another great reason to<br />
visit the <strong>Mohonk</strong>. <strong>The</strong>re’s an <strong>in</strong>door heated<br />
swimm<strong>in</strong>g pool, comprehensive fitness<br />
center, and Spa treatments rang<strong>in</strong>g from<br />
massages to manicures. For more <strong>in</strong>formation,<br />
call 877-877-2664.<br />
Before you leave the <strong>Mohonk</strong>, don’t<br />
forget to visit the Barn Museum. This is<br />
where everyth<strong>in</strong>g that the <strong>Mohonk</strong> has<br />
purchased and used for the past 130 years<br />
goes to rest, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g an assortment of<br />
their 19th century horse-drawn carriages.<br />
Plus you’ll see curator Jim Clark give craft<br />
demonstrations, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g rustic carpentry,<br />
blacksmith<strong>in</strong>g, restoration of carriages and<br />
farm mach<strong>in</strong>ery and pottery mak<strong>in</strong>g. Clark<br />
enjoys his work at the barn immensely,<br />
say<strong>in</strong>g of the barn, “<strong>The</strong>y have the entire<br />
19th century squirelled away <strong>in</strong> there.” Indeed,<br />
it is really <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g to see centuryold<br />
appliances or tools, especially <strong>in</strong> regard<br />
to how substantially they were made back