NYC Getaway - Hamptons, Catskills, etc

Hi-

I want to plan a romantic getaway with my g/friend for a weekend in late feb 2007. I%26#39;ve only lived in NYC for 3 years, so I have done very little exploring outside of the city. A knowledgeable friend recommended Gurney%26#39;s Inn and Spa in Montuak. Any other suggestions. Budget is not a major concern for this getaway.

thanks

bpnyc

NYC Getaway - Hamptons, Catskills, etc

I heard Gurneys is not all that.If I were going to Montauk, I%26#39;d stay at the Montauk Manor.If you like b and b%26#39;s,you can find something real cool in the hudson valley,they also have small inns , like the Belvedere mansion or the Rhinebeck lodge.

NYC Getaway - Hamptons, Catskills, etc

If you want a spa, Gurney%26#39;s is ok but the hotel part and the rooms are not that great. If you%26#39;ve never been to Montauk in winter, it may not be what you had in mind. Will you have a car? If yes and you don%26#39;t have to have a spa, staying at an inn the Hamptons I think would be nicer and there%26#39;d be more to do. A Butler%26#39;s Inn in Southampton gets very good reviews. If money is really no object, the Baker house in East Hampton is quite luxurious.

http://www.bakerhouse1650.com/index2.htm

The Mill House Inn or the 1770 House are other options in East Hampton.

I also agree the Hudson Valley is another nice option for this time of year.

http://www.hudsonvalleylodging.com/index.cfm

Bucks County in Penn. (New Hope, Pa %26amp; Lambertville, NJ) also have some nice inns %26amp; b %26amp; bs.

I love the Montauk Manor, but the area is pretty dead off-season. If you don%26#39;t mind beaches in winter, then check it out. Montauk Manor offers basic massage and spa services, and there are more in nearby East Hampton.

We and another couple just spent New Years in southern Sullivan County - near Bethel, NY (the location of the Woodstock festival, not the actual town of Woodstock.) We stayed at Ecce B%26amp;B in Barryville and were pampered and comfy! It was great, and we were salivating at the idea of coming back during the summer.

www.eccebedandbreakfast.com/about-us.html

Ecce is on a cliff and has breathtaking views of the Delaware River, and you%26#39;re equidistant between Milford, PA, Port Jervis, NY and Bethel, NY. Not a whole lot to do in the winter, especially such a warm one where the ski places can%26#39;t even make snow!

This area is great for bird watching. Bald eagles stay here for the winter. We saw 3 of them up close! Lots of pros and photographers around.

The Woodstock site/Yasger%26#39;s farm is now the Bethel Performing Arts Center and Museum, and it is opening in the spring or summer %26#39;07. The concert line up looks good! Jazz, folk, swing and Crosby, Stills and Nash in August. (NOTE: The famous 1969 Woodstock music fest did NOT take place in the actual town of Woodstock. It took place in Bethel, NY. The town of Woodstock is about an hour away from the Bethel.)

The only problem is that the roads right in the immediate area are very winding, so warning to anyone prone to car-sickness.

thanks for all the feedback!!

A few more details...

- we will have a car

- a spa is desired, but we only need the basics (massage, facial, etc)

- we want to relax and eat well; a little night life would be nice, but not a deal breaker if things are slow in the area

- a place with great views would be nice

- maybe hiking as well

- we are in lower 30%26#39;s, but not close to slowing down

thanks again!!

I don%26#39;t know what you%26#39;d consider nightlife. If restaurants, movies and maybe a bar are ok, the Hamptons would work as would the Hudson Valley. If you%26#39;re looking for clubs etc., you%26#39;ll be out of luck this time of year I think.

In the Hamptons,whether you can stay anywhere and use one of the day spas. There are some in Southampton, East Hampton, Bridgehampton and Sag Harbor, You can take walks on the beach and there are also hiking trails in the woods. The only place I can think of with a view is the Sag Harbor Inn. I%26#39;ve never seen the rooms.

http://www.sagharborinn.com/rates.html

Otherwise, you%26#39;re talking again about Montauk which I think is just too quiet at this time of year.

If you want a proper spa, there%26#39;s are 2 in Lenox Mass., Canyon Ranch and the Cranwell.

You might want to have a look at spafinder.com

A friend told me about this exclusive spa resort in Pa. It%26#39;s expensive but looks great. An article appeared about it in the NYTimes Dec 22nd, ';the Lodge at Woodloch, a richly appointed destination spa in Hawley. Prices are high. At Woodloch, the rooms start at $450 a night per person — in the off-season.';

Here%26#39;s a link to the article, it has photos too:

…nytimes.com/2006/…

...and here%26#39;s info on the resorts discussed in the article (just in case the NYTimes link doesn%26#39;t work):

The Lodge at Woodloch, 109 River Birch Lane, Hawley, Pa.; (866) 953-8500; www.thelodgeatwoodloch.com. As of January, rates start at $450 a person based on double occupancy (including three meals and a spa treatment and classes).

Hotel Fauchère, 401 Broad Street, Milford, Pa.; (570) 409-1212; www.fauchere.com. Rooms from $275.

Have a look at Mohonk Mountain House:

www.mohonk.com

The 1770 House in East Hampton is a winner. We went there the week before we got married and loved it there. We were there in May, so the hiking was great as is the photography. You can drive over to Montauk for a meal or to walk around. I don%26#39;t like staying there as much as staying in East Hampton. You won%26#39;t have any trouble finding a massage or a facial in East Hampton. The town was empty which made it great for us. We hate all the summer traffic and jammed restaurants. There are so many things to do as well as a ton of great restaurants and you won%26#39;t have to wait for a table. Read my review from May, 2005. Go to East Hampton. I was there once even during the holidays (Christmas/New Year%26#39;s) and there were plenty of restaurants and shops open as I recall. February will be great.

Marla

Re RN%26#39;s reference: ';Hotel Fauchère, 401 Broad Street, Milford, Pa.; (570) 409-1212; www.fauchere.com. Rooms from $275.';

During our stay at Ecce B%26amp;B, we drove to nearby Milford, PA. While walking around the town, we came across this hotel.

Nice looking place! Old-timey restored inn, beautiful details. We didn%26#39;t eat in the restaurant in the lobby, but it looked nice. You%26#39;re right in the center of town, which is cute and quaint, historical, but no scenery. Again, probably better not during winter.

Honestly, though, some things seemed oddly expensive. In that area, there%26#39;s a lot of small town quaintness at NYC prices.

For example, we were referred to a weekly cabaret at the nearby, equally beautiful Bradstan Hotel in White Lake, NY.

http://www.bradstancountryhotel.com/

There was a $20 food-drink minimum, and just for one singer ($35 in the summer). Since we had already eaten dinner with drinks, we couldn%26#39;t imagine all of us drinking $20 each, and then driving the unlit, deer-ridden, windy roads back to the B%26amp;B... All four of us agreed: we can do this for no minimum at Marie%26#39;s Crisis, Arthur%26#39;s Tavern, Rose%26#39;s Turn or downstairs at The Duplex in Greenwich Village, and then plop into a taxi or the subway!

And soon, you%26#39;ll be a cynical, urban ';been-there-done-that-I-can-get-it-wholesale'; New Yorker in no time, too!

;o)