Twenty-four hours at Mohonk

Mohonk Mountain House is a 140-year-old hotel in the Catskill Mountains of New York. If you don't know it (and I had never heard of it before), it is one of those places that is a true mountain resort. Like the mountain version of the hotel in Dirty Dancing, there are all sorts of activities and facilities: hiking trails, swimming pool, yoga classes, golf course, row boats; movies every night and porches on every floor. And all around, in a crazy panorama, there are views of the rolling mountains and peaceful Lake Mohonk.

Lake Mohonk

Feeding the fish in the lake

Playing old-fashioned games

Putting around

140 years of "blank ♥ s blank" carvings

The hotel itself was started in 1869 by the Smiley brothers and has remained in the family ever since. This probably accounts for the why Mohonk has been virtually unchanged since the turn of the last century. The rooms, porches, restaurant and library all feel much as they probably did in 1880... and 1980. The last addition was in 2005 when they added a spa and indoor pool (the last addition before that was in 1905).

Uber-new, uber-beautiful pool

By the entrance

View from the room

Secret garden bench by the maze (yes they have a garden maze!)

Everywhere, there are these gazebo huts made completely out of branches. Many of them have beautiful flowering vines growing on them, too. Outside of the house, everything is green and alive. Acres of gardens and miles of hiking paths provide a easy way to explore Mohonk's grounds, too. Rough foot paths above the cliffs bordering the lake also have sights from heights. Precariously placed gazebos and benches are a nice place to rest and read up high. You can stay in confort but still visit nature unchanged.

Garden path

Gazebo bridge

Gazebos in the garden

Trellis 

French countryside lavender -esque

Alice in Wonderland garden

Secret look out/resting spot

Jetting off from a cliff

Overall, I give my hats off to Mohonk for totally wowing me in only twenty-four hours. While I felt like I took advantage of as many of their facilities as possible, I also felt like I barely scratch the surface of what they have to offer. Needless to say, I hope to go back again soon.
xxo, S