Craving an escape from city noise? Swap city lights for starry nights at these upstate New York retreats.
As spring blossoms, style-savvy New Yorkers are dreaming of countryside escapes that don’t skimp on design. Fortunately, upstate New York is dotted with retreats where architecture and landscape meld into one stylish getaway. These aren’t your typical rustic lodges – they’re sleek cabins perched in forests, modern farmhouses on rolling hills, and even treehouse suites high in the maples. Each offers a cool dose of aesthetic inspiration along with the balm of fresh air and peace. From a minimalist spa retreat overlooking the Catskills to a Gilded Age mansion reborn as a boutique hideaway, here are ten landscape hotels that prove you can trade the city’s buzz for nature’s hush without sacrificing an ounce of style.
Piaule
Location: Catskill, NY
Distance from NYC: 115 miles
Piaule is the Catskills’ much-buzzed “landscape hotel,” and it delivers a near spiritual blend of modern design and wilderness immersion. Spread across 50 acres of pristine forest, its 24 modular cabins are studies in minimalist perfection – think clean lines, warm wood tones, and floor-to-ceiling windows that invite the woods right in. Days here start with yoga or forest hikes and wind down in the striking spa pavilion, where an indoor pool and sauna are built into the hillside. The on-site restaurant serves hyper-local fare (you might spot herbs from the property’s grounds on your plate). It’s peaceful and pared-back, yet utterly luxurious – even the bed linens and ceramic tableware are design pieces you’ll want to take home. In short, Piaule offers an off-grid vibe with on-point style, perfect for when you want to escape civilization and sleep in high-thread-count sheets.
Inness
Location: Accord, NY
Distance from NYC: 97 miles
Inness is where pastoral charm meets polished design on a 225-acre playground in the Hudson Valley. Co-founded by a team of New York creatives, this retreat offers 28 modern cabins and a 12-room farmhouse inn, all awash in a sophisticated blend of neutral tones and antique accents that reimagine country living. Mornings might start with coffee on your porch gazing at the Catskill and Shawangunk mountain vistas, followed by a round of golf on the resort’s own nine-hole course or a dip in one of two saltwater pools. Everything at Inness feels thoughtfully curated, from the vegetable gardens and orchards (supplying the seasonal restaurant menu) to the stylish communal clubhouse where guests gather for artisan cocktails at magic hour. Cap off your evening with s’mores by the fire or a stroll under broad starry skies. Why book? Inness offers that elusive mix of bucolic simplicity and design-magazine chic – rustic but make it fashion, as they say.
Eastwind (Oliverea Valley)
Location: Oliverea, NY
Distance from NYC: 130 miles
Tucked in a quiet Catskills valley, Eastwind’s Oliverea Valley outpost feels like a secret Scandinavian retreat in the New York wilds. The property’s 26 accommodations range from breezy rooms in a newly built lodge to free-standing Lushna cabins and A-frame huts that channel Nordic glamping vibes. The aesthetic is effortlessly cool—blonde wood, sheepskin throws, and vintage touches—making it easy to imagine a Danish hygge hideaway, except here you’re overlooking mountain peaks and pines. After a day hiking or tubing a nearby creek, relax in the outdoor barrel saunas or take a dip in the pool (heated year-round, debuting Memorial Day 2025). The on-site Dandelion Restaurant & Bar serves up craft cocktails and farm-fresh meals so satisfying you won’t miss the city. Eastwind is intimate, design-driven, and delightfully laid-back – the kind of place where you’ll gather around the fire pit under the stars and feel worlds away from NYC’s pace.
Wildflower Farms
Location: Gardiner, NY
Distance from NYC: 97 miles
For a nature escape with a luxury pedigree, look no further than Wildflower Farms, an Auberge Resorts outpost set on 140 bucolic acres at the foot of the Shawangunk Mountains. Staying here feels like visiting a very stylish friend’s private farm estate. Guests lodge in freestanding cabins and cottages nestled among wildflower meadows and gardens, with interiors that marry countryside coziness with modern flair – think natural woods, quilted textures, and huge windows framing field and forest views. “Farm-to-table” isn’t just a catchphrase; with an actual working farm on-site, the resort’s restaurant (appropriately named Clay) sources ingredients footsteps away for its seasonal menus. Days can be spent wandering the property’s orchards and hiking trails, taking a cooking class in the farm barn, or indulging in botanical treatments at Thistle, the spa (don’t miss the indoor saltwater pool and outdoor hot tubs for a soak with a view). In the evenings, gather around the outdoor fire pits or browse the chic farm shop for locally made crafts. Wildflower Farms manages to be both down-to-earth and decadently pampering – an idyllic haven for those who want their country getaway with a side of five-star style.
AutoCamp Catskills
Location: Saugerties, NY
Distance from NYC: 111 miles
AutoCamp Catskills brings California cool to the Catskills, delivering a camping experience for the design-conscious traveler (who maybe doesn’t really want to pitch a tent). Set in a wooded property near Saugerties, this retreat swaps traditional hotel rooms for polished Airstream trailers and spacious canvas tents, all outfitted with mid-century-modern decor and hotel-worthy beds. The hub is a chic, Scandinavian-inspired clubhouse where you’ll check in, grab a latte or craft beer, and lounge by the fireplace planning your adventures. On-site, you can join yoga classes or even try “forest bathing,” and nearby you’ve got Woodstock’s boutiques, waterfall hikes, and river tubing within easy reach. Evenings at AutoCamp means around the campfire and maybe a classic film projected under the stars. It’s family-friendly and dog-friendly, but also bliss for anyone who loves the idea of camping more than the hassle of doing it themselves. In short, AutoCamp lets you commune with nature in style – hot shower, plush linens, and design-forward vibes fully included.
Hutton Brickyards
Location: Kingston, NY
Distance from NYC: 103 miles
A former 19th-century brickyard on the Hudson River has been transformed into one of upstate’s coolest retreats – Hutton Brickyards is part industrial history, part summer camp, and wholly enchanting. The 73-acre riverfront offers cedar-clad cabins with glass fronts overlooking the Hudson, combining rustic warmth with contemporary comfort—heated floors, wood-burning stoves, and luxe linens. Days here are leisurely, spent biking waterfront trails, hiking nearby state parks, or indulging in an in-cabin massage. At night, the River Pavilion restaurant serves farm-to-table dishes under glowing string lights. Hutton Brickyards is a stylish riverside escape, just two hours yet a world away from Manhattan.
Mohonk Mountain House
Location: New Paltz, NY
Distance from NYC: 90 miles
Mohonk Mountain House is the grande dame of New York’s landscape hotels – a Victorian castle resort set on 1,200 acres of forest and perched above a glacial lake. Family-run since 1869, this landmark charms with antiques-filled sitting rooms, sprawling porches, and afternoon tea rituals. Its award-winning spa offers modern indulgences, including massages and yoga by a panoramic indoor pool. Guests enjoy farm-fresh meals between hikes on scenic trails or peaceful afternoons rowing on the lake. Mohonk elegantly pairs old-world romance with today’s comforts—ideal for both adventure and relaxation.
Scribner’s Catskill Lodge
Location: Hunter, NY
Distance from NYC: 127 miles
What happens when a classic 1960s ski lodge gets a Brooklyn makeover? Scribner’s Catskill Lodge – a retro-chic haven in Hunter that’s been enticing weekending New Yorkers since its thoughtful revamp. The lodge blends vintage alpine style (vaulted ceilings, fireplace lounge) with modern touches like bespoke furniture, record players, and cozy balconies. Spend days hiking mountain trails or lounging by the outdoor pool, then savor seasonal dishes and local beers at Prospect restaurant. Whether gathering around outdoor fire pits or sipping cocktails at sunset, Scribner’s effortlessly combines nostalgic charm with contemporary flair.
Glenmere Mansion
Location: Chester, NY
Distance from NYC: 60 miles
If you’re seeking a countryside escape with a dash of European glamor, Glenmere Mansion is the answer. Set amid 150 acres of manicured gardens, this Italianate villa offers 15 individually styled rooms featuring marble baths, lush fabrics, and museum-worthy art. Relax at the award-winning spa’s marble hammam and soaking pools, or stroll through gardens punctuated by fountains and sculptures. Gourmet dining awaits at the elegant Supper Room or the casual Frogs End tavern. Glenmere provides aristocratic luxury just one hour from the city, feeling both opulent and effortlessly inviting.
The Chatwal Lodge (Treehouses)
Location: White Lake, NY
Distance from NYC: 100 miles
The Chatwal Lodge offers a luxe wilderness escape that’s equal parts adventure and indulgence. Set on 100 secluded acres in a Catskills wildlife reserve, the lodge features a trio of spectacular Treehouse Suites (added in 2024), perched amid maples with heated floors, Frette linens, stone fireplaces, and canopy decks. Activities range from guided hikes, fishing, and kayaking to peaceful lakeside yoga and fireside relaxation in the stylish Great Room. All-inclusive farm-to-table dining at the Rustic Grill highlights local ingredients, paired thoughtfully with wines. Here, rugged nature meets refined luxury, a chic sanctuary among the trees.
