Callicoon Hills
Retrospect resort
The Catskills wilder west
At century-old Catskills resort Callicoon Hills, there’s a sense of nostalgia as cosy as the cuddle of a vintage blanket as you toast a s’more over a fire pit. Food is decidedly in the ‘comfort’ camp (stacked burgers, sticky wings, buttermilk biscuits), rooms look like something taped into a ‘cherished memories’ scrapbook, and pursuits are as old as the hills that you’ll joyfully ramble over. But, it doesn’t live in the past – modern artworks and furnishings commissioned from local carpenters; cool cocktails and cult cans; and menus starring quail, microgreen salads and rabbit ragout have shifted the stay from the fuzziness of memory lane to sharp modernity.
Facilities
Zimmer
62, including two suites.
Checkout
11am. Earliest check-in, 4pm. If the room isn’t occupied after check-out there’s some wiggle room for time (until about 12 noon), but for $100 you can check out at 3pm, subject to availability.
Weitere Details
Rates don’t include breakfast, but à la carte items start at $12.
Also
Guests with mobility issues will be most comfortable in one of the four ADA-approved Pool House Standard Queen rooms, set on the ground floor. One of which has a roll-in shower.
Kostenfreies WLAN
Pool
Restaurant
At the Hotel
Outdoor lounges and terraces with fire pits, game room with a pool table and video games, indoor lounge with a fireplace, lawn games, free WiFi. In rooms: air-conditioning, Malin + Goetz bath products.
Our Favourite Rooms
Rooms’ decor is similar throughout, and nods back to the hotel’s Hills Resort days, giving them a retro look. There’s white wood panelling and wood floors, local carpenters have been called on to craft statement headboards and freeform coffee tables, and snuggly wool throws and dainty artworks have been added. Choose between the Pool House for easy swimming access, the house set on a ridge for a bit more peace and quiet (and a small climb), or main hub the Boarding House to be at the centre of the action.
Poolside
The king-size pool (open from 9am to 6pm, from June to October) is a promising shade of turquoise and overlooks the undulating greenery. There’s a bank of shaded loungers to one side and floats on request. Please note that it's not possible to swim in the pool unless two adults are present.
Spa
There’s no spa onsite, but there are plenty around that the hotel can vouch for. Say Hemlock Spa at Kenoza Hall, with its hydrotherapy circuit, serious facials and varied yoga classes; River Family Wellness for acupuncture, reiki and intuitive healing; Bodies and Plants for Pilates classes; or Right Foot Yoga for more soothing stretches.
Packing Tips
Bring hiking boots with a strong constitution, a French market bag for toting all your Catskills edibles, and gentle bug spray. The hotel has vintage blankets to keep you warm after dark, but a cosy sweater won’t go amiss, especially during leaf-peeping season.
Also
To encourage you to go out into nature, plus keep the peace, there are no TVs in rooms. And, FYI, romantics, the 19th-century English Haypress Barn is ideal for a rustic ceremony.
Kinder
Welcome to stay, but under-16s must be supervised at the pool. A baby cot and pack and play can be added to any rooms at no cost.
Galerie
Food & Drink
Top Table
Sit on the terrace to admire the profusion of balsam firs, maple and birch trees, which are even more spectacular come autumn’s fiery hues.
Kleiderordnung
‘Hey! I’m hiking hee-yah!’
Hotel Restaurant
Conover Club has a retro feel, with sage wood-lined walls, and cosy banquettes, plus a terrace overlooking the greenery. It excels in American comfort food, putting its own spin on the classics, say serving eggs Benny on latkes, and breakfast sandwiches on cheddar and jalapeño Grizzly Bagels, or making French toast savory, dipped in a parmesan-and-herb batter for brunch. And country dining gets chic at dinner, when there’s quail with ramp chimichurri, panzanella, and gnocchi in rabbit ragout. But, there are also ‘sammies’ (the signature Hills burger is a big meaty hug in a bun), wings with lavender honey and blue cheese, and fried cheese curds dipped in chilli-lime ranch. Plus, the list of Catskills suppliers given top billing on the menu – even before you hit the appetizers – will reassure you of the ingredients’ fine provenance. Occasionally the hotel holds special themed dinners too, such as the popular offal-themed evening (much nicer than it sounds). And, keep-you-going breakfasts are served in the Rise & Shine Coffee Shop, including yoghurt parfait with pomegranate, cocoa nibs and honey; overnight oats with apple, pecan and cinnamon; and chia pudding with mandarin and cranberries. Or more bakes from Grizzly Bagels and house-made pastries.
Hotel Bar
The Catskills’ craft-beer scene is well represented with taps frequently updated with new IPAs, ales and more from the likes of the Upward Brewing Co or Roscoe Brewery. Plus, there’s an edit of classic bottle-aged cocktails and cult cans: Graft’s bourbon-citrus cider, Crafters’ Union wines, High Noon’s vodka sodas. And in the Conover Club, the mixologists shake things up according to season, so you’ll get sippers such as the Sleepy Hollow with Wild Turkey bourbon, blueberries, lemon and mint, or the Beaverkill with El Dorado rum, peach, lime and a dash of maple syrup.
Last Orders
Breakfast in Rise & Shine Coffee Shop is from 8am. The Conover Club serves dinner from 5pm, Thursday to Sunday, and brunch from 10am to 1pm on weekends.
Planes
The closest airport is New York Stewart International in Newburgh, which has good links across the Eastern Seaboard, but somewhat random direct routes if you’re arriving from outside the States (if your launch point is Bangladesh or Iceland, you’re golden). If you’re landing in NYC, Newark is the closest hub, at two-and-a-half-hours away, while JFK is closer to three.
Trains
From New Jersey you could take the Port Jervis line to Port Jervis station, but then you’d still be an hour’s drive from the hotel.
Automobiles
Yes, without a doubt you’ll need a car. The hotel’s river valley and surrounding hills are beautiful but do set you apart from the larger towns and attractions, plus the western Catskills is sparsely served by public transport. There’s a parking lot just across from the hotel.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
We can guarantee you’ll find yourself on a hike here – Callicoon Hills (previously known as Hill’s Villa and Hills Resort) might take its name from the Hill family, who purchased it in the 1940s – but it’s surrounded by some delightfully unruly topography, luxuriously coated in trees. Staff can point you in the right direction for roaming about nearby greenery, or you can drive out to tackle the grander, sometimes more challenging, trails: the majestic Walnut Mountain Park; the lakes, ponds and falls of Willowemoc Wild Forest; or Bouchoux trailhead for a panorama of the Delaware River Valley. Alternatively, you can ride along the water in a kayak, canoe, tubing ring and more, with Lander’s River Trips, or saddle up with Rolling Stone Ranch for a leisurely horse ride. Nearby small town Roscoe is renowned for its angling and fly-fishing opportunities, home to five of the US’s top trout streams. Callicoon itself is worth a visit for its vintage cinema, bountiful farmer’s market (one of the most renowned in the region), and quaint boutiques – we like Spruce Homegoods for handicrafts and the Antique Center for rummaging. Livingston Manor might host an annual Trout Parade and the Catskill Fly-Fishing Museum, but it’s becoming increasingly hip, so those looking for a different angle are off the hook and can explore the sweet indie shops, delicious farm delis, natural-wine bars and breweries. And, in Narrowsburg you can pick up cosy-making homewares at Sunny’s Pop or Catskills Curated, find picnic fixings (homemade preserves, aged cheeses, local charcuterie) at Narrowsburg Proper, or pet and feed alpacas at the Buck Brook Farm. Head into Sullivan County to see the Callicoon Center Band, who’ve been playing since 1934, and swing by the old Woodstock site, still a lively place of peace and love as the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, where there’s a museum, wellness workshops, concerts and festivals, such as October’s wine-focused the Big Sip. And though the hotel is more a place to relax after a jaunt into nature, they often hold events too, such as axe-throwing, reiki, sound healing, drag brunches, and seasonal happenings – for Halloween they tell ghost stories in the woods and hold tarot readings.
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
