Hudson Valley Weekend Getaways from NYC: The Stewart House

Lifestyle

Dec 14

My first town I covered in this series of Hudson Valley weekend getaways from NYC was the adorable town of Hudson, which is fantastic for antique shopping, artisanal food, and wandering little streets. This week, I want to tell you guys about a hidden gem for a wonderfully quiet and peaceful weekend getaway: The Stewart House in Athens, NY.

Originally built in 1883, The Stewart House suffered some bad damage due to Hurricane Irene's flooding waters in 2011. What could have been the end for the boutique hotel got turned into a marvelous renovation project by the owners. Now recently renovated, the Stewart House reopened its doors with a fresh, minimalistic, modern yet rustic design and feel.

The rooms are all unique in their flourishing touches, but hardwood floors, leather furniture, cozy sheets, local antiques and hand-picked embellishments give them all a warm charm. Warm terry bathrobes, Mrs. Meyers products in the bathroom, and all the attention to detail in decor made me feel right at home here during my chilly autumn stay.

Girl needs her coffee and tea, and I was met with an adorable reading nook, or as the owners lovingly refer it to as "the library."

It has the perfect leather loveseat, cozy throws, a Keurig, hot tea, and filtered water for guests to enjoy anytime of day. If looking for a read, there is a collection of old books collected in local stores. Downstairs, they offer complimentary breakfast in the mornings as well. The spreads are pretty healthy with fresh fruit, hot quiches, greek yogurts, cereals, and even almond milk.

Now stepping outside, the Stewart House has a patio on the water where events are thrown during warmer weather, and there is a little neighboring park.

But personally, I love that we caught it at the tail end of fall with all the stunning colors and leaves trickled all around. The view of the Hudson with a little morning fog decorating the Catskill area and the mountains is a moment of serenity much appreciated, having come in from the city. Whether it be at dawn or at dusk, it was all prisms of pretty.

And I can't forget to mention Happy Jake's, the restaurant/bar downstairs. Boasting a classic new-American menu, they have some of the friendliest staff offering to find you the perfect drink and food recommendations. The Blue Point mussels in a garlic-white wine sauce with rosemary had me craving these weeks later. I would have to say it was some of the best I've ever had- perfect blend of flavors go perfectly with a fall Doc's cider.

If you're looking for a quiet getaway, especially during the colder months where you don't want to be exploring outside too much, the Stewart House is just perfect. Whether it be a romantic getaway, solo reflection trip, or a trip with the girls (or boys), there's nothing that sounds cozier than bundling up and snuggling with one of the many plush throws around the place, a book, and a hot cup of coffee.

Within the town of Athens, there aren't as many attractions as in Hudson and no Warren Street-like counterpart, so this is definitely a place to actually be able to enjoy the boutique hotel you're staying in rather than just returning to sleep at night. The Stewart House makes it the ideal cozy place where you just want to hit the snooze button and stay indoors to rejuvenate for a long weekend. I definitely would love to visit this place again when New York is all grey and dreary, and to escape to a quiet winter wonderland here- I can only imagine how gorgeous the scenery will be when blanketed in white. I'd be staring at it through the beautiful room's window while wearing my bathrobe with coffee in hand- doesn't that sound like the Northeast winter dream?