ROXBURY, NY TRAVEL GUIDE FALL 2022

OVERVIEW

Roxbury is a village in the Catskills Mountains with roughly 2,500 residents and no grocery stores, but that’s part of the charm when you’re in stunning rural New York. Situated in Delaware County, the westernmost county out of all the four Catskills counties, Roxbury is a pastoral area characterized by beautiful mountain views, quaint restaurants, classic country roads, farms, and endless recreational activities. Baron Jay Gould was also born here.

You’re meant to slow down when you arrive in the Catskills. There are a lot of things to adore about Roxbury, but a particular hotel in the area stands out…

THE ROXBURY, CONTEMPORARY CATSKILL LODGING

The crown jewel of the western Catskills is the funky and extravagant lodging known as The Roxbury-Contemporary Catskill Lodging, comprising both the themed room and suites at The Roxbury Motel and the themed mansion rooms and stand-alone cottages at The Roxbury at Stratton Falls.

The building that houses The Roxbury Motel traces its origins back to 1963. It underwent a refurbishment, and is now home to 28 units-The decor is inspired by 1960s & 1970s movies and TV shows. Themed rooms include Miss Kitty’s Saloon, Samantha’s Cloud, and MaryAnn’s Coconut Cream Pie. The astonishing accommodation The Digs- a three-bedroom cottage that has an aquarium-is out of this world. The Wizard’s Emerald’s room pays tribute to Upstate writer Frank L. Baum’s The Wizard of Oz.

Its sister location, The Roxbury at Stratton Falls, has an Italianate mansion on its grounds. Mansion rooms include “The Beautiful Blacksmith,” “The Ghost and Mrs. Hicks,” and “The Brothers Stratton.” Across from the mansion stands the jaw-dropping, tall cottages. There are eight fantasy-themed cottages: Cottage themes include Wonder Woman, Cinderella, and Dracula’s Fangs. Construction of this location began in 2017.

The Roxbury is the amazing brainchild of owners Gregory Henderson and Joseph Massa, both NYC ex-pats that fell in love with the Catskills. Known as Greg and Joe, these owners go through stores, shows, markets, and real estate sales to find the perfect decor for the impeccable rooms. They’re extremely dedicated and friendly-You’ll probably see them on the grounds, make sure to say hello!

The Roxbury Motel opened in 2004 and had 10 rooms-Since then, National Geographic Traveler called The Roxbury one of the top 100 hotels in North America and HGTV said it’s “one of the most amazing hotels in the entire country.” It won the Conde Nast Traveler 2020 Reader’s Choice Award for Top Ten Hotels in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and TripAdvisor’s 2021 “Best of the Best” Award Top 25 Hotels in the U.S. Winner. There’s international praise too-The London Daily Telegraph loved The Roxbury!

The themed rooms are unlike anything I’ve ever seen. They’re colorful, funky, eclectic, imaginative, remarkable, and unequaled. A Roxbury trip is worth every penny. This is truly five-star lodging, and the uniqueness of the themed rooms means this trip is incomparable to others. The decor sets The Roxbury apart from its other competitors. I’ve stayed at The Roxbury Motel twice, and it’s five-stars all around. The Roxbury is literally perfect. You will be taking pictures of every single item inside the rooms because the attention to detail is just second to none.

I mean, everything’s huge! I had a tub and king-sized beds. I stayed in the Miss Kitty’s Saloon themed suite the first time, and The Noir Boudoir themed suite the second time. The Noir Boudoir even had a second floor and a cool spiral staircase.

The thing about this place is that it’s an experience. I always thought of hotels as a rest stop and a place to catch up on sleep overnight before gearing up for the next day. The Roxbury reminds us that even staying in a hotel is an experience in itself and reminds us to take time to smell the roses. You’ll probably don’t even want to leave your room to sightsee because the lodging is just that extraordinary.

AMENITIES

You’ll get an amazing breakfast with a wide selection of choices. You can select your breakfast choices online the evening before, and then you can pick up your breakfast bag in the morning at the reception room. Choices include danishes, bagels, croissants, juice, granola bars, fruits, eggs, yogurt, and jams (They give Bonne Maman, oh so fancy). I believe each person can select up to four items.

Parking and Wi-Fi are included in your stay.

Rooms have minifridges, microwaves, coffeemakers, and flat-screen TVs with DVD players. Suites have kitchenettes, sofabeds, tubs, and separate living rooms.

Hot coffee with milk and syrup options, along with hot tea, are available on the grounds. Candy, cookies, fruits, and yogurt are also offered. There’s a gift shop that sells the amazing lotion they have in the room bathrooms and cute hoodies.

Cold water with lime is available on the grounds. The lime is a tribute to owner Joe’s favorite color-lime green.

You will get a bathrobe and lime-green slippers in your room. You can take the bathrobe home with you (It’s so cozy!) for $85. Wine and beer from local craft Catskill breweries are available in the rooms for an extra charge. If it’s your second time at The Roxbury, you’ll get complimentary champagne in your room.

THINGS TO DO ON-SITE

1. Visit Stratton Falls (The Roxbury at Stratton Falls): The 50-foot waterfall is so beautiful that you’ll probably visit it more than once during your stay. For more information, you can read my post about my favorite Catskills waterfalls here.
2. Stratton Falls Crooked Cabana (The Roxbury at Stratton Falls): There’s an outdoor heated pool (I was able to swim outside in May and September in the mountains and was not cold at all), and you can book one of three available time-slots-10 am, 1 pm, and 4 pm-for 2.5 hours. You must book a time slot for the spa facilities at the Stratton Falls location too. Guests must pay $20 per person to access the spa and pools. Because the rule is not $20 per day and because the spa and pools are amazing, I highly recommend getting the $20 pass! It’s so worth it. Pool attendants will also offer you something to drink if you’d like, the Pina Colada is so good. The Crooked Cabana is home to an 8-person hot tub, a dry sauna, a spa relaxation area, two spa treatment rooms, and three bathrooms/changing rooms.
3. The Shimmer Spa South (The Roxbury Motel): This is a beautiful spa with a hot tub, a dry sauna, fireplace, bathroom, shimmering black tiles, and a shower with black river rock at the bottom that gives your feet a massage. You must also book a time slot. I loved the size-It’s only 600 square feet, so it feels like a personalized experience.

PLACES TO VISIT

1. Plattekill Mountain (Roxbury, NY): A family-owned ski resort with 38 trails, a cafeteria, and a 1,100-foot drop. The Roxbury posts skiing conditions in the office reception room each day during the winter.
2. Belleayre Mountain (Highmount, NY): This is the other mountain out of the two mountains in the western Catskills that offers winter sports (Hunter Mountain and Windham Mountain are in the eastern Catskills and are 40 minutes away). In the summer, you can take the gondola to the top and soak in the views.
3. Belleayre Beach (Pine Hill, NY): There’s a beautiful, clean lake here that you can swim in. This place also offers boating, fishing, basketball, and picnicking.
4. Mine Kill Falls (North Blenheim, NY): A stunning 80-foot waterfall cascading through a gorge. For more in-depth information, I wrote a post about my favorite Catskills waterfalls and mentioned Minekill Falls here.
5. Mine Kill State Park (North Blenheim, NY): The Olympic-sized swimming pool is free to use. The views from the NY Power Authority’s Blenheim-Gilboa Reservoir are very pretty, and you can rent kayaks for one hour at a cheap price-I think it was either $2 or $5 per person for one hour?
6. Mount Utsayantha (Stamford, NY): A scenic overlook that’s 3,209 feet and there are breathtaking views at the summit. Be warned-the road is steep and fits one car going one way, so your precious vehicle will be getting quite the workout if you decide not to hike the mountain.
7. Nana’s Attic (Arkville, NY): This is a cute store with antiques, candles, crystals, notebooks, and jewelry. You’ll never know what you can find here, and I especially liked their jewelry selection.
8. Roxbury Mountain Maple (Hobart, NY): A family-run farm that sells mouthwatering maple products that include maple syrup, maple candy, maple soda, and maple popcorn. The best maple syrup you can pour on your morning waffles.
9. World’s Largest Kaleidoscope (Mount Tremper, NY): The Kaatskill Kaleidoscope is the world’s largest kaleidoscope, and you can even watch a kaleidoscope show here. It’s in the same barn as The Shops at Emerson-the stores sell kaleidoscopes, clothing, and Catskills products-and it’s the perfect rainy day activity.
10. Locust Grove Soap Co (Roxbury, NY): This is a heavenly selection of handmade soaps, and the flavors are awesome-There’s orange, vanilla, and more. The soaps are also pretty affordable!
11. Kirkside Park (Roxbury, NY): This is a peaceful park with bridges and gazebos that’s right on the Delaware River. The Labor Day fireworks here were awesome.

RESTAURANTS I TRIED

1. The Old Mill (Roxbury, NY): BEST PLACE EVER. The ambiance-dim lighting, peaceful music, display lights, and equestrian decor-makes for a cozy evening, and their pasta/blueberry pie were so yummy.
2. Shepard Hills Golf Club Restaurant (Roxbury, NY): Talk about being fancy! This is a golf club restaurant in a secluded area that is sprawling, and the views from the restaurant are pretty and so serene. The spaghetti was great.
3. Chappie’s (Roxbury, NY): A restaurant on Roxbury’s Main Street that has salads, burgers, and breakfast food. There’s French onion soup, chocolate cake, and steak.
4. Binnekill Tavern (Margarettville, NY): This is a bustling tavern right along the Binnekill Stream that’s known for their schnitzel. I got their burger, and meal portions mean that you’ll be more than full after you leave.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

1. Make restaurant reservations: Roxbury is a Catskill village, and the surrounding area that’s home to delicious restaurants is a remote area. There’s a large number of tourists and not too many seats available for dinner, so reservations for The Old Mill, Shepard Hills Golf Club Restaurant, and Binnekill Tavern are highly recommended (Especially when visiting during the summer months or on holiday weekends).
2. Carry physical directions as back-up: Service may be lost in certain areas, so printing out directions can be a good plan B.
3. Book in advance, but also follow their Insta page to see last-minute openings: Our May trip was booked in February. But it’s also so worth it to follow The Roxbury’s Instagram page-They post room openings the week of. Following their Facebook page and signing up for their newsletter doesn’t hurt either.
4. Current rates: Prices range from $95-$850 and depend on the room choice, whether that’s a studio, contemporary room or suite.

For more information about The Roxbury, you can check out the site here. I’m so happy and lucky that I got to experience this place!