Big lobbies and shiny marble used to be the whole point of a luxury hotel. Six new hotels across New York are proving something different is possible, and it starts with design instead of size.
Think cedar cabins tucked into pine forests, restored 1700s stonework, and floor-to-ceiling glass that turns a forest into the view. These hotels are betting guests remember a feeling long after they forget a chandelier count.
Turns out a lot of travelers feel the same way. A recent travel trends report found that a big share of us are choosing trips specifically to feel closer to nature, with a quarter swapping packed schedules for quieter, slower vacations instead.
Inness and Hotel Corduroy give old buildings new life
INNESS sits on 220 acres in Accord, inspired by the Dutch farmhouses that once dotted the region. Brooklyn’s Post Company designed cedar cabins with lime-washed walls and custom furniture, giving the whole property a quiet, lived-in feel.
Hotel Corduroy took a similar path out in Montauk. Built in 1983 as the old Sunset Montauk, the 29-room hotel was reworked by Blue Flag Capital and Ward + Gray into a surf-inspired retreat with deep teals and sun-faded golds. It’s Blue Flag’s first boutique hotel outside Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.
Piaule Catskill and Inns of Aurora let design lead
At Piaule Catskill, the design is the whole point. Garrison Architects built modular cabins that sit raised off the ground and wrapped in glass, so guests basically wake up inside the forest. The look leans Japanese and Scandinavian, letting the structure do the talking instead of ornament.
Inns of Aurora goes the opposite direction and lands in the same place. The Cayuga Lake resort restored a string of 19th and early 20th century homes instead of stripping them down, adding museum-quality art and custom interiors throughout. Its spa even earned WELL Gold Certification for a design inspired by Ayurveda.
The Sagamore and Troutbeck prove size still needs substance
Not every standout on this list is small. The Sagamore sits on its own 70-acre island on Lake George, blending Gilded Age grandeur with Adirondack warmth through wood finishes and residential-style furniture.
Troutbeck, a 250-acre estate in Amenia dating back to the 1700s, takes a similar approach. Champalimaud Design kept the original stonework and oak paneling, then added warm interiors that make the estate feel lived-in instead of staged, decades after guests like Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway once stayed there.
If your next trip is calling for something more personal than a giant lobby, any one of these six spots is a good place to start packing.
Jennifer Allen is a retired chef turned traveler, cookbook author and nationally syndicated journalist; she’s also a co-founder of Food Drink Life, where she shares expert travel tips, cruise insights and luxury destination guides. A recognized cruise expert with a deep passion for high-end experiences and off-the-beaten-path destinations, Jennifer explores the world with curiosity, depth and a storyteller’s perspective. Her articles are regularly featured on the Associated Press Wire, The Washington Post, Seattle Times, MSN and more.