New York is not only the largest city in the U.S. by far, it’s also the only one with more carless households than those with at least one vehicle. And no one likes to feel trapped, that’s human nature. So, in addition to obsessing over the cacophony within our city limits, we New Yorkers also spend a fair amount of time figuring out how to escape the place, just for the weekend.
Enter the Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa, a historic resort on the shores of the Hudson River 70 miles north of the city. I’ve had the privilege of staying at Buttermilk twice over the past six months, once during the last gasp of summer and again in the dead of winter, otherwise known as February. The place excels in both seasons—although, pro tip: Summer weekends tend to be fully booked with weddings. And it’s easy to get to without a car.
Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa
220 North Road
Milton, NY
Near Poughkeepsie
10 inn rooms and 8 cottages
Website
From $300
The inn and its grounds make for a perfect self-contained weekend getaway. The first step, if you are in fact coming from New York City, is to book a train ticket to Poughkeepsie. This can be done on either Amtrak or Metro North. With the former, you’ll pay more and be forced to contend with Penn Station, but you’ll get there faster. Take Metro North and you’ll save some money but lose some time with all the local stops, but then again you get to leave from Grand Central Station.
On your way in or out, take at least a few minutes to appreciate the marvelous Poughkeepsie Train Station, serving the town since 1918 and perfectly preserved.
From the Poughkeepsie station, your best bet for the 10-minute drive to the inn is Uber, which should run about $10-$13. Once you arrive, you’re good to go for the weekend without stepping foot in another vehicle.
The inn’s main building, built in 1764, originally served as the home of a Scotsman named Leonard Smith. He lived here with his wife and eight children. The building now houses 10 guest rooms, a living room area for all guests, check-in, the breakfast room, and a small shop selling, among other things, items made from the wool of on-site alpacas, Angora goats, and llama. Several freestanding cottages provide a collective total of 10 more bedrooms—plus loads of privacy.
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The bones of Pony’s Pad, where I lay my head during my winter stay, were pretty perfect—wonderful hardwood floors, a showcase spiral staircase, sweeping views over the Hudson from the deck or through long rows of windows, with a living/dining room, kitchen, and outdoor deck on the ground floor, and the bedroom and bathroom on the second floor. The decor felt a little sparse for the price, though. A new sofa, a couple throw rugs, and a firewood rack would be my priorities were it mine to work with. But especially if you need some space, you’re doing your own cooking, or you love wood-burning fireplaces, this is a good option.
As a solo traveler, I preferred the room in the main inn that I stayed in in September, the “Sage Left.” It was styled just how I like a small in on the Hudson River to be, with authentic antique furniture, and a highly comfortable bed. The bathroom seemed recently updated, and was great, and the room had a gas fireplace that I didn’t really need but turned on anyway. Best of all, French doors opened directly onto a private brick patio overlooking a pond and the Hudson.
Options on the property abound, and visiting the farm animals is certainly one of them, even for adults. To get to them, you’ll traverse a bridge over a pond full of ducks and swans. In another direction, you can follow a path through the woods and down toward the Hudson River. On the way, you’ll pass the impressive Buttermilk Falls themselves.
Guests can easily wile away an entire afternoon at Buttermilk’s spa, where a glass-enclosed pool provides one of the better winter relaxation settings I’ve come across. Order some food and wine poolside, pop into the sauna and/or steam room, and boom, it’s already 4pm somehow.
The on-site restaurant, Henry’s, serves food that is even better than it needs to be. Many ingredients are sourced from the property’s farm, and the cocktail menu is great, as well. For dessert, I can’t stress highly enough that you need to try the weird ice cream flavors, one of the weirdest being the garlic scoop.
I have been spoiled recently by elaborate breakfasts in five-star hotels, and I readily admit that I may have lost some perspective on what I can rightfully expect of a hotel for my morning meal. From this vantage point, the one at the Buttermilk Falls Inn felt basic. I’d have killed for some freshly squeezed orange juice, or freshly baked bread for my toast. But it’s fine, served in a great setting and with copious provisions of coffee, most importantly. Just the thing to propel a person back down into the Big Apple.
