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Caribbean beaches, Mediterranean shores, and Italian lakes rightfully rank high as summer hotspots for New Yorkers, but locals shouldn’t dismiss the burgeoning hospitality scene found upstate—especially with newcomers like Inness and Wildflower Farms.
Just a train (and a brief taxi) ride away from the city are charming hamlets and towns dotting the Hudson River or tucked beneath the canopies of the Catskills. Hiking and biking are favored weekend activities in these areas, but don’t think a day at the pool is not an option. Several of our favorite sylvan upstate retreats feature pools onsite—and many also come with a view.
Floating in the DeBruce’s pool, for example, offers vistas of the Catskills (no hike required) while The Sagamore Hotel’s pool allows you to take in the expansive beauty of Lake George. Here, a round-up of the best hotel pools to be found in Upstate New York. Best of all? No Hamptons traffic.
Wildflower Farms, Gardiner
There’s a lot to love about Wildflower Farms. A stay at one of its 65 free-standing cabins gives guests the feeling of forest bathing, with sweeping views of the property, 140 acres of a former tree nursery, and the Shawangunk Kill River, which can be explored in many hiking trails. In addition to a superb restaurant, Clay, the property prides itself on its spa, Thistle, at which guests can luxuriate in an indoor saltwater pool. For sunbathers, there is also an outdoor pool with a view and two hot tubs perfect for sunset soaks.
Inness, Acord
Named after George Inness, the Hudson River School artist, Inness is one of those properties you really don’t have to leave after you arrive. With its 28 cabins and 12-room farmhouse (perfect for group traveling), the vibe is farmhouse meets Scandi-minimalism. On the beautifully landscaped ground, there’s a pristine spa, a nine-hole golf course, tennis courts, walking trails dotted with outdoor sculptures, and two pools. One is kid-friendly and neatly rectangular the other is round, tucked away by the farmhouse, and adults-only. Something for everyone.
The Maker, Hudson
This just-opened hotel is the passion project of Lev Glazman and Alina Roytber, founders of the beauty brand Fresh. After opening an all-day cafe in nearby Ghent, the duo realized they wanted to continue their hospitality pursuits—and so The Maker came to be. Inside, the rooms feature brass-handled antique furniture and claw-footed bathtubs. You won’t want to leave, except to venture to the pool outside, which is shaded with striped parasols.
Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz
“Sprawling” is the best way to describe Mohonk Mountain House, a Victorian castle that stands tall at the edge of the Hudson River. There are just under 300 rooms and enough activities to entertain the occupants of them all. On the roster of things to do are: a spa, farm-to-table dining, hiking trails, tennis courts, golfing, riding, and an ice rink (in the winter). It’s a resort that’s so expansive it needed two pools.
Troutbeck, Amenia
As the hotel name suggests, one can fish for trout at Troutbeck (at the nearby Webatuck Creek) but there’s much more to this property, which has strong literary associations having once hosted Mark Twain, Henry David Thoreau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. The hotel’s interiors are courtesy of grand hotel design firm Champalimaud Designs and the exterior is as country charming as it gets with a stone facade and Tudor windows. Outside, there’s also a pool, where a dip offers views of the beautiful surrounding greenery.
Hasbrouck House, Stone Ridge
Hasbrouck House is a quaint hotel centered around an 18th-century Dutch Colonial stone mansion. There’s also a pool that’s over 100 years old. It’s received an update or two since being built, of course, and it’s the perfect place to lounge after touring Hasbrouck’s 55 acres.
Whiteface Lodge, Lake Placid
Mountain men and women will feel at home at Whiteface Lodge. The property’s interiors are filled with antler furnishings (a few deer heads observe the lobby’s goings-on) and exposed log beams above. Seasonal activities rotate from tennis, fishing, and canoeing to ice skating and winter sports. The outdoor pool, however, remains available year-round and is positioned so that the Adirondacks are on full display.
The Lake House on Canandaigua, Canandaigua
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Yes, this property is located on the banks of Canandaigua Lake—the fourth largest of New York’s Finger Lakes—but sometimes, one just prefers a pool. For those moments, there’s a chlorinated body of water at the just-opened Lake House on Canandaigua, which is a design-lover’s dream on the inside. From the pool, you’ll still enjoy views of the lake.
The DeBruce, Livingston Manor
Surrounded by 600 acres of private land in the Catskill Park, one almost needn’t go on a hike if they’re staying at The DeBruce. A swim in their pool offers just as much scenery as a nature walk might. As for the hotel itself, it’s cozy with only 14 guest rooms, and each is designed to be luxuriously simple.
Kenoza Hall, Kenoza Lake
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What was once a private family retreat in the early 1900s is now a 22-room inn in the Catskills called Kenoza Hall. A beautiful lawn separates the hotel from Kenoza Lake, which is swimmable— but so too is the property’s sleek pool. There’s also a hot tub for more relaxing soaks.
Shandaken Inn, Shandaken
The building that is now the Shandaken Inn was formerly the clubhouse of the Rip Van Winkle Golf Course. After renovations last year, it was reimagined as a bed and breakfast painted in the most charming shades of cornflower blue. The area is famous for its flyfishing (in Esopus Creek) but right outside is a tennis court and a pool for activities closer to home.
Glenmere Mansion, Chester
Glenmere Mansion bills itself “a slice of Tuscany in the Hudson Valley,” and that description sounds just about right. The house, an Italianate villa, was formerly a Gilded Age retreat to the Goelet family and has since been transformed into an 18-room Relais Châteaux property. Inside, there are two restaurants and a hammam-style spa. Outside are gardens featuring potted Italian cypress trees and spirals of boxwood plantings. And there’s also a pool, of course—lying there in your chaise lounge will feel very under the Tuscan sun.
The Sagamore, Lake George
One of New York State’s best-situated pools is undoubtedly that at The Sagamore. The hotel itself is the grande dame of the lake—its property features formal gardens and a box hedge-lined walkway that, from overhead, looks like an airplane runway that leads right into the lake. On the lip of the Sagamore’s lawn are a number of pools that offer prime Lake George views.
