Hotel Kinsley Is the Hudson Valley’s Most Stylish New Getaway
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Just over two hours from New York City is Kingston, New York: a Hudson Valley getaway that, once upon a time, was the capital of the state, where rainbow rows of townhouses line the business district, limestone homes dot the periphery, and every store seems to be a quaint cafe or an antiques shop. And that’s just the historic area known as “Uptown.” Down by the river, there’s another thriving part of town where boats and kayaks bob at the brink of the bank and there are waterfront wine bars aplenty.
This year, Kingston became even more of an oasis with the arrival of Hotel Kinsley, a charming boutique hotel that will eventually stretch across four historic buildings dating from 1688 to the late 19th century. Right now, its main hub is 301 Wall Street, a former bank from the 1860s. The check-in desk is located in the old vault.
But don’t let the heritage fool you: the hotel is as au courant as they come. The interiors are by Studio McKinley, the Robert McKinley-run design studio that’s also behind Sant Ambroeus, Montauk’s McKinley Bungalow, and the Surf Lodge. Faced with the challenge of establishing a similar vibe between multiple varied sites, McKinley created the following storyline: “An extended family inherited the property from their grandmother—the sole stipulation of the inheritance being that the family must develop a cohesive hotel that highlights each of their unique styles. In doing so, each family member was assigned a different building, which allowed them to pursue their own aesthetic fantasies while also adhering to a common thread.”
McKinley and his team worked with Dedar fabrics, Farrow Ball paint, Frette bedding, and local artisans to make their vision come to life. The guest rooms are filled with thoughtful details: Smeg refrigerators, walnut desks made in Red Hook, plaid chairs reminiscent of Jacques Adnet’s creations from the 1960s. Each room has warm, bold colors: think a mustard yellow headboard, a bright blue rug, or an orange velvet sofa. “I wanted to move away from the typical Upstate aesthetic—antlers, plaid, reclaimed wood— and do something different,” McKinley explains.
Hotel Kinsley’s restaurant is run by Taavo Sommer, known in New York City for Freeman’s and the buzzy Lower-East side dive bar, Ray’s. The space’s warm terracotta tones are accented by plants, and shelves on the wall chock full of books—during breakfast, a neighboring table decides leafs through one dedicated to Picasso. The menu, described as “New American” fare, includes delectable dishes like chestnut soup, whipped ricotta, and a calamarata pasta with swordfish and shishito peppers. Don’t sleep on dessert, either: especially the blondie with malt ice cream and salted caramel praline.
There’s much to do in Kingston: antiquing, boating, and soaking in the town’s quaint charms. But, with a historical hotel this design-savvy, you may never want to leave its haute halls.
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Photo: By Nicole Franzen1/10A guest room at Hotel Kinsley.
Photo: By Nicole Franzen2/10Fun accents include a Smeg refrigerator.
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