Mohonk Mountain House - Hotel Designs Review

Hotel Designs


The skating rink replaces the use of the frozen lake (click to see a view of the lake from a bedroom). Behind the photographer is an enormous log fire to warm spectators
Characteristic bedroom - there is enormous variation depending on which building section you are in, or the stage of refurbishment that section is at, all of which reinforces the character and period charm (period charm in an American hotel!)	As the buildings don’t line through, the corridors have unexpected turns and sometimes a change in level. There are staircases in unexpected corners, and windows providing spectacular views. Sometimes these turns provide seating areas from which guests can sit quietly and watch a sunset. Occasionally beyond the window will be a bird table and the chairs and table inside will have bird books to aid recognition. In some area the window is one way glass with a bird table set in and sitting quietly one can be rewarded with perhaps a blue jay feeding only inches from you without an awareness of your presence. This is very much an hotel for sitting quietly after walking through the woods – the outdoors encourages exercise whilst indoors provides areas for contemplation, reading and relaxing. None of the bedrooms come with TV, although if you insist on your daily fix of the soaps a set will be provided to you on a trolley. It is delightful to have a room without a screen, and to rediscover the joy of an easy chair and a good book in front of a fire. The rooms are comfortable and have large balconies, some looking out across the lake, the other side of the hotel having the views across the valley. Bathrooms are contemporary and efficient with plenty of shelf space, and good power showers. There is a wide variety of room types, including so called 'turret' rooms, family rooms as well as the standard mix of doubles etc.. Inevitably in a family run hotel, whilst the rooms are well maintained (housekeeping is good throughout) there are rooms recently elegantly refurbished in a restrained traditional style there are also rooms which are much older in style. It is interesting though how a room can look old fashioned or traditional just through the absence of a television screen.
The restaurant is flexible and on two levels. The lower is smaller and allows for more intimate dining, whilst the flexibility of the upper area is such that there is no problem accommodating family groups of fifteen or so people. Given the disparity in guests there is a case to be made here for the lower restaurant to be developed into something more up market for the spa audience, leaving the upper restaurant for the family diners. The views from the windows are spectacular, but the space itself is imposing with the upper restaurant being quite theatrical in its layout which dates from 1893, and has elements of the arts and crafts movement about its structure. With a Quaker background the hotel was temperance until recent years, but now boasts an award winning wine list. The bar however is one of the weaker areas of design providing an environment that lacks quality. As with many resort hotels the conundrum here is the variety of guest that the building hosts. Family groups and the environmental buff alike are well served, with features such as the nature trails, bird table etc. being well thought out and well positioned. Whether the conference guest or the spa treatment seeker looking for pampering are as well served is debatable, but the potential to provide a differentiation in service is there within the building. The variety possible within this kind of hotel is well illustrated within the previously reviewed Merton in Jersey CI where a variety of restaurant from fast food to fine dining is contained within the envelope. The two floor restaurant here has the same potential, but currently it is left to the restaurant staff to decide who goes up and who goes down…	Main floor is buffet service. Click to see the lower restaurant area.

Mohonk Mountain House

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