Shandaken Inn — Hotel in Town of Shandaken

Luxury. My wife and I spent her birthday at the Shandaken Inn. It was amazing. We would just sigh at times having no words for just how perfect the experience was. We will be back!

Location It’s just 2.5 hours out of NYC and is tucked away off the main highway 28 which was perfect. It sits near restaurants, hiking, winter sports all within a 20-30 min drive or less.

Food and Drink While there we had fries (legit some of the best fries I have ever had), mussels, burgers, pasta, shishito peppers, kale salad and dessert. Everything we ate was delicious. Not one misstep. And the drinks!! Yesss, come through!! The bartender was on her job!! She took care in making the drinks. The menu had nice diversity with interesting ingredients. The breakfast was great. A full fresh made to order breakfast with good coffee.

The Room and Inn We stayed in the Concord Suite and I thought to myself, at least once a day, how can I fold this room up and take it home with me. The fireplace is huge, cozy and really warms the room (literally). The king bed was like a cloud. The room was nicely designed, simple, cozy - stylish mountain vibe. The bathroom was large but warm with everything you would need. The whole room was also spotless. We are TV watchers and so the RUKO set up was great - we were able to sign into our streaming apps and pick up where we left off at home.

The inn itself was recently redone and it shows. It’s bright, clean, well laid out with plenty of spaces to socially distance and chill.

The Staff Rafael the Inn Keeper was great. He helped me make my wife’s birthday a success. He assisted with making sure that champagne was waiting for us on ice and we had a special birthday dinner. Everyone was from the bartender, waiters, servers, hosts (both for dinner and breakfast) was helpful, warm and approached us with a smile.

The Grounds The grounds are well maintained with decent parking. We visited in winter after some major snow so we couldn’t quite see the pool and tennis courts but they are there. The property also sits on 12-15 acres (can’t quite remember) which we were encouraged to explore - you can snow shoe around the property! The have lovely fire pits going with plenty of Adirondack chairs and blankets. We had dinner outside one night and we were given blankets, hand warmers and a massive heat lamp.

We can’t wait to return when the weather is...

The Shandaken Inn has undergone a metamorphosis, and it’s primed to show it off. The “Inn” is sandwiched between bucolic mountains in the heart of the Catskills, homestyle amenities galore, and a deluxe of outdoorsy lifestyle that beckons you to stay a little longer. The sprawling property that somehow always sparkles no matter the time of the day sits right off Route 28 in Shandaken, New York of course. And let’s just say nobody here is unfriendly. Not only does the “Inn” feel like your own private home but the guests and staff are as loyal to the property as they come. I have no doubt generations of families will stay here for years to come. A drink at the “Inn’s” bar, probably considered the “Inn’s” central meeting point, will have you conversing with the friendliest of guests. It’s easy to feel a sense of belonging and ease despite the sophisticated attention to detail paid to the décor. It is, after all, a destination to either truly vacation, work, or fully disconnect, not to put on fanciful clothes—and every guest I met there was intent on maintaining their unassuming profile. With more upgrades to come, the “Inn” is focused on transporting guests to its owners’ homes. In fact, upon entering the “Inn” lies a book for each guest to photograph themselves and sign. Over the years, more acres and amenities will be added to the property, including family-style cabins and a spa. These days, the concept caters to a specific traveler, whether it’s families, professionals, couples, pool and/or ski lovers, hikers, or groups. All created with a refined, well-edited palette, the food and the spaces still have their own distinct flavor and purpose. Anyone looking to truly be transported to a bygone era, step into the “Inn” for it's a game-changer in the Catskills. To create an elevated homestyle experience that’s consistent with an unpretentious touch is even more impressive. From high-level friendly service and amenities, to delicious food options, to activities to the overall experience that each match your own taste, you would think the “Inn’s” novice hotelier has been watching you for decades...

This would have been a 5-star review save for a disastrous stay in the Nevele Suite where I stayed for 2 nights.

The setting of the Inn is beautiful, the room was spotless, the bed was comfortable. The breakfast, which is included, was delicious as was dinner at the on-site restaurant. Lastly, and as importantly, the staff was simply wonderful. The customer service is just exceptional, which helped salvage my stay at the Inn because of some issues with my room.

First, there was a terrible odor in the room on the day of arrival. I notified the wonderful innkeeper who provided some air freshener. I did have to sleep with a mask on that first night but luckily the smell subsided by the following night. The Inn seemed to be at capacity, hence my not requesting a different room. Unfortunately, things in the room got worse, as I was awakened in the middle of the night by an intermittent knocking sound, which went on until almost 5am. I informed the Innkeeper in the morning and was provided a white noise machine to use that night. I also made use of the provided earplugs. Unfortunately, neither one was of much help as, once again, in the middle of the night, the knocking sound began and didn't stop until about 4:50am. So, I basically spent 2 sleepless nights in the Nevele Suite, which is one of the priciest rooms at the Inn. At check-out, I shared my concerns about the room with the Innkeeper, as this experience was not on par with the cost of the room and overall quality of the Inn. He promised to investigate the source of the noise and try to address it. I hope the issue in the Nevele Suite gets resolved, as it is a nice space.

In spite of this experience, I would stay at the Shandaken Inn again, as everything else was great.

Covid-related: the staff was observed to wear masks at all times in public spaces, which was...