Nestled within the rugged and picturesque western Catskill Mountains lies a winter wonderland waiting to be explored. Whether indoor or outdoor pursuits are on the agenda, the Sullivan Catskills offers a wealth of activities that are perfect for a winter getaway. Visitors can enjoy skiing, snowboarding, and tubing at family-friendly Holiday Mountain in Monticello; marvel at the holiday lights show at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts; cozy up for a craft beer flight at Upward Brewing in Livingston Manor; indulge in The Arnold’s apres-ski-themed oasis Frostfire Lodge; or shop with independent retailers in any of the county’s charming hamlets.
When it comes to places to stay the night, the Sullivan Catskills also boasts a wealth of accommodations—from the delightfully rustic to the luxuriously high-end—that are sure to become a defining feature of any trip upstate. Need more inspiration? Here’s a round-up of five cozy winter getaways that offer a dreamy escape.
Hemlock Neversink
The newly opened Hemlock Neversink is the latest of five boutique hotels in the western Catskills created by noted hoteliers Sims Foster and Kirsten Harlow Foster of Foster Supply Hospitality. Situated on 230 acres, Hemlock Neversink offers guests a wellness escape that blends the bounty of its natural surroundings with activities and workshops like candle making, floral pressing, and daily nature walks with the property’s goats that promote rejuvenation and connection.
For a true getaway, the hotel offers four- and seven-day retreats, as well as New Year’s Eve specials that include accommodations, meals at the on-site restaurant Bittersweet, activities and workshops, time at the 12-room spa, and a dedicated Experience Guide.
Roscoe Mountain Club
As the fly-fishing capital of the Northeast, Roscoe is a quintessential destination for anyone who loves the outdoors. Nestled on 1,000 majestic acres at the highest point in Sullivan County, Roscoe Mountain Club provides a year-round woodland retreat and a 60-mile view of the Catskill Mountains that can’t be beat.
The newly renovated 24-room inn draws influence from the region’s historic hunting and fishing lodges and its quaint 40-seat dining room offers a cozy fireplace and full bar. The club is known for its golf course, but winter also welcomes hockey and ice skating on its own ice rink, which can be booked out for parties and private events.
The Blue Fox Motel
Since its first incarnation in the ‘50s, the Blue Fox Motel in Narrowsburg offers a refreshingly nostalgic retreat that is close to the great outdoors (it’s located at the nexus of the Ten Mile and the Delaware rivers), quaint up-and-coming hamlets, and enduring cultural sites like Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the home of the original Woodstock music festival. Newly renovated in 2020, the selection of 18 accommodations has a rustic-yet-pampered feel that suits city foxes and country foxes alike.
Seminary Hill
Many people may know Seminary Hill Orchard & Cidery in Callicoon for its complex, dry ciders that honor their rich Sullivan County terroir. But the world’s first Passive House-certified cidery founded by fifth-generation Callicoon resident Doug Doetsch also offers a farm-to-table restaurant and a stately historic hotel with 17 bedrooms designed and renovated by local studio Homestedt.
For locavores looking to take it all in, Seminary Hill’s Cider Experience package includes two complimentary bottles of cider upon arrival, a $50 credit at its on-site restaurant the Tasting Room, and a complimentary copy of American Cider: A Modern Guide to a Historic Beverage by Dan Pucci and Craig Cavallo, and either two complimentary tickets to its weekly orchard and cidery tour and tasting with Seminary Hill’s cidermaker Stuart Madany or a sneak peek into the cidery and tasting with a staff member.
Old Campbell Place
Looking for lodging that offers a cozier escape into the western Catskills for just a few? Rent a rustic cabin like Old Campbell Place in Hortonville from Red Cottage. The renovated three-bedroom, open-plan home includes 13 private acres with access to Callicoon Creek. With a wood-burning stove, hot tub, screened-in porch, firepit, and close proximity to the best hiking and dining in the region, this quaint little cabin is sure to help create memories that will last.
For more inspiration about what to enjoy on a trip to the Sullivan Catskills, visit Sullivancatskills.com or download the Sullivan Catskills Go! mobile app to start planning your trip.
