The Hudson Valley and Catskills have moved well beyond knotty pine paneling and deer-antler lamps. A new generation of lodgings is blending clean lines, warm minimalism, and floor-to-ceiling glass with the rugged landscape. These places honor the outdoors with contemporary architecture, locally sourced materials, and creature comforts—think Scandinavian simplicity meets mountain coziness.
Wildflower Farms
2702 Main Street, Gardiner
Set on 140 acres in Gardiner, Wildflower Farms brings Auberge Resorts’ luxe touch to the Shawangunks. Its 65 freestanding cabins and suites, designed with floor-to-ceiling windows and natural materials, invite the outdoors in. The Thistle Spa draws from the farm’s botanicals, while the restaurant Clay turns out seasonal, farm-to-table dishes. A blend of Scandinavian restraint and Hudson Valley warmth, Wildflower Farms, recently named the number one hotel in New York State in Travel+Leisure’s 2025 World’s Best Awards, redefines the modern lodge as a place where luxury grows straight from the land.
Piaule
333 Mossy Hill Road, Catskill
A poster child for modernist wilderness escapes, Piaule’s modular glass-front cabins perch lightly in the woods. Minimalist lines meet cozy interiors—woodstoves, soaking tubs, and sweeping views of the Catskills. The lodge also houses a spa and restaurant showcasing seasonal Hudson Valley fare. Piaule feels at once private and communal: You can spend all day in your glass box watching snow fall or meet fellow travelers by the fire, cocktail in hand.
Inness
10 Banks Street, Accord
Inness is part design retreat, part pastoral playground. Shaker-inspired lodgings range from airy cabins to farmhouse-chic rooms, all grounded in muted palettes and honest materials. The 220-acre property includes a restaurant helmed by James Beard-nominated chefs, a golf course, pools, and miles of trails. It’s the rare place where rustic simplicity and luxury coexist comfortably, making it equally suited to autumnal rambles or winter weekends curled up beside a woodstove.
Eastwind Hotels
Windham and Big Indian
Eastwind pioneered Scandi-style cabins in the Catskills with their signature “Lushnas”—tiny A-frame shelters dressed in wool throws and lantern light. Expanded into larger lodges in Windham and Big Indian, Eastwind blends social energy with mountain quiet. Guests can gather for apres-ski cocktails or retreat to cedar-scented saunas and private decks. The look is contemporary alpine: clean lines, natural textures, and just enough hygge to make cold nights feel welcome.
Urban Cowboy Lodge
37 Alpine Road, Big Indian
If Piaule is minimalist, Urban Cowboy Lodge is maximalist: an exuberant fantasia of clawfoot tubs by windows, bold wallpaper, and roaring woodstoves. Housed in a century-old lodge, this Big Indian outpost revels in pattern and texture without sacrificing mountain authenticity. The Public House bar and restaurant feels like a Catskills living room turned inside-out, while outdoor firepits and forest trails beckon. Urban Cowboy shows modern doesn’t always mean minimal—it can be wildly, joyfully extra.
Hemlock Neversink
7491 State Route 55, Neversink
A retreat built for quiet luxury, Hemlock Neversink merges mid-century modern aesthetics with Scandinavian calm. Guestrooms are airy and uncluttered, while shared spaces encourage wellness—think saunas, yoga, and plant-forward communal dining. Surrounded by forest and streams, the property is designed for contemplation as much as comfort. Hemlock feels like a modern monastery for city-weary travelers, offering serenity by design.
Hotel Lilien
6629 Route 23A, Tannersville
This 1890s Tannersville inn has been reborn as a design-forward lodge where vintage character meets contemporary edge. Interiors brim with bold paint colors, mid-century furnishings, and playful details that never feel precious. A lively bar and lounge anchor the social scene, while guest rooms maintain a mountain coziness. Hotel Lilien manages to be both stylish and approachable, attracting skiers, hikers, and design enthusiasts in equal measure.
Callicoon Hills
1 Hills Resort Road, Callicoon Center
Once a 1905 boarding house, Callicoon Hills is now a modern mountain escape with history intact. Airy cabins and main lodge rooms retain rustic charm but are refreshed with clean lines, modern furnishings, and a laid-back Catskills vibe. The hillside pool, airy barn restaurant, and fire pit gatherings make it a four-season hangout. Callicoon Hills proves that reinvention and preservation can go hand in hand—old bones, new soul.
Bluebird Hunter Lodge
7433 Main Street, Hunter
Bluebird Hunter Lodge channels ski culture through a contemporary lens. With crisp alpine design, vintage ski memorabilia, and a playful spirit, it feels both retro and fresh. Rooms mix wood, plaid, and minimalist furnishings, while communal spaces invite mingling apres-ski or apres-hike. Steps from Hunter Mountain, the lodge doubles down on winter appeal, but its year-round energy and affordability make it one of the most accessible entries in the new Catskills modern.
This article appears in Fall 2025/Winter 2026.
