The Adirondack Great Camps of the 19th century were a means for families of notoriety, a la the Vanderbilts and Roosevelts, to enjoy the rugged majesty of the region from the comfort of a natural-yet-well-appointed retreat. Inspired by the historic Great Camp aesthetic, the Griffin House brings luxury respite to the quiet Catskills hamlet of Palenville but with the laid-back, welcoming warmth of an Irish public house.
Open since June, the inn and its farm-to-table tavern were designed to create a gathering space that’s comforting to locals and inviting to visitors. “There’s just so much beauty and history here, so we thought we could create a place for people to enjoy it all,” says proprietor Jessica Walsh, who co-owns the business with her husband, musician Simone Felice.
Walsh and Felice, who also own the nearby Circle W market and Rip & Wolf liquor store, saw an opportunity to purchase the historic building, which had been sitting vacant for eight years. Built in 1925, the space was originally opened as an Irish inn and hunting lodge, operated by the Griffin family as the Griffin House until the 1970s. It saw a few iterations over the ensuing years, last known as Michael’s, an American-Italian restaurant.
“We were both born and raised in the area, so we saw an opportunity to breathe some life back into the building, recreating the feeling of the original Griffin House,” Walsh explains. “It’s a brick building, and the bones were solid, so we didn’t need to do extensive renovations.”
The upstairs inn features nine rustic-luxe, double-occupancy rooms with ensuite bathrooms. “We bought these beautiful beds up near Lake Placid made of hemlock and hickory and use organic linens—it’s very cozy, with dark green walls and natural wood,” Walsh says. Guests have access to a 24-hour pantry and a billiards lounge, as well as an on-site tavern, which is also open to the public. Weekday rates are $225 per night; weekends are $300 per night.
Downstairs, the Tavern is a bar and restaurant with a British pub feel—dark wood, stone accents, and a central fireplace. The restaurant is led by Executive Chef Juan Romero, who also runs catering business Lekker and previously headed local favorites like Kingston’s now-shuttered Duo Bistro. The seasonally revolving menu features elevated comfort food inspired by the British Isles, sourced locally, when possible, from purveyors like Story Farms and Kilcoyne Farms.
“One of my early mentors was a Scottish chef who taught me about homey, delicious food from that region,” Romero says. “With the Griffin House’s history as a locally owned Irish pub, we’ve combined this great mix of local love and British Isles themes—call it Palenville Isles,” he laughs.
Popular menu options include fish and chips ($25) with housemade beer batter and tartar sauce—“it comes with American-style fries, but is otherwise very classic,” Romero adds—and the Griffin House Burger, topped with cheddar and crispy fried onions on brioche, with fries or salad ($20).
Romero also suggests the traditional British offerings, like Cullen skink ($12). “Skink is a soup derived from the Scottish town of Cullen—a smoked cod chowder made with leeks and heavy cream. It’s a feel-good-on-the-inside dish,” he says. There’s also a traditional shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, and desserts like Eton Mess, an English dish that originated from Eton College, made with layers of meringue, whipped cream, and mixed berries ($10).
The bar features 12 beers on tap—Guinness and Smithwick’s, of course, as well as local brewery favorites including West Kill, Return Brewing, and Catskill Brewery. Signature cocktails ($11 and up) include seasonal concoctions: “Sugar Shack is made with a brown-butter-infused rum; it’s decadent and warming,” Walsh says. “And Torch Song tastes like campfire marshmallows,” she adds. It’s made with Shmallow Bourbon, creme de cacao, Heering cherry liqueur, and mezcal.
And if you believe in the luck of the Irish, Walsh and Felice received a blessing from an actual member of the Griffin family. “Around June, before we opened, Pat Griffin—who’s 94 and lives in Florida—was visiting with her daughter and asked to see the building,” Walsh explains. “It was the most beautiful thing; she walked in and broke down, saying she could see her dad behind the bar, her mom in the kitchen—she spent her childhood there. She said that her parents would have loved to see what we were doing. I felt so honored. I get chills just thinking about her visit.”
The tavern also features traditional Irish music nights, comedy shows, and seasonal events that take place on their expansive lawn. “Outside, we’ve got views of Kaaterskill Creek—you can hear the falls—and views of the two mountains that make up Kaaterskill Clove,” Walsh says. “People often don’t know what to expect but are pleasantly surprised. You can come to Griffin House and have a three-course meal and stay the night, or just grab a pint and look up at the mountains.”
Griffin House is located at 3311 Route 23A, Palenville, and the Tavern is open Thursday, 5-9pm; Friday, 5-10 pm; Saturday, 4-10pm; and Sunday, 4-9pm.
