From the iconic skyline and forested ridges of the Catskill Mountains to the bounty of the farms in the valleys below, the region acted as a source of both design and culinary inspiration for Ely and Danielle Franko for their hotel The Henson and its onsite restaurant Matilda in the Windham hamlet of Hensonville. They opened the spot over Memorial Day weekend alongside co-owners and chefs Jeremiah Stone and Fabian von Hauske Valtierra. Both of the acclaimed chefs are behind the Lower East Side’s Wildair and soon-to-be Bar Contra (formerly Contra, which closed last October after a 10-year run).
The Henson, a thoughtfully designed 16-room boutique hotel, continues a long tradition of hospitality on the spot. Some may know it as the former site of Hammo’s Lodge, which operated from 2015 to 2021, but its history as a guest lodging extends to the early 1900s when it was first established as The Hensonville Hotel.
“For years we’ve been coming up to the Catskills. We lived in the city for a long time,” says Danielle. After many frequent trips up north, the Frankos decided to get their own place and rent it out for a couple weekends each month. After demand began to skyrocket, they decided to open two more vacation rental properties, which developed into their first Catskills endeavor, Instagram sensation the Hunter Houses.
The Frankos made the decision to start a bigger project following their successful rental properties—in December 2021, they settled on opening an inn that’s located near their three houses. “It needed a lot of work,” says Danielle, and as if that wasn’t enough, they were also juggling other projects. “We’ve spent the last two and a half years renovating the hotel, and while we were working on it we opened Day June, a little luncheonette, and Paracasa (a gourmet pantry store) at the same time.”
Throughout the Henson’s design process, the Frankos worked to honor the history and character of their 150-year-old space while incorporating individual touches. “Ely sourced all the furniture and art for the restaurant and hotel, which has a lot of vintage finds,” reveals Danielle. “There are many personal details, like portraits on the walls in the living room that we inherited from his grandmother in Turkey that hung on her walls for 50 years. I handpainted every wall and plastered all the fireplaces. There’s a lot of love and hard work we’ve put into it. We’ve learned to create the spaces where we want to be.”
Matilda: Comforting & Challenging Cuisine
At Matilda, the ambience is homey and inviting, pulling inspiration from the surrounding Catskills with deep colors, wood elements, artsy accents, fresh greenery, and a delicate natural lighting scheme. As for the food, the process of sourcing high-quality ingredients was of the utmost importance to the owners. “We were looking around the area for where we would source things, and it became an organic process of meeting somebody, them showing us a tiny little farm that only grows a couple really special things, and that farmer then recommending somebody else, and so on,” says Ely. “It unfolded over the course of a few months as we developed personal relationships with small places who are super passionate about what they do.” One of those places is Highland Hollow, whose striploin is featured in a dish with leeks, capers, and a tomato bearnaise (MP).
Regarding the menu, Ely describes it as both “comforting and challenging.” Matilda’s food offerings reflect a seasonality that is essential within a climate as dynamic and transitional as the Catskills. Current selections include East Coast oysters with pickled knotweed, mustard seeds, and anise herb oil ($27), as well as a smoked steelhead trout with nori puree, garlic mustard, and sea beans ($28). Matilda doesn’t skimp when it comes to dessert either—one instance is the house sundae, featuring sweet milk ice cream with sweet herb sabayon, sweet herb oil, and berries ($14). Danielle dishes that one of the best things on the menu is a mousse made from potatoes and strawberries ($14).“People are so happy they were encouraged to try it,” she says.
Guests can expect the menu to change every four to six weeks depending on what’s available. “We’re working on the next iteration now,” says Ely. “The inspiration is a celebration of the Catskills and what we’re able to get our hands on. Our amazing chef partners who have restaurants in the city were so excited to be in an area where all of their food is coming from.”
The beverage selection is hearty and features a wine program with five categories: sparkling, white, orange, rosé, and red. The bottle list includes over 40 wines from Spain, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Georgia, and the US. The bottles range from a $56 red blend (Gober and Freinbichle, Chill!) to a $306 Chandon de Briailles Burgundy. If a cocktail is what you seek, Matilda’s bar features refined sips all at $19, like the Iron Goddess with oolong-infused vodka, peach, and wildflower honey. They’ve also got a few beers to choose from. Their house beer is Familiar Ghosts, a botanical pilsner brewed with coriander and white soy brewed in collaboration with Hudson Valley Brewery.
Matilda is on a mission to simultaneously open minds and provide ease. “I hope people come across with new ideas and new concepts of what a fine dining restaurant and a Catskills restaurant can be,” says Ely. “We hope everyone feels comfortable here.” So far, Matilda and The Henson exemplify just that. Danielle adds, “We’re getting a lot of feedback that the space feels like a big home in its design, hospitality, and the comfort of the food.”
Matilda, located at 39 Goshen Road, is open Thursday-Monday from 5:30-10pm. Events (like the recent garden party they held mid-June) and guest chef dinners are soon to come.
