Themed hotels in NYS: The Roxbury, A Tiny House Resort and more
Set on 200 acres of wilderness in the Catskills, the Urban Cowboy Lodge pairs rustic mountain living with bold design features like copper clawfoot tubs and Pendleton wool blankets. Credit: Urban Cowboy Lodge & Resort
Forget the standard hotel room. In the Catskills, you can fall asleep in a fairy-tale cottage, soak in a tub beneath Western cowboy decor or wake up in a cozy tiny house overlooking a creek. For travelers looking to make their accommodations part of the adventure, these three themed properties offer an unconventional escape, all within about a three-hour drive of Long Island.
Urban Cowboy Lodge
37 Alpine Rd., Big Indian
DRIVING DISTANCE FROM MELVILLE: 2½ hours
You don't have to travel across the country for a rustic Western escape. Urban Cowboy Lodge brings a rustic, cowboy-inspired stay to the Catskill Mountains. The boutique resort is set across 200 acres of wilderness, with individually designed rooms and cabins featuring antique furnishings, hand-stamped wallpaper and Pendleton wool blankets.
The rooms lean into the cozy mountain lodge atmosphere, with many featuring copper clawfoot tubs for two or private outdoor Japanese cedar soaking tubs overlooking the surrounding woods. Fireplaces in each add warmth, making the property an appealing option for a cold weather getaway.
Guests can unwind in the Estonian sauna, take a dip in the outdoor soaking tubs or explore the property's hiking trails. Other amenities include a spring-fed swimming hole, seasonal outdoor pool, tennis and a 40-foot tree net installation. For food and drinks, there's The Dining Room restaurant and Ralph's Bar & Bowling. The property also offers dog-friendly accommodations.
RATES: Starting at $210
MORE INFO urbancowboy.com; 845-254-5016
A Tiny House Resort
2776 Cty. Rd. 23B, South Cairo
DRIVING DISTANCE FROM MELVILLE: 2½ hours
For a getaway that trades sprawling hotel rooms for uniquely designed accommodations and plenty of outdoor space, A Tiny House Resort offers a different kind of Catskills escape.
The 45-acre waterfront property has a mile of frontage along Catskill Creek, its own waterfall and a collection of individually designed tiny homes. Guests can spend time at the seasonal heated pool, visit the on-site Makers Art Studio or meet the property's goats, ducks and chickens. Each house also has an outdoor firepit, and the resort welcomes dogs, with two homes also accommodating cats.
Among the options is The Mizu, a waterfront home with large windows overlooking the creek. Its loft-style bedroom has a treehouse feel, with sunrise views and enough room to sleep up to four. Guests may also catch the property's daily goat walk from the window.
Large windows overlook Catskill Creek at The Mizu, a tiny house that sleeps up to four. Credit: A Tiny House Resort
For a closer-to-the-water experience, The Nest Inn sits directly above Catskill Creek. The home has a private fenced deck with a seasonal outdoor kitchen and dining area, while its expansive master loft offers views of the water and surrounding landscape.
Traveling with a dog or a small group? The Oki is a partial-water-view home with an open layout, a loft with windows overlooking the surrounding scenery and a fully fenced deck where dogs can enjoy the outdoors.
The Oki is a tiny house with a loft overlooking the surrounding landscape from three sides. Credit: A Tiny House Resort
RATES: The Oki starting at $314; The Mizu $359; The Nest Inn $449
MORE INFO atinyhouseresort.com; 518-622-2626
The Roxbury
2258 Cty. Hwy. 41, Roxbury
DRIVING DISTANCE FROM MELVILLE: 3 hours
At The Roxbury, checking into a hotel room means stepping into another world. The property reimagines the traditional roadside inn with elaborately themed accommodations inspired by television shows, movies, fantasy and faraway places.
The hotel has two locations about 2 miles apart. The Village Side is the original property, a renovated mid-1960s roadside inn with themed rooms and suites, while the Stratton Falls Side features larger mansion suites and standalone cottages, along with a seasonal outdoor pool, hot tub and a 50-foot waterfall.
The standout accommodations include The Faerie Forest, a two-bedroom cottage at the Stratton Falls location with whimsical cedar woodwork, hundreds of twinkling lights, a cedar-tree staircase and a screened-in porch. At the Village Side, The Digs transports guests to ancient Egypt, with hieroglyphics, gold accents and an 85-gallon soaking tub. The three-bedroom cottage sleeps up to five and includes a full kitchen and private patio.
For a tropical escape, Maryann's Coconut Cream Pie takes inspiration from "Gilligan's Island," with a round king bed, lemon-colored linens and a ceiling resembling the top of a coconut cream pie. The room features a two-person soaking tub, sofa bed and kitchenette.
The Maryann’s Coconut Cream Pie room, inspired by the television series “Gilligan’s Island,” features a round bed dressed in lemon-colored linens and a ceiling designed to resemble the top of a coconut cream pie. Credit: The Roxbury
RATES: Maryann's Coconut Cream Pie starting at $149; The Digs $249; The Faerie Forest $599.
MORE INFO theroxburyexperience.com; 607-326-7200
