If majestic Hudson Valley is the memoir you’re reading, Rhinebeck is its preface. Easily missed, but a gift to its reader if indulged.
Upstate is the trip one takes to perceive life beyond the over stimulating world that is New York City. Manhattan can be suffocating as it is bursting with cars, tourists, residents, skyscrapers, 24 hr diners, cafes, and nightlife tightly packed into its belly; like a woman who is double spanx-ed underneath her dress so that she can attend a pretentious gala or party her way through the meatpacking district only to end her night in the seedy lower east side.
Nature-ensconced Rhinebeck New York is the perfect location for New Yorkers and New Jerseyans to spend a luxurious overnight getaway
Hudson Valley is nature's medicine with its lush landscape filled with the bountiful and conceited red maple trees who gloriously shows off her multi-colored foliage of reds, orange, and yellows. It entices you to get lost into her fire; transforming you from an anxiety ridden human who bulldozes through life and into a purposeful being who aspires to get out of the rat race.
An escape to upstate NY is a jarring change but a welcome one for most.
Nature heals!
Rhinebeck NY was the chosen retreat to cocoon in with Anne, my lifelong friend of over 15 years, on her 41st birthday. It began with just us two but the crew of 10 urbanite ladies rallied last minute to converge for our girl. A group composed of creatives, executives, nine to fivers, and stay at home moms over 40. Let the adventure begin!
The quaint village of Rhinebeck maintains its historical magic through all the independently owned shops, unique restaurants, boutique hotels, and small farms. You are transported back in time and yet it isn’t rustic or rural. All the buildings are refurbished, refinished, and revived to be enjoyed by visitors and locals alike.
What’s your quick overnight getaway like?
If you’re like me and my group of friends—whose idea of a nature escape also means easy access to delicious food, eclectic shopping, and a stay at a luxurious hotel and spa—then Rhinebeck is for you!
First Stop:
Amsterdam Restaurant & Bar for brunch. Amsterdam, is a farm to table restaurant serving American food with the exotic offering of Shakshuka on the brunch menu along with a sprinkling of french pastries and entrees. Our meals accompanied with custom made cocktails satisfied every one of our palettes and we sang our praises to the chef and staff.
(Photo by: Amsterdam)
Relaxation Check in:
Stuffed, we all headed straight to Mirbeau Inn and Spa for check in and relaxation. This location is the youngest of 3. Her sisters were born in 2000 located in the small Village of Skaneateles, in the Finger Lakes Region of New York and the other in 2014 in Plymouth, MA, in the Boston-South Shore area. The Rhinebeck location opened her doors in 2019 and it suits its birthplace perfectly. It is a luxurious modern boutique hotel with only 49 rooms wrapped in chic parisian decor and facade that honors nature throughout its structure. It evokes intimacy; the formal and personal service you receive from every personnel makes you feel like a million bucks. As guests, you are entitled to the complimentary spa amenities which includes fitness classes, steam room, saunas, and heated outdoor whirlpool complete with complete bar service which made us happy campers.
Necessary: A day dedicated to spending every minute at the spa, indulging in all its amenities. The heated outdoor whirlpool as well as the Himalayan Salt Sauna, Eucalyptus infused steam room were a welcoming retreat with the chilly weather and rainy forecast of the day. There’s just something about the rain. It drew us further into the prospect of slowing down, resting, relaxing, and cocooning. What a perfect place to frolic in.
We had a birthday dinner for Anne at the hotel's restaurant called Willow. The restaurant has a French-inspired menu that uses ingredients from local farms in the valley. The restaurant's European-style decor created a fancy atmosphere, and the food, including the homemade desserts, was delicious. After dinner, we continued the celebration in the hotel's game room. We laughed through every story shared and 2 bottles of red wine and 3 bottles of champagne later, we finally called it a night around 2am. Our party certainly livened up the usually quiet town, but the young staff welcomed the noise and even asked if we needed anything else to keep the party going. We all turned and said, “ We Mamas needs our beauty sleep!”
This restaurant is a must! Cinnamon serves authentic Indian cuisine; respecting tradition as well as including innovative ingredients into their dishes gifted by locally sourced farms. This was our last meal of the trip and we almost ordered the entire menu–from every kind of naan to the exotic dosa and fan faves of every kind of masala–we happily fueled ourselves for the 90 minute drive home and did not regret every spiced full bite.
(Photo by: Cinnamon Indian Restaurant)