NicolettaLuciana

My husband and I will be having lunch at the CIA in March and would like to make a 2 or 3 day trip of it and include visits to some of the historic homes in the area.

We're thinking of this as a romantic getaway and are not having much luck in finding a hotel/motel to overnight in. The ones I've found seem kind of old and in need of updating.

I'm wondering if any of you Fodorites have some suggestions for us.

Thanks!

nytraveler

Have you looked for inns - much better choice for a romantic trip but I believe a higher price tag?

I know Rhinebeck Arms has a very good reputation but there are others in the area that may be more modestly priced.

nytraveler

Sorry - Beekman Arms

John

Thought the CIA was in Virginia ☺

J62

If you're just looking for clean, comfortable room, there are a couple of fine chain hotels just down the road in the Poughkeepsie area. The Hampton Inn is the newest - not more than 3-4 yrs old. There's also a Residence Inn, and a HI Express. They're all on Rt 9, not more than 10-15min drive from the CIA.

That stretch is mostly a commercial strip - could be anywhere USA. Poughkeepsie is a forgettable town. There are actually a few good restaurants in the rather bleak central part of town, but otherwise not worth even 5min visit. Lived there for many years, up until 2 yrs ago so I know the area well.

I do like the town of Rhinebeck. Never stayed at any of the hotels, but I do like the Terrapin restaurant (both the main dining room and the bar/cafe side).

If you are doing day trips further south then you could also consider a hotel in the Fishkill (= fish creek in Dutch) area, I-84 @ Rt 9/Exit 13. It's another 15min further from the CIA, but right on I-84 so easy access, and closer to sights further south and west. A bunch more chain hotels there. They Hyatt Place & Hilton Garden Inn are both comfortable.

NicolettaLuciana

We'll be driving up from our home in NYC to have lunch at the CIA. Instead of just eating lunch and then driving right back home, we'd like to turn this into a little getaway and stay for 2 overnights in a nearby hotel/motel/inn/B&B (we're open to any of these types of accommodations).

Our preliminary idea is:
Day 1: drive from NYC to CIA in Hyde Park, have lunch and then check in to a nearby hotel.
Day 2: tour some of the historic homes in the area and then go back to the same hotel for a second night
Day 3: drive home to NYC

Ideally, the hotel would be in a pleasant, walkable town where we could take an evening stroll and have dinner in a nice restaurant (Rhinebeck would be perfect but we're open to other suggestions).

The Beekman Arms website shows that there are two inns: Beekman and Delamater. I wonder if any Fodorites have any personal experience staying in either of them and perhaps have suggestions or preferences that they could share.

longhorn55

When we did a college trip to the USMA in West Point a few years ago, we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Ft. Montgomery. We found it a convenient location to tour the historic houses (Vanderbilt mansion and FDR's boyhood home) as well as for dinner at the CIA (which was excellent!) If you would like a historic hotel, you could try the The Thayer Hotel on the grounds of West Point. Both properties get excellent reviews on Trip Advisor.

J62

If you destination is the CIA and the mansions right in Hyde Park I would not consider a hotel in West Point or Ft. Montgomery, about an hour away, to be a convenient location. For a single day trip to HP maybe, but not to come and go for more than one night.

If it's a HI Express you want, there is one 10 min away from the CIA.

christnp

Since you want to stay in a quaint village where you can stroll around, you might consider Cold Spring. It's about a 45 min drive south of the CIA, but convenient since you are coming from NYC.

The Pig Hill Inn B&B is right in the village and there are lots of restaurants within walking distance.