Mohonk Mountain House
 

Has anyone stayed at this resort? I'm looking for someplace for my sister and I to celebrate her 50th birthday.

I've considered the Berkshires and Tanglewood but this would also appeal to her and I know she hasn't been. She is quite my opposite and doesn't want to fly so I am looking at shorter trips from Fairfield Co. CT.

Also considering Montreal by train. Any thoughts?

I have been to both Mohonk and Montreal. While Mohomk is beautiful, you are really at the mercy of the weather. All the activities are pretty much outdoors. We usually go at the last minute if they have availability, after we get the weather report. Montreal is great. Shopping, the seaport area, art museum, great restaurants. Tons of things to do. But you could also consider touring the mansions in the Rhinebeck area of NY, AMTRAK to Washington DC to see something special at the Kennedy Center, or a drive to Philadelphia.

When is the date? If during the summer then Tanglewood offers the concerts as well. There is also Canyon Ranch if you want to splurge. I have been to Monhonk and it is a very different place. I like it very much. But there isn't anything to do if the weather is bad. The food there has gotten better, but it is a large hotel so the food is not individually cooked.

We've both done Canyon Ranch so I was thinking something different. Yo Yo Ma is at Tanglewood in August which is when we would probably go. It is appealing as we haven't been.

My sister is very yoga, meditational, a new age hippie as it were. I am the interior designer, foodie, etc. I can spend 3 or 4 days without great meals and shopping to celebrate her birthday. Still thinking and the pictures of Mohonk are really lovely. Maybe we'd fish even (!).

New age hippies looove the House and the area :)

It has possibilities of being boring with an older clientele and sometimes the children can be annoying, but the place is beautiful and the hikes and grounds are lovely.
We go most often in the fall, the colors are amazing..August will be hot and humid in the Berkshires, last August we spent the entire month there..part nice/part hell.
For a few days, the House would be great! in MHO:)

Thanks Scarlett. At 50 and 57 we probably resemble your remarks unless everyone is over 80!

LOL, no you won'tresemble the folks I am speaking of:)
More like the ones you see sitting on the porch of an old folks home, waiting for someone to walk them in to dinner.
But there are enough youn'uns and younger families to make it a good mix:)

How is the weather there at the end of October, early November? I am thinking of getting a weekend there for my parents for their anniversary. They like nice rustic views but aren't very active as far as hiking, horseback riding or that type of outdoor activities. Is it a nice place to sit around (like a cozy inn). I realize it is a big hotel. Is it an enjoyable place in the fall even if you aren't a real outdoorsman?

Haven't stayed there, seen it and it is amazing.

Sally,
I stayed there in mid-November last year (plus visited for day trips several other times). It was chilly but the hiking was still wonderful. MOST of the people there stayed inside, sitting around the various sitting rooms, which themselves are very cozy. However, because there were so many people indoors - many of them kids complaining, "I'm bored", and others just very chatty, very loud people - it was not the most relaxing atmosphere. The rooms were kind of small to hang out in. But, if it's warm enough, the outdoor area on the porch and around the edges of the lake are excellent for sitting and relaxing. I found the dining pretty pleasant too.

Are your parents at least into walking, if not hiking? Because it's not worth spending hundreds of dollars to stay there if you don't take a walk around the lake to explore the gorgeous scenery, which can be MUCH better viewed from the hills overlooking the lake than from the hotel.

Mohonk is beautiful, all seasons. It is still operated (Somewhat) by a Quaker family, so it is low key, and can be relaxing if that's your speed. Very different from Canyon Ranch.
There are specials as mentioned, they include anything from a writer's group, to movie themes, to murder mystery weekends...

Montreal by Train

I've taken the train from Montreal back to Albany, and been between Albany, Boston, and NYC. If you take the "Adirondack", it's a beautiful, but long ride. It crawls along the edge of Lake Champlain, and of course the Hudson River. North of Saratoga, the speed is often only around 30 mph, and be prepared for long waits during the border crossings. I'm not trying to discourage you, just to let you know the downfalls.

That said, it's been credited as one of the most beautiful Amtrak routes (especially in the fall!) and on some of the trains there is a tourguide/narrator to give you info about what you see outside the car. Take some reading material, or music and I'm sure you'll have a good time.

BTW, there's another train that goes up into Vermont (thru springfield MA) up to northern VT (St Albans), then buses you the remaining distance.

For comparison, Here's sample times:
NYC - Montreal Lv 8:15am Arrive 6:30pm; or NYC-StAlban-Montreal: Lv 11am, Arv Montreal 10:20 pm.

Return trips: Lv Mont 9:50am/Arr NYC 7:40pm or Thru St Albans: Lv Mtr 8:15am/Arv NYC 8:20pm.

I like the train, but hate to spend THAT much time on it. I now take a "motorcoach" trip up (eg: a casino bus) and tell the driver I'm not returning, taking Amtrak back.