13 Best Hotels in Hudson Valley, New York

A ½-mile hike from a small parking lot near a Coast Guard station brings you to this romantic hideout, a restored lighthouse overlooking the Hudson River. Accommodations are simple and rustic—you make up your own bed at night, and the shared bathroom has a composting toilet—but the two bedrooms are bright and have expansive views. Be sure to climb to the lantern house, which looks across the river at the Clermont estate. Outdoor decks make for idyllic picnics; at low tide stairs lead to a beach.

A convenient setting and inexpensive room rates are the draw at this family-friendly place within Bear Mountain State Park. Constructed in 1915 of native stone and timber found on the site, the Main Inn has 15 rooms, a restaurant, bar, spa, café, and a vast, rustic lobby with a cozy stone fireplace. About a mile away, on the other side of Hessian Lake, are two additional buildings called the Stone Lodges. These have large windows (some with lake views) but get traffic noise from nearby highways. Overlook Lodge, in a quiet wooded area, has 24 spacious, serviceable rooms and a lobby with Hudson River vistas.

After you arrive at this stately Greek Revival mansion and pass through the grand columns of the portico, any hint of formality dissolves as the innkeepers greet you with a plate of fresh-baked cookies. Combining manor-house elegance with bed-and-breakfast-style warmth, this 1820 architectural treasure is surrounded by lawns, gardens, and a patio with sunset views. Many rooms have fireplaces and four-poster beds with sheer panels or crocheted canopies; some also feature cavernous marble bathrooms. Windows provide pastoral vistas without another house in sight—except the 1764 Chimney's Cottage, which contains four of the guest rooms, all filled with period antiques. There's also an adjacent farm with a shop for hot coffee, pickles, pies, and jams.

Close to the center of town, this hotel offers elegant rooms with comfortable beds and heated bathroom floors. The best feature is that all rooms have a private balcony overlooking Esopus Falls. The Tavern serves contemporary American food prepared by a Culinary Institute–trained chef.

Pass through the center of Red Hook and you can't help but notice this stately blue Victorian mansion. The owners are antiques collectors, so the house has the feel of a museum, especially in the common rooms. All but one of the bedrooms are corner rooms.

Each room at this B&B, across the road from the entrance to the Vanderbilt Mansion, is tastefully decorated with treasures the owners have collected during their world travels. The Kyoto Room, with light-wood furniture and soft colors, is serene. The English-country suite has rich floral wallpaper, Oriental carpets, and a cozy nook with a daybed. The Roosevelt Room, dressed in subdued country-print fabrics, has two twin beds. The common living room is slightly formal but bright and comfortable.

The house, built in 1810, was remodeled in 1838 when classical detailing was all the rage (witness the majestic columns in the front hall). If the interior recalls 17th-century Italy, it's because most of the furniture came from the current owner's palazzo near Modena. Elegant marquetry tables grace the parlors and lush silk draperies dress many windows. Extensive gardens surround the house, and a sculpture garden displays works by local artists. If arranged three days in advance, guests can order a three-course dinner prepared by your hosts.

Linger over breakfast by the pool and hot tub, which face the Shawangunk cliffs, or in the country kitchen. Later you may want to test your badminton game in the garden or shoot some pool in the cozy rec room, which also features a fireplace. Frills and florals adorn furnishings in the guest rooms.

Symmetrical topiaries flank the steps to this 1785 Georgian manor with leaded-glass windows. A major renovation in 1865 resulted in the Victorian demeanor you see today; amid all the original artwork, period architectural details, and antiques, you could easily mistake your surroundings for a museum. In the dramatic crimson hall, stairs rise to the four guest rooms, all stocked with plush bathrobes, 360-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets, boxes of chocolates, bottled water, and fruit baskets.

A 1825 brick inn in the heart of the village is filled with antiques, from Chippendale to chinoiserie. If you fall in love with that four-poster bed or mahogany armoire, you can buy it (price tags hang from nearly every furnishing). Most rooms have a wood-burning stove or a fireplace; two have hot tubs. Breakfasts, served in the light-filled Victorian conservatory or on the garden patio, are ample. Sweet aromas also waft from the kitchen in early afternoon, when the innkeeper often bakes cookies to serve with tea.

The Bardavon Opera House and the train station are within walking distance of this modern downtown hotel. Rooms have either one king or two double beds, two telephones (one in the bathroom), and wireless Internet.

A vast, light-filled great room with exposed beams, comfy couches, and a massive hearth welcomes you to this white-clapboard country B&B. Rolling lawns and a peaceful feng shui garden surround the 1801 post-and-beam barn, which was converted to a guesthouse in the 1920s. The covered back porch—often a setting for breakfast or an evening drink by candlelight—looks out over the Storm King Art Center's sculpture-strewn meadows across the thruway. Upstairs guest rooms have higher ceilings and are bright; the Lavender Room has a fireplace, rocker, and wide-board floors. A separate guest cottage features two guest suites.

Ethereal Hudson River views ennoble this imposing brick-and-granite hotel on the grounds of West Point. (You pass through two security checkpoints on your way to the hotel.) Sleek marble floors, iron chandeliers, and portraits of military leaders bedeck the main lobby; dark, regal furnishings and prints of river scenes adorn guest rooms. Request an odd-numbered room for river vistas or an even-numbered room for views of the academy. The restaurant lures crowds to its Sunday champagne brunch buffet ($34.95 prix fixe). In summer, angle for a table on the outdoor terrace.