In the seven years since Habitas launched in Tulum, Mexico, the hospitality brand has become known for hotels that are design-forward and hip yet also homey and welcoming. This ethos is evident at the group’s first property in the U.S., the 20-room Our Habitas-on-Hudson, which opened last December in the Hudson Valley hamlet of Staatsburg, about two hours’ drive from New York City. Here are all the reasons you need to check in now.
Design & Decor
The property’s centerpiece is the Manor, a restored 18th-century house that stands sentinel on top of a hill with a breathtaking view of the valley. As eye-catching as the exterior and grounds are, the interior is perhaps even more energizing: The walls teem with art, and various nooks are littered with everything from chess boards and a foosball table to Federico García Lorca and Cy Twombly poetry collections. It probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that the decor flits between posh and playful—after all, Habitas partnered on the hotel with Chateau Marmont owner André Balazs.
Food & Drink
Get warmed up for dinner by taking a cocktail class in the moodily lit bar. (Try making a Saladito, a refreshing blend of mezcal, honey syrup, lime juice, sea salt, and cayenne.) Graduate to the candlelit restaurant, Social, for a farm-fresh menu featuring delights such as roasted maple baby carrots with tahini crema, pappardelle with duck ragu, a fantastic mezze plate, and local mushroom lettuce cups. (Want to attempt making the latter at home? The hotel offers a mushroom foraging experience for guests.)
Rest & Relaxation
Harking back to Habitas’s roots in Tulum, the Hudson Valley property offers several opportunities to engage in sound healing: You can soak up the soothing reverberations of the gong during morning yoga sessions or around the firepit (while roasting marshmallows) at night. Need to get the blood pumping? Hit the on-site tennis court for a couple of sets, and afterward treat yourself to a custom facial from local partner Rain Spa.
Surroundings & Scenery
The number one draw for autumn is Upstate New York’s spectacular seasonal foliage. Take a drive through the Technicolor trees to one of the many nearby parks and historic sites—among them a Vanderbilt mansion and Franklin D. Roosevelt’s estate—or simply relax on the Manor’s porch and watch the soft light of golden hour settle over the Hudson River and the Catskills beyond.
From $520, ourhabitas.com/on-hudson
