Emerson Resort and Spa

I have stayed at Emerson for many years and it was always pleasure. But this Thursday through Saturday was a dismal, disappointing experience. On Thursday, we were checked into Room 404. The room was filled with bugs and next to the trash cans. We called the front desk and spoke with Jordan. She was not sympathetic and reluctant to let us change rooms even though there was an empty room down the hall. After a long, stressful interaction with her, we changed to Room 409. On Saturday night, the fire alarm went off. There was nobody at the front desk to guide us. Eventually, it was so deafening, that we left and drove home in the middle of the night. I paid $1,024 for this horrible vacation experience in which we got no rest and relaxation. We are never returning to Emerson again.

This is rated a 3-star hotel, and it was tough to decide on whether it was a 3-star or 4-star property. Ultimately it is a 3-star property for several reasons: -On Friday night at 1 AM, the hotel had a big fire alarm and we were evacuated for approximately 1 hour. It appears that several rooms had their fire sprinklers go off. Thankfully, we were unaffected, but it obviously impacted our sleep the night before a day full of wedding-related festivities. I would have expected the hotel to offer some kind of discount, or perhaps even not charging us for that night, but instead the hotel told us that their management needed to have a meeting, etc. and would contact us later. As a seasoned traveler, this kind of inefficiency and delay seemed strange to me. -One of the hotel guests (I assume) approached me for a ride like I was an Uber driver, but he knew I was not. I did not know this stranger and it was one of the most bizarre experiences I've had. -The hotel restaurant is overpriced and expensive with Manhattan-like prices. On the positive side: -The staff is very courteous and goes out of their way to ensure you're aware of the amenities at the property like pickleball and renting bikes, and was very welcoming to us -Appreciated the bottles of water that were offered to us at the front desk -The location is very convenient for a wedding we had to go to across the street at the Foxfire Mountain House -The attached shops and "world's largest kalediscope" were unique touches to the property. -We got a suite, which was expensive, but we paid for what we got: a spacious room that was comfortable.

We got a deep tissue couples massage and it did not disappoint. Previous spas we’ve been to offered a deep tissue but the pressure was not nearly deep enough. You can tell these therapists at Emerson were trained and knew what spots to hit in the body. We left feeling impressed and beyond relaxed!

Our 4th time staying at the Emerson -- and definitely not our last! My wife and I stayed here just over a decade ago and fell in love with the place -- and each other (we'd only been dating a month, and this was our first getaway together). We have always had a great experience not only in the spacious and well-appointed hotel (or lodge) room but also in the spa, where we've enjoyed many massages and hot tub soaks. The surrounding region is wonderful, too, and we were able to hike the new rail trail (walkway) not too far from the Emerson. We also love visiting Phoenicia, including the fantastic Phoenicia Diner, and we spent a day in Woodstock, too. We also spent many meals at the Catamount, the Emerson's restaurant, and it was especially fun seeing all of the staff in the Christmas jammies and ugly sweaters. Everyone bent over backward to ensure that our stay was as magical as ever.

This is THE PLACE to be if you are visiting the Catskills. The area alone is a 10/10. You are right on the river w/ hiking trails nearby. We spent several hours at the fire pit and met so many other fun visitors. Dinner at the restaurant on site was delicious!!! The rooms come w/ all your amenities We had a kitchenette w/ fridge and microwave, I high,y recommend this place for a wonderful weekend