Mohonk Mountain House

⸻ Still Beautiful, But the Dining Has Slipped I’ve always loved coming to Mohonk — the setting is magical, the trails are beautiful, and it’s one of those places that really feels like a retreat. But the dining experience just isn’t what it used to be. They’ve moved away from the dinner buffets and chef action stations, which were such a fun and unique part of staying here. Now it’s all à la carte, and while that sounds nice in theory, in practice it’s been slow, kind of hit-or-miss on quality, and just not very exciting. It feels more formal, but not necessarily better .We always enjoyed the elegant buffet and all of the food options. We never had a problem paying for expensive cost of our stay because we were always getting wonderful service and amazing meals. We definitely enjoy food and this was a big part of our weekend. I’m honestly not sure if we will be returning in the future and it seems as if the Mohonk House had become just like all the other resorts upstate. I believe that management should reevaluate this dining experience at their hotel restaurant. We will not return until there is a change back to the dining buffet. For how expensive it is to stay here, meals are a big part of the experience — and lately, they haven’t been living up to that. I really hope they reconsider how the food is being done. I miss the old vibe, and I know a lot of other returning guests do too. Still a special place, but this part has definitely taken a step back.

Don’t take your bikes. A lot of trails are not bike friendly and no place to lock up bikes while you look at gardens. Some trails are very rocky and have holes even for mountain bikes. To walk is 2.3 miles to get to inn and mostly uphill with no benches. Not for elderly or handicapped as they have no shuttle. No food or drink, bring your own.

The TRAP: Thinking your immigrant parent would be delighted by a one night splurge at a hotel resort on a lake. The REALITY: Your immigrant parent knows it's expensive to stay here, even though you refuse to tell them how much. They tell you all the things they like about their favorite Hilton Garden Inn. The REVIEW: It's quiet and peaceful and unlike any hotel I've ever stayed at. No sirens, no honking, no trucks careening down the interstate. However, at this price point, the cost is prohibitive for me. Even the cost of a "VALUE ROOM" on a weekday ($800 + $76 service charge) is hard to justify on my income. I understand why it is expensive because there are employees everywhere to make your stay as frictionless as possible. No request is too absurd; I'm sure they've heard it all. I was happy with my value room (not as many outlets as modern hotels) but the bathroom is tiny, you can't fit two people at once in there. My mom liked to sit on the rocking chair on the small balcony. I could hear our neighbors sneeze but there wasn't too much stomping noise from the five floors above us. The meals are lovely and you can order as much as you want, but the rich sauces and fancy cooking methods ("dry aged Ora King salmon") and salty food did not impress my parent's palate. There are activities throughout the day and movie screenings at night ("Jaws" when we were there; "We've seen that" said my mom). The indoor pool is open 7am-7pm. It's like a very fancy camp. If you are flush with cash, by all means bring your family here.

Our family went for Sunday Brunch there. The food is good and is comparable to mid-range restaurants I have dined at. However, the cost is simply outrageous, $145 per adult, $73 per child. What person is able to eat $145 worth of buffet food in one meal? Even Peter Luger Steak House steaks don't cost that much.

This place is a fabulous gem. Classic understated luxury. If you're looking for casinos and water slides, this is not the place for you. But if you like beautiful gardens, miles of walking paths, spectacular location and views, it can't be beat. Our room was traditional, but very comfortable, especially the beds. There are no TV's in the rooms, which is fine with us. (You can always watch movies on your devices.) We loved the rocking chairs on our balcony overlooking the mountains in the distance. The food was excellent, but service was slow at times. We guess they are having trouble hiring enough staff due to the current economic and political environment. The spa experience was excellent as well.