"Capital”
...of New York State was, initially, Kingston. (Just over the Hudson from this B&B; it's worth visiting their historic "Stockade District" for old architecture and streets and new gourmet restaurants.) When Kingston got too crowded, the town of Hurley was founded, and that's where this B&B's story began.
...also describes Sam and Nadia's hospitality. Calmly friendly English Buddhists, they welcome guests with constantly available hot tea and coffee, cookies, and a tour of the place if you ask.
...are the decorations and maintenance of this unique historic property, lovingly restored by Sam and Nadia with all necessary updates and all the "mod-cons" you could ever require here in the 21st century. (Some rooms even have a jacuzzi/whirlpool bath!) Decor includes relevant antiques (some small ones are occasionally available for purchase) and is influenced by the spare but luxurious 18th Century Dutch American style. (Think of those Vermeer interiors: not a lot of furniture, just a chair or two and a table, and a rich red blue gold rug draped over something. Really, what else do you need?) There is plenty of squarefootage of bare wood floor -- antique wide-boarded, beautifully maintained wood -- and a few Oriental carpet runners and small area rugs to keep things comfy underfoot. Antique hardware graces every door. A few pieces of historic art and maps and documents grace the walls.
...sleep is something I can count on every time I visit the Stone House Bed and Breakfast. I feel like I've gone back to my original home when I'm in the Geographer room, where I've stayed four times. Luxurious linens and draperies grace the bed, and when I draw the curtains almost closed, I am pleased as punch to be in my own room within a room, outfitted with top-quality sheeting and a real down comforter and pillows. The quiet is delicious; you are protected from the outside world by thick stone walls. Old Route 209 is a quiet road. (A blessing: most old stone houses are on main roads!) There is plenty of space in each room to store your things, and an antique (or good reproduction) table and chairs if you need to sit somewhere other than the bed, or need a surface to spread things out on. Only one room has a television. There is free wi-fi.
...breakfast awaits you the next morning, with freshly baked goods made by Nadia (sometimes including herbs just harvested from her garden!). Her yeast-raised waffles are my favorite; I've never had anything like them, light and golden with a slight sweet tang. Portion sizes are just right, but you can eat yourself silly if you want. I love that there is always fresh fruit, and often there is homemade gluten-free bread which tastes wonderful (and I'm perfectly gluten-tolerant). Seating is at two communal tables of six seats each in the parlor, which also has a comfy sofa and chairs on the other side of the room for you to lounge in and hang out with friends in the evening if you wish.
I am so glad Sam and Nadia have made this wonderful old house available to us all. If you want to stay somewhere historic -- older than the United States itself -- but don't want to bother with all the upkeep and unique infrastructural challenges an antique home presents, well, you've got your wish. And the people this inn attracts are lovely too; I was last there for the 2013 NY Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, and the other guests I chatted with over breakfast were so interesting and nice I wished I had brought my phone downstairs to record their email addresses to stay in touch. But somehow it felt right to leave all my modern gadgetry in my suitcase.
...also describes Sam and Nadia's hospitality. Calmly friendly English Buddhists, they welcome guests with constantly available hot tea and coffee, cookies, and a tour of the place if you ask.
...are the decorations and maintenance of this unique historic property, lovingly restored by Sam and Nadia with all necessary updates and all the "mod-cons" you could ever require here in the 21st century. (Some rooms even have a jacuzzi/whirlpool bath!) Decor includes relevant antiques (some small ones are occasionally available for purchase) and is influenced by the spare but luxurious 18th Century Dutch American style. (Think of those Vermeer interiors: not a lot of furniture, just a chair or two and a table, and a rich red blue gold rug draped over something. Really, what else do you need?) There is plenty of squarefootage of bare wood floor -- antique wide-boarded, beautifully maintained wood -- and a few Oriental carpet runners and small area rugs to keep things comfy underfoot. Antique hardware graces every door. A few pieces of historic art and maps and documents grace the walls.
...sleep is something I can count on every time I visit the Stone House Bed and Breakfast. I feel like I've gone back to my original home when I'm in the Geographer room, where I've stayed four times. Luxurious linens and draperies grace the bed, and when I draw the curtains almost closed, I am pleased as punch to be in my own room within a room, outfitted with top-quality sheeting and a real down comforter and pillows. The quiet is delicious; you are protected from the outside world by thick stone walls. Old Route 209 is a quiet road. (A blessing: most old stone houses are on main roads!) There is plenty of space in each room to store your things, and an antique (or good reproduction) table and chairs if you need to sit somewhere other than the bed, or need a surface to spread things out on. Only one room has a television. There is free wi-fi.
...breakfast awaits you the next morning, with freshly baked goods made by Nadia (sometimes including herbs just harvested from her garden!). Her yeast-raised waffles are my favorite; I've never had anything like them, light and golden with a slight sweet tang. Portion sizes are just right, but you can eat yourself silly if you want. I love that there is always fresh fruit, and often there is homemade gluten-free bread which tastes wonderful (and I'm perfectly gluten-tolerant). Seating is at two communal tables of six seats each in the parlor, which also has a comfy sofa and chairs on the other side of the room for you to lounge in and hang out with friends in the evening if you wish.
I am so glad Sam and Nadia have made this wonderful old house available to us all. If you want to stay somewhere historic -- older than the United States itself -- but don't want to bother with all the upkeep and unique infrastructural challenges an antique home presents, well, you've got your wish. And the people this inn attracts are lovely too; I was last there for the 2013 NY Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, and the other guests I chatted with over breakfast were so interesting and nice I wished I had brought my phone downstairs to record their email addresses to stay in touch. But somehow it felt right to leave all my modern gadgetry in my suitcase.
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