Title: Exceptional Tour and Truly World-Class Spirits…read more My visit to the Hudson House Distillery was an outstanding experience, elevated by a personal tour with the founder, Charles. The location itself is breathtaking, set in a beautifully restored historic mansion right on the Hudson River. However, the real highlight was getting a behind-the-scenes look at their distillation process. Charles was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate as he walked us through their production of rye, bourbon, gin, and vodka. A must-try is their vodka, which Charles proudly explained is distilled a remarkable 12 times. I can confidently say it is the best vodka I have ever sampled--exceptionally smooth. I was also impressed by their other spirits: Northwest Passage Gin: This gin stands out because it uses naturally soft water sourced directly from their artesian wells. Black Creek Bourbon: I was fortunate enough to sample a limited Founder's Batch of this bourbon. It is truly hand-crafted, made using limestone-softened natural artesian well water. The depth of care and quality put into every bottle is evident, and the personal details shared by the founder made the spirits taste even better. If you have the chance, I highly recommend asking for the tour--it provides an incredible appreciation for the craftsmanship at Hudson House Distillery.

Very cool distillery and restaurant in the Hudson Valley. I can't really speak to the service…read morebecause I was there with a large group of college alumni (nearly one hundred folks). But the food was so well prepared that it should be recognized. We started with a very tasty pork belly bao with hoisin sauce. Their house salad was a very well presented and interesting salad. But they knocked it out of the park with their entrees: roasted branzino with asparagus in a beurre blanc sauce and a strip steak served on a bed of caramelized onions and mushrooms in a bordelaise sauce. In particular, the steak, ordered medium rare, came out tender and perfectly cooked, and was of very high quality. Finally the sticky toffee pudding cake was served warm and was delicious. I would highly recommend the food here. Kudos to the chef!

My fiancé and I toured Stonehouse Gardens when we were looking for wedding reception spaces in the…read moreHudson Valley area. Deb and Steve were so welcoming and helpful in answering all of our questions, and their property is absolutely gorgeous. You can see the years of love and care that have gone into maintaining their house and its surrounding land over generations. One of their adorable cats even hopped along with us on our tour! While we ended up going with a different event space, closer to our ceremony site, I would recommend Stonehouse Gardens to anyone looking for a unique and rustic place to host an event, particularly if you are looking to be in the natural beauty of the outdoors. There were so many areas of the property that would have been lovely for photos, it would have been almost impossible to choose!

We had our wedding at Stonehouse Gardens last fall. Deb and Steve were wonderful. Their property…read moreis your canvas where you can have the DIY wedding of your dreams. We had a food truck and food stall, created our own outdoor cocktail hour area with strands of lights and a photo booth, and transformed the barn into an 80s disco. If you can dream it, Deb and Steve can help you make it happen. The venue itself is gorgeous! We had a perfect fall day and the lighting was wonderful for photos. Our guests still talk about how great Stonehouse Gardens was for a wedding. We highly recommend Stonehouse Gardens.

My cousins wedding was phenomenal here. It was truly a dream come true. The service was…read morespectacular, the venue was out of this world, and the barn was breathtaking. It's a little out of the way but that's what makes this place super special. I love all the trees and foliage that surrounds the area.

Bad experience!!! Heartsease cancelled on us 3 weeks before…read morewedding and we found out via email, they didn't even have the courtesy to Call. They won't answer phone and their voicemail is full I wonder if a celebrity needed the place We booked this place over a year ago with previous owner and was told it would be honored 16 people displaced now and all hotels in area are full! They didn't even offer up a solution One star is being too generous I wonder if I will even see my refund! Shame on the new owners!

Heartsease Mansion is a beautiful estate located in the Hudson Valley on the west side of the…read moreHudson River, directly across the river from the Vanderbilt Mansion. A historic estate once co-operated as a girls home by Eleanor Roosevelt and and owner, Hilda Smith. It is a great place for a family getaway, reunion with friends or small intimate special events such as weddings and anniversaries.

The Inn at Bellefield by Marriott offers a comfortable and homey atmosphere and large rooms that…read moreoffer full kitchens and plenty of space for your family to spread out and relax. There is an on-site gym, restaurant featuring outstanding locally sourced food in addition to a full breakfast buffet that is included. There is a separate bar as well as lots of outdoor spaces to enjoy in warmer weather. Service is friendly and welcoming.

a smidge over 4 stars, can't go to five just yet. pro, brand…read morenew, new hotel smell (oh, you know that old hotel smell) water machines on every floor. State rates up top of route 9! Lobby too fancy for this traveler! neato room keys and door tags! Con, mini bars now in the room? Not that I'm buying, but I rather not have to deal with missing items and extra bills or phone calls. That shower with the half door, seriously , water everywhere! Doors so new they don't open easily Don't get me wrong, this is a residence inn on roids, but the breakfast was ok, waffles! Coffee was super hot! i am totally staying here again, great location and amenities, im checked in!

The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt is part of a larger Roosevelt themed location that you can choose…read moreto do one or all of. There is a shared visitors center, the Henry A. Wallace Visitor Center, where you can purchase tickets accordingly. We stopped in thinking we would purchase the Home tickets and explore the center a bit, but the friendly ranger told us there was room for us on the tour starting in 5 minutes if we wanted to head straight down to the meeting spot. The tour itself was quite informative, and the house is well preserved. This is FDR's childhood and adulthood home, and this is reflected in the house itself, where we were shown the room in which he was born, his childhood room, and the room he stayed in as an adult with its two phones - one a direct line to the White House. The mobility accommodations added after FDR's round with polio are also evident in the house, with an example of a home wheelchair he designed using a standard dining chair on bicycle wheels (so it would match when he was seated at the table), ramps, and a manual elevator he used to move between floors. The nearby grounds are also nice to explore - beautiful gardens, intriguing artwork, and you can pay your respects to the Roosevelts. FDR's Presidential Library is also located on the grounds, though with a separate entry. The Visitor Center has good amenities, including a cafe, the Uncle Sam's Canteen, run by the friendliest staff who were pulling out freshly baked croissants when we initially stopped in; a theatre where they show a film about the Roosevelts, a gift shop, and clean restrooms.

7/9/25: We visited the historic home of FDR. It's a must see for all, no matter your political…read moreaffiliation. All visits are by guided tour. Springwood was Roosevelt's birthplace. In addition, Franklin and Eleanor raised their six children at the family estate. The decor is understated, unlike like the Vanderbilt's. After FDR was stricken with polio, the home was designed for his wheelchair access. During the tour, the female guide spoke at length in a couple of areas. ***Think there should be some type of wall guide hand rail for those who are unable to stand for periods of time listening to the guide. The second floor of the home has a narrow walkway. I think the people that oversee the estate should consider my suggestion for people with mobility issues. This is why I took one star off. On the grounds, you'll see a statue of President Roosevelt and Sir Winston Churchill, FDR Presidential Library and museum, beautiful gardens and a café. Looking forward to going back to visit the FDR Presidential library and museum. Due to time constraints, we only saw half of it. In the Library and Museum, we did see an excellent exhibition of wonderful letters from famous persons (World Politicians, Scientists, Celebrities) to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Admission fees as follows: Federal Park Pass- Free Standard- $15 A parking lot is available outside the visiting center.

Fantastic local hidden gem! Cellars, is a sister property to Red Maple Vineyard, which is across…read morethe street and offers a wonderful farm to table menu featuring fresh, local ingredients at both locations. The atmosphere is relaxed and rustic. During warmer months, you can enjoy the outdoor space, which includes games, comfortable seating, fire pits, and an outdoor pizza oven. They also host live music on most warm nights, you can find the artist line up on their website. Primarily open weekends. They have a unique and efficient service style, where the entire waste staff assist your table. You simply flip a can on your table to green when you need service. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and they offer a great selection of local draft beers and wines. I highly recommend the wings. They are perfectly sauced and delicious. Primarily beer and wine as options as well as a few spirited cocktails. Great local spot to meet up with friends and family!

Another gorgeous Hudson Valley property worthy of a 5 star review. RMV Cellars hosted the September…read more2025 Hudsy Mashup; a unique networking event for film-makers and creators. We were very appreciative of the signage leading up to the property, as well as the ample parking. The bar greets you to the left of the entry and the hallway to the restrooms on the right. RMV Cellars serves up some delicious, beers, wines and ciders. Their Juicy Joy IPA was stellar and I should have picked up a 4 pack to go. Next time! Bartenders were friendly and attentive. The indoor space is massive and complimented with cute seating areas, some cozy couch spaces, high tops and picnic style tables for socializing and getting your grub on. For this event the picnic tables were set up as sponsor tables, creating a nice flow for networking. Outside there are some covered seating, a brick oven where their bar bites were prepared and of course beautiful views. Overall, we really enjoyed ourselves and look forward to returning for a cozy fall date night. Cheers, The Happy Hour Huntress

We were married this past September at Timber Lake Camp and had the wedding (and weekend) of our…read moredreams thanks to Sandra O'Connell at Hudson Valley Ceremonies. If you don't get to the end of this review and only read one thing: Hiring Sandra was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding. She is beyond dedicated to giving you the wedding of your dreams, and her ability to execute and make it ALL happen is nothing short of extraordinary. Every wedding needs a Sandra! We had the pleasure of working with Sandra from the beginning of our wedding planning journey all the way through our 3 day wedding weekend. When we were stumped looking for venues that could accommodate our large guest list AND a weekend-long celebration. Sandra approached us with a "think outside the box" venue: Timber Lake Camp, a beautifully serene summer camp nestled in the Catskills. We were unsure about the idea of a summer camp wedding but trusted her instinct - and thankfully we did. The day we visited the camp we knew it was PERFECT. 500 gorgeous acres with plenty of room to accommodate ALL of our guests, that we could have all to ourselves for an entire weekend - camp cabins, facilities, staff, and all! It truly felt like she had pulled a rabbit out of a hat and that was only the start of Sandra's magic! Throughout the entire year and a half long planning process, Sandra lent us her ear and expertise: she listened to our wishes, concerns, thoughts; guided us through a million different decisions; provided alternative options/ideas to meet our budget; and found the perfect vendors to bring our vision to life. She sat in on our calls with the coordinator at the camp, and even made visits to the camp with us - including one visit during a snowstorm! She also managed our multitude of vendors (including 3 separate caterers!) from the initial inquiries all the way through to the end of packing up after the wedding. When the wedding weekend came around, Sandra stayed on site all 3 days and made every event run smoothly - we felt like she was somehow everywhere all at once! We had multiple events, including our rehearsal, a Welcome BBQ, Karaoke Night, late night bonfire, and activities throughout the camp. If there were any hiccups, we didn't know about them! The day of the wedding, between everything she was coordinating and the multiple vendors on-site, she somehow still found time to check in with us to make sure we were okay. But honestly we truly felt at ease with Sandra running the show. Her professionalism, calmness, and get-it-done attitude made every part of the weeknd run seamlessly! And on top of it all, she made our marriage official by signing our marriage license. :) A total bonus that she is ordained and a special memory to share with her as she was such a big part of our special day! Our guests are still talking about how magical the weekend was. Many specifically commented that even with so many events and activities going on, it was one the most well-coordinated and organized weddings they'd attended. It was definitely a huge effort to pull off a 3 day wedding weekend on a 500 acre camp, but teamwork truly made this dream work! We could not be more grateful to Sandra, her team, and all of our amazing vendors for giving us a wedding better than we could have ever imagined! We can't recommend Sandra and HVC enough.

I thoroughly enjoyed working with Sandra O'Connell or Hudson Valley Ceremonies. Not only did she…read morestreamline the bride's "to do" list by recommending musicians and florists, her excellent knowledge of wedding-day requirements helped ,  my Daughter in Law Amanda immensely, saving her lots of computer search time and false-starts.  Her help walking us through the rehearsal was vital, getting us organized the day of and "on our spots" at the right critical time. It's all such a whirlwind of activity. And the logistics at our farm were challenging, to say the least. I also greatly appreciated how, during the actual wedding and party afterward, Sandra and her assistant were there, in the background, keeping the caterer happy, moving tables, shuttling slightly inebriated guests to their cars, (thank you, especially for that. I think I would still find people walking the horse pasture fence, looking for their cars.) And for doing the behind-the-scenes things that rarely are noticed, unless they're not done. (For example, one of the porta potties malfunctioning). Sandra handled that with quiet speed. And mostly I appreciated how she took care of Amanda's mother's doilies, the family mementoes, tucking things away in the pool house for safe keeping. And for a good, general tidying up at the end of the night.

Get. Married. Here. We did. 13 years ago…read more Best day of our lives. Lou - the owner - is one of a kind. We'd stop by as we were planning out wedding, and he'd bring us down to the kitchen, open up the fridge and pull out food for us. He'd open wine (of course) and we'd hang out. It has now become our annual tradition to head up to West Park on (or around) our anniversary for a visit with Lou. And now it's not just us, but first one daughter, and then our second. How often would you go and visit a catering hall? Just be prepared... Lou likes a good joke, so be ready with one or two, and be prepared to wince at his!

As a wedding professional in this buiness for over 15 years, I have yet to find another venue's…read moreowner with just an absolute disregard for people. The owner of this property is just that the owner, he has no experience with weddings, and has no manners, no people skills, and cares only about the bottom line. I have yet to bash another wedding vendor, as it's just not good practice, but after the last experience I had, I feel I have no choice but be vocal and public about this man. He not only went through 4 (yes, four) head waiters, in less than a year, but actually told my bride that she was difficult, needy, and had the smallest wedding ever! This was 3 days before her wedding, when we all know a bride is fragile as it is, but to have an email from this man, basically bashing her.... WRONG! He also promised her the moon, and then would take it back, then give it again.... he is like a selfish child, just wanting to toy with every bride and groom. Once he gets your down payment......... watch out. Don't get me wrong, the staff in wonderful, the venue is wonderful, the food is good and the overall experience the bride and groom had on their wedding day was great......... but at what cost. Most venues should bend over backwards to keep thier clients happy, not make them feel bad or worse make them cry!

9/14/25: Love coming to Fjord Vineyards!…read more We came for their Oyster Party Weekend. Marilyn greeted us when we checked in. She escorted us over to a table with a marvelous view of the vineyards. Maria was our wonderful and charming server. She came over with a complementary glass of their wonderful rosé wine. I'm not a rosé drinker, but it was delicious. We enjoyed a wonderful flight of wines. Our favorite was their '23 Double Fall Line $32. It has a marvelous smooth blend of Cab Franc, Merlot and Blaufränkisch (Austrian Blue) Grapes. Two bottles came home later. : ) Of course, we had to indulge in some wonderful lobster rolls. Each lobster roll was $23, plus for an extra $9 you get a nice dollop of caviar to top it off ! The lobster was from a company called Oyster Party in the NY area. I think the lobster rolls were some of the best I ever had. Just a couple of notes: - It appears the hill leading up to the vineyard was recently paved. Previously, it was extremely uneven. - Be sure to make reservations online. - Parking is available within steps of entering the vineyard. Can't wait to return! : D

3rd stop. Very interesting drive up. Such an amazing spot. We have got to come back here in the…read morespring or summer. John and Andrea took such good care of us. We had a table full of wine to taste and the service was awesome. Pretty busy given the weather but since we had reservations, we had a table ready. This place was buzzing! Very festive atmosphere. Got our wines poured and a couple of bonus pours. Our table looked like a chandelier when they were done. All the wines were pretty tasty, even the whites which I am usually not a fan of.