The NYT Digs the Knotty Vibe at Dartbrook Lodge

September 21, 2009 at 3:00 PM | by KatieK | Comments (0)

Whether or not you�re a regular on the Adirondack Mountains camp scene, you can probably surmise that luxury retreats are rare. Dartbrook Lodge, with seven suites designed by Jaw Haws and his partner Steve Pounian, is the exception. �Using a distinctly Adirondack vernacular � twiggy furniture, pine beams and American Indian prints � the cabins are at once rustic and hip,� says the New York Times.

Perched on seven acres of wildflowers in the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks, Dartbrook Lodge is in low-key Keene at the center of a network of hiking trails that lead to Mount Mercy, New York�s highest peak.

The good: Cottage accommodations feature knotty pine walls and stylish-but-homey furnishings, plus gas fireplaces and flat-screen TVs. Bathrooms feel sleek, clad in dark slate tile with rain shower-style shower heads and woodsy, locally made soap and shampoo bars. The on-property restaurant, Cedar Run Bakery and Caf�, offers breakfasts big on taste and portion, small on price ($5.75 for a breakfast burrito, $1.85 for a fancy muffin). The main lodge stocks board games and classic DVDs. Next door, a high-end furniture store purveys upscale pieces of rustic Adirondacks style.

The bad: To be honest, not much. If we�re being picky: Three of seven units don�t have kitchens, and there�s no room service. And, of course, if you can�t dig a backwoods vibe, er, don�t come here (but we�re guessing you wouldn�t anyways).

Bottom line: �Given its pitch-perfect style and majestic location, the Dartbrook Lodge is a relative bargain,� concludes the NYT. Rates range from $160 to $175 for one-bedrooms, with two-bedroom cottages that sleep seven going for $300-350.

[Photo: Don Pollard for The New York Times]

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