Imagine yourself curled up in a stone cottage suite with a roaring fireplace and a freestanding tub, sipping hot chocolate in a rustic game and reading room beneath a raftered ceiling, then heading outside to ice skate or cross-country ski in crisp mountain air. It sounds idyllic—especially when the property embraces seasonal touches throughout the holidays.
© The Chatwal Lodge
The Chatwal Lodge, set in the Catskills on what was once an 18,000-acre game preserve, offers a boutique, luxury-meets-rustic experience designed to make holiday escapes memorable. Located about two hours from New York City, the property features 11 individually styled rooms and suites with views of the mountains and the Toronto Reservoir. Décor reflects the surrounding landscape—overstuffed leather chairs, stone fireplaces, original wood and fixtures crafted from repurposed barn beams—while modern conveniences include heated floors, iPads and Bose stereo systems.
Each accommodation has its own personality: the Timberline Suite includes a private library, the Stone Cottage Suite showcases 22-foot vaulted ceilings, and the Treehouse Suite perches 15 feet above the ground to evoke life in the canopy. Turndown amenities vary by season and often include handcrafted treats and curated craft cocktails.
The Lodge also curates holiday-focused programming for guests. Families can enjoy ornament-making workshops, gingerbread-house decorating sessions, cookies with Santa and “reindeer games” like archery. These activities are designed to engage guests of all ages and add a festive layer to a peaceful mountain getaway.
© The Chatwal Lodge
Afternoon tea is featured every Friday and Saturday in December. The offering includes classic tea sandwiches, scones served with clotted cream and house-made preserves, and an assortment of pastries from the Lodge’s in-house bakery, The Bake House—macarons, butter cookies, fresh tarts and almond pastries. A selection of fine teas and French press coffee completes the service.
Executive chef Karl Ulmer has prepared a holiday menu that highlights seasonal favorites, such as prime rib with a horseradish crust and jus, and poulet rouge with mushrooms and marsala. The on-site restaurant welcomes both overnight guests and visitors and remains open on Christmas Day.
© The Chatwal Lodge
For festive libations, food and beverage director Kelly Kelting has crafted a lineup of signature cocktails. The pomegranate mimosa arrives in a sugar-rimmed glass and is garnished with rosemary; the sugar cookie martini is a dessert-like concoction of Baileys, vanilla vodka and amaretto finished with vanilla frosting and sprinkles; and the gingerbread old-fashioned blends Woodford Reserve Bourbon with gingerbread syrup and angostura bitters.
The Lodge provides a house car to transport guests to local attractions, including nearby boutiques and seasonal events at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, where holiday markets, light displays and concerts often take place. This service makes it easy to explore the region without worrying about driving in winter conditions.
© The Chatwal Lodge
Guests who prefer to stay on property can enjoy indoor pastimes such as duckpin bowling and billiards, or relax in the reading room beneath soft lighting with a holiday book. After an evening by the fire or a stroll through the woods, you can retreat to your room, snug under the covers, and dream of sugarplums until morning.
Whether you seek cozy solitude, family-friendly festivities or a scenic winter adventure, The Chatwal Lodge blends rustic charm with attentive service to create a memorable holiday escape in the Catskills.