The need for nature and breathable air has never been lost on me, a native to the Hudson Valley. But since the Covid-19 lockdown in NYC, this need has become a paramount priority. Concrete sidewalks and minimal green space in Manhattan doesn’t cut it these days; nor did it ever. Thankfully, there are few places better to fill the void than the beautiful Catskills region only two hours from New York City.

With job requirements that called for staying close to our offices, my husband and I could not do an extended stay out of town. So we opted for the July 4th weekend to get some much needed fresh air and r&r. We chose Foxfire Mountain House after much online research. As NY State opened in phases, there was a lot of concern about what would be open and what would be safe. After being closed for months, Foxfire began their soft opening July 4th week, and made every assurance that safety protocols would be adhered to. This gave us the confidence we were hoping for. With our laptops in the back seat, we finally hit the road and couldn’t be happier to get away.

This home away from home was everything we needed it to be. Just far away enough, quiet and calm, and green spaces in every direction. Not up for the usual exploring we do on long weekends, we wanted a place that would take care of meals as well, and Foxfire’s restaurant allowed for this. And that is how our visit began. Arriving on a very hectic workday, it was nearly 8:30pm when we finally checked in. Waiting for us was a packed 3 course dinner. Because of the soft opening, the restaurant was not in usual form with waiter service and menus on tables. Meals were pre-ordered ahead of time, and would be delivered in to-go boxes. While eating out of boxes felt unusual, it was welcomed in any form since our plan was to stay put. We loved the option of enjoying breakfast and dinner anywhere on site; either on the beautiful large patio, the gardens and grounds or in your room. We dinned outside everyday of our stay and loved it.

The real draw to Foxfire is it’s gorgeous grounds. On the 11 acres of property, there are fire pits, a hammock, a lily pond with a canoe for use, a chic pavilion for hanging out, plenty of tables to eat or work outside and a small nature path. Two of the main fire pits were constantly tended to all weekend by staff, where we hung out most of our stay. Although needing to work one of the days of our visit, it was a real pleasure to work on the large veranda, conveniently having a wall outlet at one of the tables. And when I could finally close the laptop at long last, our grand plan of doing nothing couldn’t have felt better.

Of notable observation was that the promised safety protocols were taken with utmost seriousness. Whenever a guest left a table, no matter where on the property it was, a staff member would clean the surfaces, preparing it for the next use. Hand sanitizer was conveniently placed at all entrance and exit points and all dining materials were disposable and discarded by staff. It’s an odd time to be traveling right now, but it was comforting to know that safety was as important to Foxfire staff as it is to us.

There’s plenty to love at Foxfire, but there are some things about the guest experience that I feel should be reconsidered. For example, there are small and big differences between room options. Some rooms are smaller than others, some may be more quiet than others, and there are differences in bathroom options. I’ll discuss more on the bathroom issues later.

Unfortunately, Foxfire’s website does not allow for you to choose the room type that is right for you. Only random photos online are what you have to go on when envisioning your stay. The mistake I made when booking, is expecting that all rooms were similar in size. This is not the case. We were given the keys to room# 5. This room is directly above the main stair case and the main pathway of the 1st floor. This allowed for a lot of noise whenever guests would come and go. The room was also quiet small so I felt discouraged from spending time in it.

Nothing was more discouraging however, than the bathroom sink. In our bathroom was a vintage sink with vintage faucets. That may sound charming, but for those not familiar with vintage plumbing, this is a major inconvenience. Vintage faucets are a double faucet system with one faucet for hot water, and a separate faucet for cold water. Having warm running water in this type of system is not possible. The water will be scolding hot on one side, and freezing cold on the other. I was shocked to see this type of sink for paying guests. I inquired the following morning if any other rooms have a different plumbing system, but was told no. I later found out after returning home, that this is not true. Upon closer inspection of the online pictures, there is at least one room where there is a single faucet sink. But it is unclear what room number that is, or any means of booking it specifically. These are issues I was really surprised by and definitely did not anticipate. As a frequent weekend traveller and traveller of the world (during normal times), I have never come across this plumbing system in a hotel or bed and breakfast. I know it is popular in certain countries, but for paying guests I don’t believe this is typical. This was by far my biggest grievance of our stay and I would have even paid more money to be upgraded to a better room with a single faucet sink. But I was denied the option and just had to put up with the inconvenience.Interestingly, I am passionate about vintage furnishings, art, and architecture. However, I equally believe in the modern conveniences we are fortunate to have in our society and feel these conveniences were invented for good reasons.

For those interested, the original purpose of double faucet sinks was for a purpose that is no longer in use. The sink bowl would need to be plugged to allow water to fill up. With both hot and col water filling the bowl, the water collected would be adjusted to be warm as it filled. Once filled, the user would do their washing from the bowl of warm water. In the early 20th century, this was considered modern plumbing as prior to this, water had to be collected manually. The concept of running water (of any temperature) was a dream in the collective mind. So when double faucet sinks were introduced, it was considered a modern luxury. However, no one in the 21st century uses water in this way; or not if they have a choice. Also, the sink in our humble room did not have the plug for the sink. So even if I wanted to live the vintage life briefly, I couldn’t. Thus, the purpose for putting this vintage plumbing system in a guest room was completely lost on me.

Overall, Foxfire Mountain House may be just right depending on what you’re looking for. In terms of bountiful nature, peace and quiet, good food and service, and a very laid back atmosphere, I felt our expectations were met. If there is a next time, I will need to do some CSI on my room choice. But otherwise, I’ll know I can look forward to the relaxation I’m always craving.