3 Best Hotels in Phoenicia, The Catskills

The spectacular Catskills vistas at this B&B—the former summer home of mayonnaise magnate Richard Hellman—will leave you breathless. A massive stone fireplace presides over the great room, a magnificent space with a soaring ceiling. Oriental rugs, scattered across wide-plank honey-color floors, cushion your every step, and Asian antiques and American pieces enjoy an elegant coexistence. Some rooms have fireplaces and hot tubs, and one has a window seat with dazzling valley views. Play billiards in the cavernous game room, or sweat it out in the sauna. The loveliest spot might be the 60-foot dining terrace, where you're treated to expansive views of the mountains.

The exterior of this single-story 1950s motel reveals little of what's inside the meticulously appointed suites, owned by Kate Pierson of the B-52s. The funky decor includes vintage pieces—Eames furniture, Russel Wright kitchenware—as well as custom wallpaper and handcrafted bathroom tiles and shower curtains. Most of the suites have a mint '50s kitchen and a sitting area with a gas fireplace; some suites have sleeping lofts and private decks. Lush gardens designed by Dean Riddle (a nationally known garden writer and green thumb) surround the red motel. A bonfire pit overlooks Esopus Creek, where you can fish for trout.