The Best Hotels to Book for an Escape Near New York City

At this secluded private sanctuary in the Berkshires, you can pretend that you own an Italianate-style estate deep in the country. Inspired by an ancestral pile in the English county of Oxfordshire, it may only have 19 rooms, yet it’s ranked as one of the Leading Hotels of the World for its style and sophistication. You’re welcomed into your (temporary) estate with champagne. Suites are adorned with museum-quality art and fine antique decor. You can cool down in the outdoor pool before refreshing with a vino from the private wine cellar.

Make a beeline to the once-industrial, now-arty city of Beacon for serenity at the Roundhouse – a gorgeous retreat that was, unbelievably, once a factory complex. The sharp, modern white-and-caramel palette spreads across all room categories. For a splurge book the penthouse, with its dramatic hand-blown glass pendant chandelier. You’ll taste the sheer quality of the place in every bite of steak at Smoke on the Water. You’ll see it as you peer out of your suite at the rustling creek and beautiful waterfall that grace the property. This place is peace personified – do try to stay a while.

Heading up to the Hamptons? You can’t do any better than a stay at Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa. As the sole luxury hotel directly on the beach, Gurney’s offers much more than prime real estate. Oceanside cottages are custom-designed with kitchenettes and fireplaces for comfort and convenience. The Seawater Spa boasts chromotherapy and hydrotherapy treatments. Surf boards are ready for you to ride and fresh seafood is ready for you to eat at Scarpetta Beach. If you’re going to do the Hamptons for a weekend, do it right at Gurney’s.

Do you eat, sleep and breathe surfing? So do the folks at the Surf Lodge in Montauk. Open for the summer season, this funky, low-key place is a hidden gem boasting access to great waves while hosting the best concerts of the year. We are in lust with the chic beach shack feel of the place – picture white walls and dangling basket chairs. A complimentary mini-bar on weekends and free bike rentals mean fun whether you stay in or venture forth. Not one to ride the waves? There’s a hammock in the shade with your name on it.

World-class beaches less than an hour from NYC? Yessiree. Leave your car on the mainland and ferry over for an automobile-free experience on this wild (in every sense, it’s party central) and wonderful barrier island off Long Island. Expect a fleet of bicycles and wagons to get around on. The bungalows here are perfect for a romantic getaway while the Presidential Penthouse offers the A-list experience for up to 10 guests. You’ll wake up to fresh coffee and a homemade cupcake to take with you as you wheel a complimentary wagon full of towels and chairs to the beach.

With 18 silvery stories of reflecting glass, the hulking, Vegas-worthy Alder is the newest addition to Resorts World – you’ll be among the first to christen its fine, sink-into beds. Your stay includes access to everything Resorts World has to offer including the casino, Crystal Life Spa, TopGolf Swing Suite and nine amazing restaurants. With the bucolic, wildlife-rich Catskill Mountains beyond the windows of your suite, you’ll be able to transition from high-roller thrills to high-mountain views with ease.

If your daily routine includes hopping subway lines or hoofing it for Manhattan block after block, there is salvation at the Lodge at Woodloch. Find it across the border in northeast Pennsylvania, against a mountainous backdrop of Pocono peaks. Here the spa is the star, ready to rinse away the grime of the gritty city with a full menu of treatments. Hydromassage WaterWalls, steam rooms, saunas, whirlpools, sound therapy, massages, meditation and manicures: this leafy retreat was designed to help you relax.

With simple bedrooms and straightforward interiors, this place, in the Berkshires, is an obvious choice for the urban-weary who just need mental blotting paper around them. That said, the beds are cocooning, and the restaurant has meditative arboreal views as you dine on farm-to-table fare. The great outdoors beyond holds relaxing hiking opportunities, before you enjoy a martini by the fireplace. Of course, if you book a king suite with an in-room fireplace, jacuzzi and mountain views, we’d forgive you for not making it to the front door.

Seven Hills Inn is one special escape from the Big Apple: a non-intimidating mansion with farmhouse roots in the 18th century, set on a 27-acre (11ha) estate and brimming with luxuries. Rooms are slick without being pretentious. You could lose total track of time at the pool. You can snack on artisanal cheese plates in the afternoon, and the evening won’t be complete without warm s’mores by the outdoor fireplace. With the best of the Berkshires, including hiking trails, theaters, museums and antique shops right around the corner, you won’t miss Manhattan anytime soon.