Nestled in Hensonville, a picture-perfect Catskills town with fewer than 500 residents and not a single stoplight, it’s a quick escape from the bustle of New York City. Scenic mountains, winding creeks and vibrant meadows are just a few of the sights en route to the postcard-worthy hotel.
Check-in is like a warm reunion with family, so comforting you quickly forget about the extra hour spent in traffic on the FDR. The interior is somehow thoughtfully rustic and brilliantly designed. Every element of the décor feels intentional, like it was hand chosen abroad and sourced meticulously over years. If you’re not busy admiring the design touches, you’ll find yourself taking a deep breath, you’re home. The mood is relaxed, the candles are lit, and there is an ambiance that puts you at ease. Everything is made easy and automatic, you can text if you need an extra towel, and there’s always a pot of coffee brewing. This is the kind of place that effortlessly forces you to slow down and get cozy from the moment you step foot through its doors. 
The Spaces
Designed to feel like a large, welcoming home meant for gathering with friends and family, the dog-friendly property offers multiple common areas. The Living Room, the heart of the space, creates a relaxed environment that makes you forget you’re even in a hotel. Bathed in natural light and warmed by a crackling fire, it’s filled with collections of books and board games. Snug seating nooks invite guests to unwind with Bon Iver softly playing in the background. Despite the buzz of activity, the space never feels overcrowded. The Honor Bar, stocked with beverages, ensures a glass of wine or a local beer is always within reach, no matter the time of day.
The Rooftop is decorated with oversized sofas for lounging and scenic views that overlook The Gardens, where lush beds of vegetables and flowers thrive alongside lawn games. Traverse the property and you’ll stumble upon a fire pit, a back deck, and even an outdoor kitchen.
The Rooms
The 16 guest rooms at The Henson feel like ones you’d find at your great Aunt’s charming Upstate home. Each room comes with its own unique personality, purposefully curated with homey touches in every corner. King-sized Casper mattresses, terracotta furniture and lush green plants create an inviting space, complemented by Marshall speakers and a stylish T.V. that doubles as a work of art. The details are as deliberate and practical as they are aesthetically pleasing. The bathrooms are a mini sanctuary in themselves, sprinkled with gold accents, romantic dual showers, and calming scents of damask rose and sage from Grown Alchemist.
We found ourselves in the Juliet Room, a sun-drenched haven tucked away on the top floor, accessible by two flights of wooden stairs. Waiting bedside was a handwritten note that read “You are exactly where you are supposed to be.” No better reminder to snuggle into the plush robe and house slippers provided and settle into the relaxing weekend!
Breakfast is a staple of your stay, and unlike your typical continental breakfast, this one is worth waking up for. It features a rotating selection of locally sourced small plates, with ingredients from farms stretching across Massachusetts to Connecticut. There’s likely a spread of soft-boiled eggs, marinated French feta, briny olives, creamy whole milk yogurt, toasted sourdough, and homemade marmalade jams to name a few. A communal wooden table encourages morning chatter with fellow guests, making it the perfect spot to linger over a second cup of coffee.
Restaurant Matilda
Foodies from the city will rejoice — you no longer have to choose between a great stay or exceptional dining. Even if you’re not a guest at the inn, chances are you’ll find yourself booking a table at Matilda, the best of fine dining in the area. It was even a full house on the rainy Sunday night that we were there.
Drawing inspiration from the surrounding Catskill Mountains, the restaurant’s atmosphere is woodsy and rustic as it is homey. Natural lighting during the day lends a quaint, cottage-like charm, while at dusk, the sunlit space transforms into an intimate retreat as twilight settles in. Everything about the space will have you ordering yet another glass of wine.
Helmed by the duo behind the Lower East Side’s famed, Contra and Wildair, Chefs Jeremiah Stone and Fabian von Hauske Valtierra, have devised a menu that is both “comforting and challenging”, as they affectionately describe. The menu changes weekly and is an homage to the relationships built with local meat, produce, and dairy producers.
You can fill up on small plates where each dish is as inventive as picturesque. There are wood-grilled oysters served on mounds of salt greased with bone marrow, or confit tuna belly delicately layered between sumac crackers. Seasonal offerings expectedly shine here—like the honeynut squash that caught our eye, nestled on torched Comté cheese and crowned with black truffle. For heartier fare, the seared duck is a standout, presented on a vibrant magenta bed of beets, hibiscus, and cherry.
Pair your meal with something from the beverage menu, whether the extensive wine list or a smattering of local beers. The Notorious F.I.G. is a fan-favorite cold-weather cocktail, featuring bourbon, fig, warm spices, and bitters. As you may have guessed, the theme here is local, so embrace the opportunity to expand your palate with some Upstate favorites.
The Henson
39 Goshen Road, Hensonville, NY
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