BOLTON LANDING, N.Y. — For travelers looking to get away from the daily grind of the city, the noise of exhaustive commutes and routine chores, a piece of historic heaven, tucked neatly away in upstate New York, awaits them.
The Sagamore, located on its own 72-acre island on Lake George, sits surrounded by the Adirondack Mountains.
With its Colonial architecture and elegant decor, the historic hotel offers a step back into old-time grandeur.
"There are a lot of people who come and stay with us because of the history not only of the Sagamore but of the entire area," Lee Bowden, managing director of the resort, said. "The families who have been coming for years hand down the experience from generation to generation."
Dr. Lynn Sugarman of Tenafly, N.J., has been going back to the resort for nearly 20 years with her family.
"We've gone back so often because there is a real serenity about being there and the surroundings are beautiful," she said. "The children, who are all grown up now, have such fond memories of the place and their childhood there."
Opened in 1883, the Sagamore was damaged by fires in 1893 and 1914 and was rebuilt in 1930. It became a social center for the wealthy residents of Green Island and Millionaires Row — majestic mansions along the island's western shore. The hotel is listed in the National Register of Historic Places; its guests over the years included politicians like Richard Nixon and New York's Gov. Thomas E. Dewey.
The hotel closed down in disrepair in the early 1980s, but was restored to its former grandeur and reopened in 1985. Today, it welcomes political junkies and people from all over the world with its old-style charm and scenic beauty.
"There is something very special about walking the grounds and knowing so many influential people were here," said Jacksonville, Fla., resident Janine Chambers, who has been going to the Sagamore for about five years with her family.
The 350-room resort is located near the village of Bolton Landing and about an hour from New York's capital city, Albany. It's about four hours' drive from New York City, and the island is connected by bridge to the mainland.
The Sagamore has four places to stay: the main hotel, the lodges, the "Castle," and condominiums for short-term rental. Most of the main hotel's 100 rooms overlook Lake George and are decorated with American-style classic furniture. The lodges have 120 suites with fireplaces and terraces. Those wanting to submerge themselves in old-time luxury can stay in the Wapanak Castle — a historic six-bedroom, four-bath home that accommodates up to 12 people.
If you love to cook, the Sagamore also offers guests the opportunity to work with chefs at the resort's restaurant, The Trillium. The 3 1/2-hour Chef for the Day program is a hands-on culinary experience where guests work side-by-side with some of the resort's finest chefs, making specials of the day and preparing for dinner. The program also offers the option of working with the resort's pastry chef preparing desserts. The program, which is available to four guests a day, is $75 per person. Program participants receive a Sagamore signature apron to commemorate their experience, and test their creations by dining in The Trillium that evening.
A big draw at the Sagamore is its theme weekends, which include everything from interactive workshops in photography to meeting with nationally known chefs and wine experts for a two-night crash course in cuisine and wine-pairing.
The resort's next cooking weekend will be Nov. 14-16. Guests can learn to cook with the Food Network's Rachael Ray, host of "$40 a Day" and "30 Minute Meals." The hands-on program also includes a mystery basket competition, pasta and chocolate-themed classes and demonstrations by Ray and the Sagamore staff.
The package, which starts at $496 per person for a double occupancy in the lodge room or $685 for a single room, includes two nights' accommodations, all meals from Friday evening through Sunday breakfast, interactive cooking workshops and special recipes.
The Sagamore also has a spa offering a variety of massages, facials, body scrubs and other treatments.
For those who don't want to be stuck inside, the hotel has plenty of outdoor fun. There's an 18-hole, par-70 course, parasailing, fishing, kayaking and guided hiking tours. Guests can go lakeside every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in July and August for a lobster bake and buffet. The Sagamore also offers a two-hour cruise on Lake George aboard The Morgan, a 72-foot yacht, with Mardi Gras-style party featuring jambalaya, crawdad stuffed pork loin and other Bourbon Street favorites, along with live jazz and zydeco music.
Wintertime sports include cross-country and downhill skiing at nearby mountains, as well as ice skating and hiking.
"Teddy Bear Teas" are offered for the resort's littlest guests. Children ages 6-12 join their parents or another adult to learn the fine art of afternoon tea, complete with finger sandwiches, cookies and instruction in tea etiquette. The price is $12 for kids and $18 for adults. Kids are encouraged to have their teddy bears join them at the table; the bears, of course, attend for free.
If you go:
The Sagamore: www.thesagamore.com/html/index2.html or call (800) 358-3585 or (518) 644-9400.