How The Foxfire Mountain House Founders Created A Life They Never Want to Leave
Based on what I already knew about Foxfire Mountain House, I was expecting this 11-room retreat in the Catskills to be devastatingly cute. Situated in Mount Tremper, NY, Foxfire Mountain House has been named one of the Best Boutique Hotels in America by Conde Nast Traveler, Gear Patrol, and Monocole. And don’t quote me, but it’s also the most coveted wedding venue of 1 in 5 upper middle class east coast brides-to-be.
While the hotel’s modern bohemian design, brilliant attention to detail, & farm-to-table meals are beacons of pure delight, Foxfire Mountain House’s distinctiveness lies in the way it translates the attainable and aspirational elements of building a life in harmony with your values.
What began as a DIY project in 2013 between couple Tim Trojian and Eliza Clark–a chef and television executive–has become a blueprint for how to live in alignment with your natural environment, surrounded by what makes you the happiest. Sure, we don’t all have the time or resources to construct our own upstate utopias, but it’s nice to know that one day if we (lol, me) work hard enough, a personalized shangri-la in the woods isn’t such a distant reality. As for now, I’m taking notes: starting by reading the founders’ DIY secrets scribed in Foxfire Living: Design, Recipes, and Stories from the Magical Inn in the Catskills.
My stay at the Mountain House kicked off with a Stay & Dine retreat on a Monday night in the middle of March. My room was sun-drenched, bedecked in plants, and swathed in custom bright blue wallpaper illustrated with the inn’s namesake. The bed, cozy and dressed in linens, looked directly out onto the grounds’ pavilion, pond, and an architecturally stunning little glass house that is indisputably the pillar of all Foxfire Mountain House wedding photos on Instagram.
Besides my boyfriend and I, there were just a handful of guests at the hotel (it being a Monday in March and all), so we really lucked out by essentially having the place all to ourselves. This welcomed lull was a definite rarity, considering that the inn is already almost booked solid through Fall— but if you’re in the region on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday, the Fox’s Bar Room is open for its famous three-course farm-to-table dinner service.
After lying on every couch and feeling every soft blanket in sight, we took to my favorite brown leather couch in the inn’s living room and warmed up next to the stone fireplace, inscribed with a metal fox.
After an early evening stroll around the property, it felt like the right time to ask the hostess if we could sit down for dinner earlier than our reserved time. With a three-course New Orleans-inspired farm-to-table dinner included in our Stay & Dine Retreat package, could you blame me?! This low-key food festival of my dreams featured the most fresh and delicious spread of Foxfire focaccia, goddess salad, shrimp pho, charcoal roasted chicken, pot roast, and of course, natty wine. The shrimp pho and the focaccia are a MUST!
Although Foxfire Mountain House is set up nicely for play, it’s equally equipped for work. There are an abundance of tables and working outlets for when you have to take meetings and do things on your screen. On Tuesday morning, I made a mini office in my favorite Fox room: the screened in porch. After water and lemon by the fire, I took my first meeting of the day while eating my fruit and granola plate on mute.
For those looking to check out of our chaotic world and check in with the depths of yourself, a stay or dine at Foxfire Mountain House is an inspiring way to do it. The hotel is obviously great for couple getaways and weddings too, but more than that— it’s a hub for anyone interested in living a more mindful and intentional life, without sacrificing any bit of fun.
Insider Tips:
Lean in to the experience by listening to Foxfire’s eclectic selection of rotating playlists
After checkout, fuel up nearby at The Phoenicia Diner, aka the cutest diner of all time
If you stay for more than one night, check out local favorite nearby The Pines for live music, food and dranks
Nature lovers should explore Sundown Natural Forest