Accommodations near the Gunks

Until 2008, I didn’t have anyplace to call my own near the Gunks. With every visit, I sampled many of the local motels and campgrounds, and occasionally was lucky enough to crash at a friend’s house. I’ve received many questions about accommodations near the Gunks over the years, and for the most part, the choices are either expensive, or limited. Some of the motels may be different now, so please add your opinions in the comments.

Hotels

• Mohonk Mountain House – ultra-luxury all-inclusive resort. Amazing place, historical, and very expensive. Situated next to Mohonk Lake and under the Skytop Cliff and tower.
• Minnewaska Lodge – beautiful lodge-style hotel in a gorgeous setting below the Near Trapps cliff. Rooms are pricey but not completely unreasonable, in the $200 range. Watch out for minimum night stays during the high season.

Motels

New Paltz Motels & Hostels

Most of the motels in New Paltz are very plain, or verging on dumpy. They are all located not far from the Thruway exit.

Going towards New Paltz on Rt. 299:

• The cheapest, the 87 Motel is out of business and now demolished.
• Americas Best Value Inn – formerly the Super 8. No pets. Last I checked (May 2016), rates were in the $120 to $140 range.
• Hampton Inn by Hilton New Paltz – new hotel, built in 2016. As of June 2018, rates were in the $140 to $225 range (more on holiday weekends).
• New Paltz Hostel – in downtown New Paltz, a cheaper alternative if you stay in the dorm or split a private room, right next to the Trailways bus station.

Going away from New Paltz on Rt. 299

• Econo Lodge – it’s been a long time, but when I have stayed here, I found it very plain and somewhat dumpy. There’s a place with exotic dancers next door. Rates seem to be in the $100 to $130 range.
• Rodeway Inn & Suites – Plain motel with small rooms. Rates seem to be in the $70 to $180 range (as of June 2018).

Kerhonkson Hotels & Motels

Keep driving past Minnewaska State Park over the mountain until you get to Kerhonkson. It’s a sleepy little town with nothing much to speak of. There’s one resort hotel, and a few motels there, cheap but last I checked, really dumpy.

• Hudson Valley Resort & Spa – formerly The Granite Resort during the Borscht Belt era. I don’t know anything about it but the Yelp reviews are pretty bad and say the place is way outdated and smells like mothballs.
• Chelsea Motel – Simple small motel, uphill on the left side of Rt. 44-55.
• Continental Motel – On the right side of Rt. 44-55. I haven’t been here for years, but back then the rooms hadn’t been updated since maybe 1970. I think they have changed management since then, and I’m not sure if it’s turned into a Polish Resort. Best to call and check. I don’t think it’s still in business as a motel.
• Colonial Motel – On Rt. 209 in Kerhonkson. Again, it’s been years, and I have no idea of the status of this place. I recall the rooms were kinda dumpy and we couldn’t get our door to lock properly. I can’t find any information about this place being open, but I did find a news article from 2013 saying sex offenders lived here.

Highland Motels

• Super 8 – on Rt. 9W. Standard chain motel, Rates probably in the $100 range, but I couldn’t tell because so many of the sample dates I looked at to see their rates were sold out.
• America’s Best Value Inn – on Rt. 9W. Don’t know anything about it. Doesn’t look very appealing from the outside. Online reviews are pretty horrible.
• Atlas Motor Lodge – on Rt. 9W near the exit for the Mid-Hudson Bridge to Poughkeepsie.
• Highland Motel – on Rt. 9W. No website, Yelp reviews sound like a horror movie.
• Pak’s Motel – on Rt. 9W. No website, looks like a good play to stay away from.

Campgrounds

Sorry folks, this is a fairly populated area, and after the MUA Campground closes on May 3, 2016, there aren’t any free camping options at the Gunks.

• American Alpine Club Gunks Campground – On Rt. 299 near the Gunks, this climbers’ campground opened for the 2015 climbing season. It’s very nice and don’t be put off by the price, if you have a Mohonk Preserve or AAC membership and share the site with others, it’s quite reasonable.
• Creekview Campground, Rosendale – a bit further, but a cheap alternative for commercial camping. Tent camping is $20 a site for 1 or 2 people.
• KOA Campground in Plattekill (slightly south of the Gunks) – Vacation campground for the whole family with pools,games, fun-cycle rentals, playgrounds, etc… Expensive for tenting and sells out quickly.
• Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Gardiner. Another family vacation resort with a swimming pool water park, games, playgrounds, arts and crafts, etc. They have sites for tents, RV and cabin rentals. They likely have minimum stay requirements and aren’t cheap. A rustic tent site for two goes for average $65/night.
• Note: The Gunks MUA Campground, site of years of free camping, closed on May 3, 2016.