This Hudson Valley Hotel Feels Homey to its Urban Refugees

Situated in a former 1920s movie house, the just-opened Rivertown Lodge reflects the sleepy-no-more state of its hometown. Located in Hudson, about 120 miles north of Manhattan, the cozy hotel celebrates the region’s aesthetic—the valley is renowned for its antique shops—but that doesn’t mean it’s solely folksy. Like its surrounding streets, which included an in-the-works museum by artist Marina Abramovic, an annex office for e-commerce site Etsy (which is headquartered if Brooklyn), and several storefront galleries, the 27-room lodge speaks to the town’s city-dwelling, culturally-in-the-know visitors. Designed by Brooklyn-based firm Workstead, which also did the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and co-founded by Ray Pirkle, whose résumé includes stints working for Grandlife Hotels and Ian Schrager, the property would seem just as much at home in the city (save for the stovepipe fireplace).

Interior elements include tables created by Swakille, a furniture company in nearby Rhineback; custom-made beds and lighting by Workstead; and vintage side chairs. Mixologists Natasha David and Jeremy Oertel are behind the cocktail list and Jean Adamson of Brooklyn restaurant Vinegar Hill House does the seasonal menus. Almost like a “living room” for the town—at least that’s how Pirkle sees it—the two-story space features a kitchen and espresso bar in the lobby, as well as a communal dinner table for the urban refugees. rivertownlodge.com