tomson

appreciate commennts from past visits thanks

DrGiggles

stayed last summer, plan to go back soon.
hopefully this is helpful, if not feel free to direct questioning towards whatever is important to you.

I think the most noteworthy thing is that you will interact with other guests MUCH more than any other property I've stayed at. Nevermind the communal dinners, but with the exception of the boathouse, you will have other rooms in your building (either main house, lodge/pub or guesthouse) so you will definitely see other guests as you are up and about. Moreover all three buildings are around a cul-de-sac so unlike other properties say a blackberry, PRI, twin farms, etc. where you have your own structure and rooms are more spread out, you'll have to be more tolerant of your neighbors here. We were fine with it though as we really enjoyed the others who were there during our stay (but I could easily see how it could turn south--If you're not keen on the idea and you can't get the boathouse and eat all your meals in-room, then worth considering) (nb, even with that you'll have people walking by the boathouse so still not the most private).

no Wi-Fi except at the office; spotty cell phone reception if that matters.

really friendly service; though i'd say execution is good, not great (though i'd say no different than other comparable properties). Food I thought was ok. The photos on the website I think do a good job capturing the aesthetic. wine is fine (wine and spirits included unless you get something really nuts). Beyond that really the experience is what you make of it. If you want a bloody mary in the middle of the day ask. pizza at midnight, no problem. Take the boat out for waterskiing, go ahead. We didn't use the lake much but could see the appeal.

chelsea2

I have stayed at The Point two times, Christmas 2010 for 4 nights and October 2012 for 4 nights to celebrate 20th wedding anniversary. I think this is an exceptional property and I cherish both of our visits there. The comparable properties in the US at which I have stayed are Twin Farms, VT, Winvian, CT and Blackberry Farms , TN. In my opinion, The Point experience far exceeded all of these other properties for the following reasons:

1) SIZE - The Point is tiny - only 12 rooms - so really a very intimate experience. You truly feel like you are a guest at someone's lovely lake front estate.

2) COMMUNITY WITH OTHER GUESTS - I would not ordinarily rank this as an important criteria, but we have made lasting friendships with a number of other couples we met here on both visits. Both times we are there, the resort was not full so we only dined with one table of guests - about 12 people including 2 managers. Over dinners and sitting around the campfire in the afternoon we really got to know and like a number of the guests. We continue to count these folks among our friends and see each other regularly.

3) Setting - the lakeside setting is really beautiful and the surrounding woods are a great place to go hiking or snowshoeing. In nice weather the lake is accessible to swim and boat. The resort has a number of old antique motor boats that they will take you out in for a cruise around the lake - just ask. There is also an enclosed boat - which a number of the guests used daily to go out for lunch and a card game. All of these activiites can be done privately.

4) Service - It is a very personal experience - the staff all know and use your names. They love to cater to your desires - to make your stay memorable. Mention a type of wine you enjoy and they will include it on the menu at dinner. They fill up your gas tank before you depart the resort. Go on a hike in the woods and they will have hot coffee/tea/hot chocolate and alcohol waiting to greet you at Camp David (the old hunting lodge) when you finish up. Christmas day presents under the tree that that is decorated in your room. The managers they have on staff (Cameron was there both of our visits) are really skilled at making guests feel at home. My husband and I were both very impressed with their skills.

5) Activities - at Christmas we had a horse drawn sleigh ride, snow shoeing and target shooting, outdoor picnic. In the fall we had a caviar and scotch tasting. All included no extra fees.

6) Pet Friendly - we have two dogs and we love to be able to bring them with us on vacation when we travel domestically. This is the most pet friendly place we have ever stayed. A big plus for pet lovers perhaps a detractor for those with allergies or aversions to pets.

The rooms are quite rustic but very comfortable - each has a fireplace and in cold months you will want to use it daily. The food is very good, but since you are not ordering from a menu at dinner - may not always be what you are in the mood for. If you let them know in advance of any dislikes they will personalize the course to suit your tastes. For instance, I am not a big fan of duck - so they substituted in beef tenderloin for me the night they served duck.

My favorite things to do at the Point - sitting in front of the campfire at the lean to shed in the afternoon and drinking a bottle of french burgundy surrounded by the lake and hanging in the cozy pub room with a bowl of parmesan truffle popcorn a glass of rose champagne - tackling one of the crazy Stave wooden jigsaw puzzles.

For my money - this is the closest service you will get to an Aman in the US. Very different vibe (not modern, minimal etc..) but personalized attentive service and a feeling that your are a guest in someone's home.

Sidenote - I think that Twin Farms is also terrific - great rooms, wonderful facilities, terrific food - but if I had to choose I just think the Point offers a much more personalized experience. Winvian for me was a miss - the rooms are cute but the service was not great and they nickel and dime you there for everything. There food however is exquisite. Blackberry Farms is also a lovely property, we stayed in one of the cabins - an absolutely gorgeous room. However I think it feels much bigger and more resort like and I was not a huge fan of their food.

Please let me know if you have any more specific questions.

tomson

DR GIGGLES and Chelsea thanks so much for such a complete evaluation Tomson

KatW

I appreciated the info as well. It's been on my go-list but now I'm less certain it's for us. We are introverted and don't always enjoy the company of others.

DrGiggles

I fear i might have overstated the impact of interaction with other guests. I wouldnt say as an introvert that you wouldnt enjoy it nor that if you didnt enjoy the company of specific others that it would ruin a trip (though to be clear it would have more influence than if you went to nearly any other hotel or resort).

Wrt dinner (which really is the most communal thing) you always have the option of taking in your room or in the pub etc. moreover if you do communal dining, as the other poster said it may be fourteen people but its at a very large round table so most conversation is really just people sitting next to you, if at all. I think an analogy would be...imagine going to a wedding and being seated at a table where you dont know anyone else. That pretty much sums up the dynamic. If that prospect horrifies you then sure maybe take it off the bucket list. Fwiw, my unscientific sample is id say 85% of people i met at the point or know of who went i could be friends with or i was happy they were there. 10% im indifferent, 5% id avoid if they were there.

I bring up the thing about the rooms and compact nature of the buildings moreso because on this board it seems that many place a very high value on privacy--they dont want to see housekeeping staff, they dont want to see another guest, etc. this resort does not offer that. I personally dont really care about that but it seems like many here do. This is in contrast to twin farms where the next cottage might be a 10min walk away or blackberry which has like 100 rooms but always seems to feel 10% occupied

Would echo prior poster's comment on dogs. If you want to go somewhere with your dog, this resort is a no brainer. Even if you hate people id say its worth going to over anywhere else ive been.

instyleprincess

chelsea2, love your review! I've been to Blackberry & Winvian, both The Point & Twin Farms are high up on my must-stay list

Kagehitokiri

perhaps some options for privacy, perhaps including [meals at] boathouse if unoccupied

can talk to property about private dining and dining standards/preferences

not to mention, booking when there is low occupancy (ive done this elsewhere)
IIRC wouldve been possible to book last minute and be only guest on some dates this past fall/winter

chelsea2

Sorry didn't mean to put you off regarding the privacy. I think you can have as much privacy as you want. Breakfast and lunch are not communal meals, you can take them in your room or in the main dining room, patio, picnic at Camp David, private island, on the boat etc..... Dinner and cocktails prior to dinner are the communal meals if you choose to participate. Both visits there were some couples who always dined privately. On our anniversary night we dined privately in the pub. The reason I highlighted the social aspect though is that for us it was such a pleasant surprise. We have gone 5 different safari trips where you dine communally at each camp so that was my benchmark for this type of dining experience - (staying at great lodges Mombo, Jack's Camp, Skeleton Coast, King's Pool, Singita Ebony Etc....) - however this experience just really exceeded our expectations because we had so much fun at the dinner table. I think there were probably two key factors for the difference - similar interests and outlook among the guests (we had really great discussions about travel and went from there) and the skill of the hosts who really facilitated the conversation, filled in any lapses and made sure everyone was included. We also had the same group for the nights we were there so you got to know people. Anyway I guess what I am trying to say is that you should not pass up the experience for this reason - if you want to dine privately just ask - it is really a special place.

DrGiggles

if you want the boathouse book EARLY, especially during the summer. Not uncommon for people upon check out to book it the following year (random observation: i'd say probably 70% of the people i spoke with there had stayed prior).

But even that said, while one has some influence over privacy at the point its fair to say that IF one wants max privacy on their vacation, they should probably book elsewhere.

amaroo

Terrific information here!

We're planning a 3 night stay at The Point for early May 16, have booked award flights SYD-JFK-SYD ... so it's all system go.

We'd booked to stay 18 years ago, but had to cancel due to work commitments - time to rectify that blot in the book. We'll also be staying 4 nights in NCY.

I'll checkout the other properties posted upthread.

ejong

Great thread. I've had this place on my radar for awhile and it is nice to get the scoop. I would have no problem with all the interactivity but not sure I could survive without the connectivity. Not proud to admit that I sleep with my iPhone under my pillow...

OliverB

I just booked 3 nights at The Point for next fall and I wanted to check in to ask a question that's probably been asked endless times before:

What is the forum favorite when it comes to guest rooms?

We're currently booked 2 nights in Mohawk with our final night in the Boathouse, for a milestone birthday celebration.

I was having a really difficult time deciding between the Mohawk, Morningside, Algonquin, and Iroquois rooms. The gentleman that I spoke with in reservations suggested that most return guests seem to favor the Mohawk room. Any thoughts or opinions?

Also, out of curiosity, has anyone visited in late September?

I was originally aiming for the fall foliage season in the Adirondacks, although I'm sort of hoping for an Indian Summer.

Are the mahogany boats still cruising that late into autumn; too chilly for morning paddles on Saranac Lake?

Thanks.

Kagehitokiri

main lodge (great hall) - 1600 iroquois / 1750 algonquin / 2250 mohawk / 2250 morningside
eagles nest (pub) - 2250 lookout / 2250 trappers / 2600 sentinel
guest house - 2250 saranac / 2250 evensong / 2700 weatherwatch
boathouse (boats) - 3500

king or twin >
main lodge (great hall) - 2250 morningside
guest house - 2250 evensong

assuming you book one of those rooms in main lodge, you could still look at other available rooms when you arrive. if no one else is booked into guest house, that might be another factor to consider, if you could have it to yourself (depending on weather)

http://thepointsaranac.com/packages
interesting, was offering free capeair flight
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adiron...gional_Airport

edit - indeed seems booked over weekends, online >
30 - sold out
01 - 1 room available for 2 nights
02 - 8 rooms available

from my perspective, there is more potential privacy (but have to ask) at properties that are not open to the public (guest-only) and only have ~11 rooms. especially when it is possible to book last minute when there are few/no other guests. (basically impossible at regular sized hotels, which also almost always have public restaurants/etc.) IIRC the point is also one of those that only allows children on set dates.

(as the point and other good properties with communal dining do not require it and offer other options.)

on the other hand, some here prefer privacy offered by (pool) villa resorts with many common areas. (for guests, not restaurants)

OliverB

Thanks Kage.

I would be very surprised if many other rooms were available, as we're staying over a weekend during peak foliage season in the Adirondacks. We're currently booked from 09/30 to 10/03.

As for privacy, I'm not too concerned; it's just not that kind of place. Dinners are a communal event and the experience of the great lodge seems geared towards evoking a similar spirit; almost like an incredibly pampered summer camp for adults. We welcome that spirit ourselves, and we'll have our one night in the Boathouse for added privacy.

Based on the rates alone, it sounds like Morningside is probably the equal or contender to Mohawk. Iroquois looks really lovely as well. I wish there were additional photos on the website.


Edit: Where do you see info about free Cape Air flights and is that offer extended by The Point?

Okay, I see it now under the "special packages" page on the site I've just emailed reservations to ask whether they would generously offer a grace period and extend the offer to our res. It doesn't specify whether that covers stays or bookings made prior to June 30th. I'm hoping the latter.