Piaule Catskill

At first, Piaule struck me as a beautiful adult sleepaway camp. That description rings true in many ways, but it’s so much more than that.

In today’s world of constant texts, notifications, and other uninvited bids for our attention, Piaule has opened the door to a sanctuary of peace and quiet.

High-end, tasteful designs in muted colors strive to fly under the radar, begging you to focus on the beautiful, natural world around you instead of the material world. You’ll have all the comforts of a high-end hotel without any of the flashy, distracting luxuries, leaving no reason to spend mental energy on thoughts of lack or excess. In a world that often makes presence so hard, Piaule invites you to just be.

The rooms

Private cabin deck overlooking a gravel road to more cabins.

Located in a rural setting in the Catskills, the 24 beautiful “bunks” (i.e. hotel rooms, cabins) are designed to keep you connected to the natural world. Floor-to-ceiling windows open wide enough to transform your room into a three walled oasis, an invitation to remove the physical barrier separating you from the trees and the birds.

You’re paying much more than camping prices, though, so you’ll find thoughtful, beautiful treasures throughout your room too. The bathroom floors are subtly heated, a small window in the shower lets you pretend you’re bathing amongst the trees, and a robe awaits you in a fairly spacious closet.

You’ll end your day crawling into a heavenly bed with soft sheets, and in the morning, the minibar’s pour-over coffee setup will subtly invite you to meditate as you prepare your first cup. Once your coffee (or tea!) is ready, consider enjoying it on your room’s small balcony, just large enough for a couple chairs and a table.

The spa

One of the things I most appreciate about Piaule’s spa is its approachability and peaceful energy. No need to check in at a desk, or interact with humans at all for that matter beyond maybe a smile at a couple guests and cleaning staff. 24 hours a day, you can head to the spa to use the yoga studio, sauna, steam room, cold plunge, and warm pool (ideally in that order).

You can also take yoga classes, get massages, or experience a sound bath. I tried a sound bath for the first time at Piaule and highly recommend it. Contrary to my (and maybe your) imagination, there’s no water involved. Lay on a yoga mat under cozy blankets for an hour as meditative sounds flow through your mind to bring about a wonderful feeling of presence and peace.

Just like the rest of the hotel, the spa aims for tasteful minimalism and simplicity. You won’t find some of the amenities often available at luxury spas, like slippers or locker rooms, but of the amenities they do have, they’re all top notch. You’ll have everything you need to feel relaxed, refreshed, and in touch with yourself and the world around you.

The food

Piaule’s dining room for breakfast, brunch, and dinner service.

Piaule’s food program feels as though it’s still in a “soft opening” phase. They serve dinner on Fridays and Saturdays, hot brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, and a complimentary continental breakfast every weekday. I strongly recommend that your trip overlap with at least one dinner and one brunch, so you can enjoy their thoughtful menu in the beautiful dining room. If you plan to go for dinner, make a reservation in advance and then head to the main house (where the restaurant’s located) ahead of your reservation to play boardgames and have a drink by the fireplace.

Your choices at each meal are fairly limited, keeping in the theme of simplicity and minimalism. Dinner, for example, is usually just one fixed menu (though they’ll happily accommodate dietary restrictions).

I’m excited for a day when Piaule has meal service every day of the week, as well as room service. The idea of enjoying a hot breakfast on the cabin’s small porch just after rolling out of bed sounds too good to be true. Though I love Piaule’s dedication to minimalism, room service is the one hotel luxury I can’t pass up.

In the meantime, take advantage of the opportunity to dine in the great restaurants of the different Catskill towns. We tried Cucina in Woodstock and loved its cozy atmosphere and delicious Italian food.

Setting your expectations

Piaule is so lovely and I can’t wait to go back, but like any new business in the hospitality industry, there’s room for improvement. Below, I’ve listed some “areas for improvement,” so you can set your expectations accordingly:

• Some of the rooms look out onto a shared gravel path, so they lack total privacy. That being said, the website categorizes cabins by location and level of privacy, so you should know what you’re working with upon booking.

• The paths weren’t very well lit at night, likely to blend in with nature, but I would’ve felt more comfortable navigating the grounds with more lighting.

• The rooms didn’t have any slippers or blankets. I view these as essential items for being as cozy and relaxed as possible, which is what I assume most people want at Piaule.

• The bathrooms don’t have hooks, so there’s no easy place to hang towels or robes.

Have you been to Piaule? Are you planning to go? Drop me a note below with your thoughts!