The Best Room At… Hutton Brickyards
Our column "The Best Room At" offers a glimpse inside some of the most charming, luxurious, and iconic properties around the world.
David Bowd had his eye on property in upstate New York even before the area developed one of the hottest real-estate markets around. “We’d been looking in the area for about seven years,” Bowd, the CEO of Salt Hotels, says. “I lived in London for 20 years, and on weekends my friends and I would go explore someplace in a two-hour radius of London. That’s something that wasn’t done so much in America. Over the past few years, there’s been a feeling of people wanted to explore the area around New York and things have really opened up.”
So, when Bowd—whose portfolio includes two properties in Provincetown, MA—first saw a 73-acre former foundry property in Kingston, New York, he knew he’d discovered something special. “I can’t tell you how many sites we looked at, but with this one from the moment we first went—even when it was a complete mess—it was just breathtaking,” he says. “Most other properties upstate aren’t right on the river, they’re usually back behind the train lines. But because the train goes into Kingston proper, it does a loop around our property— so we had to do this project, it was just so spectacular.”
Hutton Brickyards opened in the Spring of 2021 and welcomed guests to its 31 suites, restaurant, spa, and bounty of outdoor activities—including riverside yoga classes, archery, an outdoor gym, a roving afternoon drinks cart, or fire pits, which make for an ideal evening gathering spot. Guests check in at a charming mansion at the top of the property and then are whisked past ruins of a brick foundry to their private suite, adding to the feeling that they’re truly getting away from it all. It’d be easy to while away a stay on property, but making plans to visit nearby Kingston—full of shops and great restaurants, like the can’t-miss Tex Mex eatery The Armadillo—is a must.
Here, we talk to Bowd about the property's best accommodations, and what makes it one of the region’s most exciting new additions.
What do you consider the best room at the hotel? Why?
“All of the rooms are interesting, but for me it’s the River View King Cabins. There are 12 that are directly on the river, and because of the way we position the cabins—and because one end of each is made entirely of glass—you really feel like you’re there on your own, just you and the river. People talk about being with nature, but here it’s at the level you choose; you can get completely lost in nature or do nature in a luxury setting. I’ve never stayed someplace else in the world like this.”
How much does it cost per night?
Room rates begin at $395 per night.
How would you describe the guests and vibe at the hotel?
“It’s a mindset rather than a demographic; our guests are really looking for a true experience. We’ve had guests come purely for relaxation and isolation, who do multiple spa treatments and don’t interact much at all, or there are people who gather around the fire pits at night and enjoy being much more social.”
What feeling about the region do you hope to impart to guests?
“What I love is the friendly nature of Kingston. Before opening, we were in Kingston all the time, staying in the hotels and eating in the restaurants, and there are some truly incredible things there. There’s great service and a real lack of pretention, which I’ve found so welcoming. That’s what I want our guests to experience; we try to direct guests into so any of those other places so they can truly experience the whole of Kingston. So, yes, there’s the stunning nature of the region, but also this really lovely hospitality.”
What’s one thing about the hotel that you think first time visitors will find surprising?
“To me what was fascinating was the process of the brick making. As you drive down from the mansion into the main village of room, you’re driving past history. I learned so much about brick making and how it formed the landscape; everything you’re seeing is about the 200 years of work that was happening on the site. This site is such an iconic part of the waterway; we like to celebrate the new and the old. Now I know far more about brick making than I ever thought I would, but people love the story of the place.”
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