Win a Stay in an Historic Park Hotel

While a visit to one of New York’s gorgeous state parks might bring visions of tents and campfires to mind, a number of parks offer more luxurious accommodations that also provide a unique historical perspective. This spring, PTNY is excited to celebrate these historic park hotels with a special offer. Become a member of PTNY before June 30 and you could win a stay at the Gideon Putnam resort at Saratoga Spa State Park, the Bear Mountain Inn at Bear Mountain State Park or the Glen Iris Inn at Letchworth State Park.

Saratoga Spa State Park is famous for towering pines, effervescent waters, and elegant buildings. Within the park is the historic Gideon Putnam hotel and spa, which was named for the visionary who created this unique spa resort in the midst of Upstate New York’s wilderness and founded the city of Saratoga Springs.

Saratoga Springs’ name comes from the Iroquois word “Sarachtaque,” which means “place of swift water” and the mineral water that bubbles up from the ground had been tapped for drinking and bathing by local residents for centuries. In 1929, Governor Franklin Roosevelt appointed a commission to develop a health treatment facility here and the state funded the project in the 1930's and built the Saratoga Spa State Park and the Gideon Putnam Resort.

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Situated at the base of Bear Mountain and overlooking the shores of Hessian Lake, the historic Bear Mountain Inn and Overlook Lodge was built in 1915 as a contemporary of the famous National Park Lodges. As one of the earliest rustic-style lodges built to take advantage of a natural setting, the Inn is the centerpiece of Bear Mountain State Park, which stretches from the edge of New York City through the Hudson Valley.

In the spring of 1858, William P. Letchworth stood on a bridge high above the Genesee River and was touched by the natural beauty of the powerful river rushing below. Gazing at the falls, he noticed that the sun shining on the spray below formed a perfect rainbow. Letchworth found a large two-story frame house along the river, and decided to stay.

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The local Indians had named the area “An-de-ka-ga-kwa,” meaning “the place where the sun lingers”, and it has been said that when the sun passes over the glen it pauses a moment longer there than at any other part of the valley. Inspired by this, Letchworth chose the word Iris, a synonym for rainbow, and named his estate the Glen Iris. In 1910, he made provisions for the Glen Iris and surrounding property to be given to the people of New York State to be used as a permanent park.

Don’t miss your chance to explore these historic state park hotels. Join PTNY by June 30 and you could be a guest at one of these three state treasures!



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