Courtesy Hilton Westchester
RYE BROOK, N.Y. — The casual elegance of an era when executives had three-martini lunches and wore Nantucket red shorts on the weekend has been revived at the Hilton Westchester.
A recently completed, $35 million renovation at the 445-room hotel, brings back the country club feel of the 1960s through new decor and other features.
“Think of Camelot and the classic styles we identify with the early 1960s,” said Alon Ben-Gurion, general manager. “Westchester County is known for its ‘country club cool.’ This hotel is surrounded by 37 acres of meticulously landscaped grounds where our guests can enjoy nature, just minutes from New York.”
A glass-enclosed fireplace warms guests as they walk through the porte cochere and enter the new lobby. Multiple interior walls that divided the lobby, bar and restaurant have been removed, replaced by an open space that maximizes natural light and views of the outdoors.
“The dramatic impact achieved by this renovation was brought about as much by selective demolition as it was by the new design,” said Michael Maurer, who was in charge of the project for Gettys, a hospitality design and interior architecture.
Guest rooms were also upgraded. Each features a large desk with ergonomic chair, high-speed Internet service, a 42-inch flat-panel TV, a chair with ottoman and an MP3 player. Many rooms have views of the surrounding gardens. One- and two-bedroom suites are also available.
The hotel’s 32,000 square feet of meeting space was also renovated. The only property in Westchester County with two ballrooms, the hotel is known for its 9,520-square-foot Westchester Ballroom, the largest in the region. Its 28 meeting rooms have views through floor-to-ceiling windows, and most also have terraces.
Among the hotel’s amenities are a business center, a concierge, a fitness center, an Olympic-size indoor pool, an outdoor pool and three year-round tennis courts. Other on-property recreational facilities include basketball courts, saunas, an indoor whirlpool, a jogging track and a walking trail.
Previously the Hilton Rye Town, the hotel is a short drive from White Plains and New Rochelle and the offices of PepsiCo, Morgan Stanley, MasterCard and IBM. LaGuardia Airport is a 45-minute drive; JFK International is an hour away.
