NOW CLOSED: The Dewitt Oak Hill: Comfort, Charm, and Glamour on the Catskill Creek
It's easy to fall in love with The DeWitt Oak Hill. Step through it's regal red front door to find a room painted deep blue and decorated with gilded brass mirrors, brightly upholstered winged armchairs, and a collection of vintage wooden shoe forms lining a set of red built-in bookshelves. The eclectic antiques throughout the inn are available for purchase via French & Scouser, a source for unique vintage pieces run by the DeWitt's warm and friendly proprietors, Dorothée Walliser and Diane Ormrod. Their taste is impeccable, and each of the four guest rooms in this cozy bed & breakfast feels like a work of art, lush with covetable antiques.
The DeWitt has already been photographed beautifully by the professionals at Escape Brooklyn, And North, and Compass + Twine, and it's so photogenic that even my amateur photos capture the charm and cozy glamour of this country B&B.
One of the prettiest spots in the house is the hall of antique mirrors leading to the guest room. "It's my own little Versailles," Dorothée said with a smile as she led us through.
If the DeWitt's Instagram feed is any indication, their breakfast offerings are as divine as their interiors. Think antique cups of pink gelo d'anguria, a refreshing Sicilian dish of chilled watermelon with pistachios, or Kenyan mandazi, an African beignet that usually has a touch of coconut in the batter and is served under a pile of powdered sugar. My husband's aunt and uncle made the trip up to the DeWitt from Long Island, and they raved about the food and the hospitality.
Aunt Diane and Uncle Neil's guest book entry at the DeWitt Oak Hill
Located right on the banks of the Catskill Creek and in walking-distance from the handsome new Oak Hill shop Hort & Pott, the antique treasure trove IU Tripp, and record store Preserved Instincts, it's the perfect place to spend a quiet weekend in an artsy hamlet of Durham that feels barely discovered by the ever-expanding number of Catskills vacationers pouring in from the city and the suburbs. As the word gets out about Oak Hill, we have a feeling it may not be this quiet for long.
The sitting room at the DeWitt, viewed from the balcony above
My mom and my daughter cuddle on the front steps of this warm and welcoming Catskills B&B
The DeWitt Oak Hill is located at 7803 Route 81, Oak Hill, NY; 518-239-6953. Book your stay on their website, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
