While we didn’t stay in the Hilton Westchester for business travel, we think its a great choice given its vicinity to New York City but for those who want to be away from the urban noise and close to and among nature. There’s free wifi, a fitness center (bravo) and a complimentary local shuttle service which is great if you don’t have a car.
The property is situated on 37 acres of beautiful woodland, and in addition to offering a retreat-like experience, it also offers activities on-site, like tennis courts, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a hot tub and jogging and walking trails, making it a great family travel stay as well.
Hilton Westchester Rooms
They have 445 newly refreshed guest rooms and suites which depending on where your room is, will have beautiful views of lush gardens around the property.
Refreshed standard guest rooms include free standard WiFi and offer the largest accommodations in the Westchester area — all rooms feature large desks with ergonomic desk chairs, hence the great choice for business, 42-inch LCD flat-screen TVs, comfortable chairs with ottomans, and MP3 docking stations.
Above indoor room photos, courtesy of Hilton Westchester.
We tried room service while we were there as we were heading to a morning graduation the same day so was pressed for time. Go for one of their omelets — you can build your own which is great for those with food sensitivities.
Note that there’s plenty to do in area, arts and cultural activities as well as nearby farms.
The Interior
Inside the lobby has some lovely upscale, artistic and historical touches throughout including statues, plants, gorgeous throw rugs and an antique car.
The Outdoor Pool
The outside pool was the perfect choice when we were there in late June — there were plenty of towels and the gardens and grounds surrounding the pool are absolutely lovely. Note that the indoor pool is home to the hot tub which is open until 10 pm — we experienced it after dinner one night and it was the perfect way to wind down before a late night cuppa tea.
Farm-to-Table Dining at härth
härth Restaurant and its wood-burning oven is the anchor of the public area of the hotel. härth’s menu includes American comfort food as well as fabulous fish and chicken dishes. We happened to be there on the same day as a wine tasting so sampled one of their picks that evening from Brotherhood, which has been around since 1839, known to be America’s oldest winery.
While we had dinner here, it’s also a great choice for lunch — I’d definitely recommend sitting outside if passing through during a warmer month.
Above two shots, credit: Hilton Westchester
We tried to keep things healthy so went with a couple of their lighter salads — they have a variety of both salads and sandwiches to choose from, including a Baby Spinach salad, tomato and Arugula with Coach Farm goat cheese, and a Crispy Fried Kale and Romaine salad with caesar dressing.
We also tried the Charred Octopus, Arugula and Fennel salad with a lemon oregano drizzle. It’s hard to pass up anything with fennel in it when I see it on a menu.
For mains, we went with the Miso Glazed Atlantic Cod which they serve with Squash n oodles and white wine risotto and the Seared Wild Striped Bass, with Beluga Lentils and charred lemon — oh so delish! We moved from the Brotherhood Chardonnay to the Beringer Private Reserve and Chalk Hill with our fish dishes although the former was lovely.
Steak lovers will appreciate that they offer 8, 10, 12 and 18 ounce steaks and there’s also Angus beef burgers on the menu if you want something a little lighter or are traveling with kids. There’s truffled Mac and Cheese with crunchy Prosciutto, a Garganelli Pasta, a Organic Ancient Grains Tomato Risotto and a pork chop from Berkshire Farm.
They also offer a variety of flatbread pizza as well which is also available on a gluten free crust. And as for dessert? Simply divine!
Two thumbs up! We’d definitely stay here again and can’t say that about all hotel chains we’ve experienced over the years. The Westchester Hilton is a cut above others we’ve stayed in similar categories.
For even more luxury, consider the Ritz Carlton in White Plains nearby which also has an amazing spa or head to the Cloisters to escape Manhattan’s noise.
See some of our NYC foodie picks although we’ve covered a number of restaurants in New York State, as well as New York City, so be sure to see our Food Guides, Food/Wine section and our Restaurant Reviews. Also check out our other hotel reviews — there’s a Marriott in Westchester as well and we did a piece on some family travel stays in New Jersey. If you have time, consider a drive up to historical Tarrytown which is closeby.
DETAILS:
Renee Blodgett is the Founder and Managing Editor of We Blog the World, a global travel, culture and lifestyle publication exploring the world through the lens of meaningful experiences, human connection and cultural depth. Having lived in 10 countries and traveled to 95, Renee has spent much of her life immersed in the people, traditions, landscapes and ideas that shape how we experience the world.
Since launching We Blog the World in 2007, she has written and produced extensive editorial coverage spanning boutique and luxury travel, culinary experiences, arts and culture, wellness, adventure, technology, spiritual traditions and transformative travel. Her work is rooted in the belief that travel is about more than where we go—it is also about what a place, culture or encounter awakens within us.
Renee brings more than three decades of experience across journalism, photography, media, brand strategy, technology, wellness and global storytelling. She has worked with companies and organizations around the world on brand positioning, communications, product launches, media strategy, speaker positioning and storytelling. Through Blue Soul Media, she works with authors, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and purpose-driven brands to clarify their message and expand their impact, which includes speaker coaching/training for high-profile stages such as TED and bringing authors’ work to market while retaining authors rights.
She is also the co-founder of Blue Soul Earth, an educational platform exploring consciousness, ancient wisdom, spirituality, healing and the intersection between science and the nature of reality. Renee is the producer and host of the award-winning Blue Soul CHATS, a conversational series bringing together leading voices in science, technology, consciousness, wellness and spirituality.
Her growing body of work also includes Blue Soul Living, which extends her interest in consciousness and well-being into the spaces we inhabit, exploring how intentional design, energy and environment can support greater harmony and connection.
Renee is the award-winning co-author of the bestselling Magdalene’s Journey and founder of the Magdalene Collection, inspired by women’s voices, stories and wisdom across cultures and generations.
A longtime photographer and storyteller, Renee has documented people, places and cultures around the world and produced photographic collections focused on destinations including the Galápagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome and Ecuador. She also co-founded Traveling Geeks, an international initiative that brought entrepreneurs, journalists, creators and technology leaders together with their counterparts in other countries to exchange ideas and explore innovation across cultures.
Renee’s work has been recognized by Forbes, the United Nations and others for her influence in media and social storytelling. Across her work in travel, media, consciousness and culture, a common thread remains: curiosity about the world, the stories that connect us and the ways meaningful experiences can change how we see ourselves and one another.
