The Point

Description:

• This secluded Great Camp on the banks of Saranac Lake was built as an exclusive retreat for the very wealthy by William Avery Rockefeller. It remains so secluded that there are no signs; you don't even get directions until you've paid in full. Once you're there, the ultraluxurious, all-inclusive, 11-room property emulates the glory days of the Great Camps, with the very affable general manager serving as host of the party. Huge rooms are sumptuously decked out with amazingly comfortable furniture, huge stone fireplaces, and some with original pieces (my bathroom's slate sinks were Rockefeller's darkroom sinks). But the experience of staying here is just as important as the rooms. Any whim, no matter how large or small, can be satisfied at any time of day or night; the excellent staff doesn't know the word "no." Fantastic gourmet meals are served at communal tables with new-found friends (and unlimited wine), though you can also choose to dine aboard a boat, at a remote cabin, or in your room. Love water-skiing? Go all day long. Take out an electric boat or kayak. Hike the resort's trails (stocked with water), then pour yourself a drink from one of the lodge's many open liquor cabinets and gaze out over the lake. Watch the chefs at work, request changes to your dinner menu, and finish off each night around the bonfire with a drink and something tasty like s'mores or truffle popcorn.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2010