Nothing says summer more than a waterfront getaway. And at these five properties you can make the most of the season, whether you want to splash in the ocean off the Maine coast, paddle board across a reservoir in upstate New York, kayak in a Rhode Island bay, or laze by a river on a South Carolina island. You can even skirt the crowds in Europe’s capitals by escaping to the mountains of Austria where a castle on a lake awaits.
The Catskills, N.Y.
At this luxury escape in White Lake, N.Y., about a two-hour drive from Manhattan, immerse yourself in more than 100 acres along the Toronto Reservoir. Or better yet, get into the reservoir and go paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking and swimming. And because the Chatwal Lodge is set within the approximately 2,500-acre Chapin Estate, you can also fly-fish on private trout streams there.
On dry land, pretend you’re back in summer camp and try archery, birdhouse decorating, baking classes and yoga. Or visit the recreation center where you can play shuffleboard, duckpin bowling, ping pong, billiards and board games. At night, gather for stargazing and s’mores around a fire pit.
This year, the property added what it calls Treehouses, three accommodations perched about 15 feet above the ground amid oaks and maples, to its 11 existing suites and stand-alone stone cottage. Each treehouse, which can accommodate up to four guests, has a king-size bed on the first level, a loft with a Murphy bed, a living room with a wet bar, a covered balcony, and a deck with a fire pit.
Wandering the Chatwal Lodge, part of the Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand, calls to mind the 19th-century Great Camps of the Adirondacks, and a number of rooms there have water views. All of the accommodations have private outdoor space. Seasonal farm-to-table meals can be enjoyed from your private terrace or patio, inside your room, or in the Lodge’s Rustic Grill. Prices for the Lodge, which include all meals (not alcohol) and certain activities, start at $900 a night; prices for the Treehouses start at $2,300 a night during the summer.
Johns Island, S.C.
Beginning Aug. 1, check into this new 72 room-and-suite luxury property along the Kiawah River and you’ll have 20 miles of waterfront and nature trails to hike and bike. Water activities abound, including kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing classes, clam-harvesting workshops and a “water safari” that takes you on the river’s estuary where you might spot roseate spoonbills, great blue herons and sea turtles. When you’re not exploring the river, check out the spa, which uses honey, including aster honey from local apiaries, for treatments such as nectar-infused facials.
Even though you’re surrounded by nature, you’re just a 40-minute car ride to the buzzy bars and restaurants of downtown Charleston. But there are plenty of places to tuck into a meal just beyond your room, too. For lunch and cocktails make your way to the Cove, a 1950s beach-club-inspired restaurant at the riverfront pool. Order bites like wood-fire-grilled oysters, cocktails and whiskeys at the Willet Room bar, and savor Southern coastal cooking with seafood and river views at Linnette’s restaurant.
The Dunlin, named for a shorebird, has charming, cottage-inspired rooms that play off their sunny Lowcountry surroundings with wicker, linen, and white and mint-green hues by the interior designer Amanda Lindroth. Porches provide places to sip iced tea and gaze at the river. Opt for a suite and you’ll have more space, including a living room and a soaking tub from which you can enjoy views of the water. Prices from $749 a night.
Hof bei Salzburg, Austria
On July 1, this 15th-century castle on Lake Fuschl in the Austrian Alps will reopen its doors after closing in 2022 and undergoing a gut renovation. What was once a hunting lodge and a summer residence of the Archbishop of Salzburg is now part of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, and it will have 98 rooms, including suites and stand-alone, lakefront chalets, as well as places to try regional cuisine, which emphasizes fish from local lakes, cheeses and wood-fired bread. A spa will include a heated infinity outdoor pool, an indoor pool and a fitness center. The big draw, of course, is the vast blue-green lake, and staying there means you can participate in activities like a fishing excursion that might wind up with you beside the water savoring a freshly smoked catch served on newspaper.
And while the tranquillity of the lake and the property’s walking trails may make you feel far from city life, Salzburg and its historic center, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, is only a half-hour car ride away. If you’re willing to explore a little farther, the picturesque lakeside village of Hallstatt — part of the breathtaking Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut Alpine region, which is also on the UNESCO list — is about an hour’s drive from the resort.
Wherever you choose to spend the days, they’ll conclude in your elegant room where soothing hues are in keeping with the natural surroundings. Most of the rooms have full or partial views of the lake, and some have private outdoor space as well, including the lakefront chalets. Summer prices from €800 a night, or about $870.
Ogunquit, Maine
On the southern coast of Maine, amid flowers and picket fences, the cottages at the Dunes are scattered across 12 acres of lawns near the Atlantic Ocean. Following a renovation, the property just opened with 21 whitewashed cottages with green shutters, ranging from one-to-three bedrooms, all with a private porch or patio, and a fireplace.
In the morning you can have coffee, baked goods and a newspaper delivered to your door. Later, take a five-minute walk to get fresh seafood at the Ogunquit Lobster Pound. The charming restaurants, bars, shops and sandy beaches of Ogunquit are also a stroll away, or you can hop on one of the hotel’s complementary bikes and ride into town. The hotel also has row boats for you to cross the river to the popular Ogunquit Beach.
Back at the Dunes, owned by Atlantic Hospitality, whose properties in Maine include the Claremont Hotel and the Lincoln Hotel, go fishing off the new dock, paddle boarding, kayaking, or join a waterfront yoga class. Take a dip in the heated swimming pool with views of the ocean, or while away an afternoon playing lawn games. Prices from $950 a night for a one-bedroom cottage.
Newport, R.I.
Fresh off a $50 million renovation, this resort on the site of a former torpedo factory has 257 rooms and suites, and a 22-slip marina where you can take to the water on inflatable paddle boards and in kayaks. A new seasonal water taxi will whisk you from the marina to the shops and restaurants of downtown Newport.
Or stay put and feast on seafood at the resort. The restaurant 1639 has New England classics like clam chowder and lobster, which you can enjoy on its outdoor deck or indoors with views of the harbor. Head to the Pineapple Club for its pool, cabanas and restaurant, where a new menu includes lobster rolls, salads and flatbreads, and grown-ups can slip into a new adults-only seating area. For more sea-inspired dishes like blue crab toast and tarragon lobster, visit the Torpedo Bar & Lounge. And satisfy your sweet tooth at the Bakery, a new spot to grab coffee and baked goods on the go.
Previously known as Gurney’s Newport Resort and Marina, the resort is now owned by Pebblebrook Hotel Trust. The rooms, most with views of the water and many with balconies or patios, have new furniture and are decorated in calming earth tones. Go for a swim in the outdoor saltwater pool or, if the weather doesn’t cooperate, in the heated indoor pool. Stop into the spa for a massage or body treatment, work out in the fitness center, or feel the sea breeze in your hair as you take a ride on one of the complementary bicycles. Prices from $459 a night, varying by season.