Staying at The Wick, Hudson NY

Instagram Rating: 7.0/10

On one presumably ordinary Friday morning, I was heading into work and suffering the usual subway-hell that a commuter endures when taking the 6 Train into Manhattan. I was also pretty hungover (I got drunk with my dad at a Bon Jovi concert the night before. #Rockstars) so my biggest obstacle at present was what the fuck I was going to eat that would make me feel somewhat human again.

Yanno, just a completely typical morning, on the eve of a completely basic weekend.

Then my boyfriend Michael texts me and says: “Book us a weekend getaway. My treat. Anywhere, for tonight”

Swoon. Spontaneity! I love it!

I am probably the only girl you should say that kind of thing to. I live for spontaneous. I love new adventures, especially to anywhere I’ve never been. I like not having too much time to work out all the details.

I also work best in these types of situations. I immediately go into Research-and-Plan Mode. Like a lion strategically attacking its prey, assessing all the right and wrong angles before finally pouncing. That’s me… with the search engines.

Suddenly my hangover was almost gone. The rest of my commute was figuring out: where.

Where were we heading? Tonight?! My criteria for our random one-night getaway was simple: somewhere North of the city, somewhere we’ve never been, and somewhere with at least a few notable things to do (which honestly, for us, just means a good brewery and delicious food).

The outcome: Hudson, NY.

This town is an adorable little gem. The F&B scene sounded promising, there are wineries and breweries all around, and there was no annoying bridge traffic to deal with. Our trip was an exact two hour drive up into the Hudson Valley.

But the best, and probably most crucial deciding factor, was the accommodations we found ourselves in.

I’m a sucker for a design-centric, boutique-esque hotel with a cool backstory. Which is exactly what I found with The Wick.

The Hotel

This newly opened hotel is quaintly tucked away on a dead end street right near the Hudson train station, which is sure to make it a hot commodity for city dwellers looking to escape NYC.

It’s an adaptive-reuse project on the site of a former candle factory (hence the name) and preserves history with things like the original wood floors and high ceilings.

The Rooms

The rooms were spacious and nicely decorated. Crisp, and not too overdone, but thoughtfully curated. The theme of candles is apparent, with a big candle chandelier hanging over the bed.

White marble bathrooms are an Instagrammers dream. Some rooms even have those big old-fashioned soaking tubs that I swoon for.

There was valet for our car. The bed was incredibly comfy. The location to the main street in Hudson was key. The Wick also serves breakfast, but we slept right through it and didn’t have the chance to experience it, so I can’t accurately judge them on their food options.

The Bar

The cocktail menu at The Wick was killer. I had two drinks (one tequila, one vodka) and both were delicious. If I hadn’t been nursing my (still present) hangover, I would’ve knocked back a bunch more.

The staff is really what made an impression. Everyone, including the Brit-transplant bartender, were so welcoming and friendly, chatting us up and letting us (and some other hotel guests) keep the bar open past the usual closing time.

We laughed, we made friends for the night and promises to gather again the following afternoon (that we didn’t actually keep), and we got lots of recommendations on where to explore.

The Neighborhood

Since we slept through breakfast, we ventured out to Moto Coffee/Machine for some cappuccinos and waffles. Besides having some seriously delicious menu items, this place is cool – it’s half coffee shop, half motorcycle store.

Fate would have it that we’re in town for the bi-annual Farm & Flea Market held in Basilica Hudson. It was flea market heaven, with crafters, artisans, vendors, and distillers all displaying their pieces of work.

We also ventured over to Spottydog Books & Ale – half bookstore, half bar. While we didn’t actually read any books (although we tried to pick some out), we enjoyed a few local beers and watched fellow book nerds cozy in with a pint and a novel.