I Found an Off-Grid Paradise at a Cozy Catskills Retreat

Like many of us, I often work too hard and don’t rest enough. This leads to a vicious cycle of burnout, and every now and then, I dream of truly getting away from it all to a place with no cell service, to be in the middle of the woods where I simply cannot be bothered. Luckily, magical places like this actually exist even for people who live in New York City. Case in point: Eastwind Hotel Oliverea Valley in the Catskills hamlet of Big Indian.

Listen, I’m going to be frank: Eastwind Oliverea Valley is not the typical place I’d choose to travel to. I like far-flung destinations around the globe in bustling cities and remote islands where an unfamiliar language is spoken. The Catskills never really spoke to me because at the end of the day, I’m a city girl through and through. But those dreams of wanting to go off-grid started to live too frequently in my head, so I decided to take a chance and book a style of trip that is fairly out of character for someone with my adrenaline levels.

I drove to Big Indian, New York, and I knew I was really in for an off-grid respite when I received a text the morning I was meant to check in.

“Hello, Kaitlyn! Thank you for choosing to stay at Eastwind Oliverea Valley,” the text began. “You may lose service along the way so make sure Wi-Fi calling is turned on and your map is downloaded.”

That message proved to be true. I lost cell service and though this would typically send a workaholic like myself into a panic, there was something immediately freeing about being completely unreachable.

As I turned onto McKenley Hollow Road, the road in which Eastwind Hotel resides, I was greeted with plenty of hiking trails, trees, rivers, and even a cemetery. After about a mile, I reached my home for the next few nights.

On property, there are A-frame houses perched along the mountains, more traditional houses that feel very log cabin chic, and one area designated for a more “hotel-like” experience with 27 rooms total.

The wooden A-Frame houses are definitely the creme de la creme here. Known as Lushna cabins, they were imported from Slovenia and have a Scandinavian-style design. Each one is simply equipped with a queen bed, with restrooms available outside. While I may not be a country-living girl, these are some of the most unique sleeping arrangements I’ve seen in all of my travels. For the Lushna rooms, you can book simply a Lushna, a Lushna with a deck, a Lushna Suite (which additionally has a sofa, writer’s nook, en-suite bathroom, and mini fridge), or a Lushna Double with two rooms connected by a private deck.

Visiting Eastwind Oliverea Valley was already a stretch out of my comfort zone so I didn’t book the Lushna, though looking back, I wish I had. Instead, I booked a King Room with a loft. The selling point for me was the hammock built on the top floor, which, like the Lushna rooms, was one of the most unique features I’ve seen in a hotel. I sometimes like to rot in bed when staying at hotels by binge-watching South Park, but those dreams were crushed quickly when I learned there were no TVs. See what I mean? Truly off-grid.

It would be redundant to have to drive off property for pretty much anything when my whole point of visiting was to treat this as a proper hideaway. Luckily, there’s no need, because Eastwind Oliverea Valley has a pristine restaurant, Dandelion, right on premise. I first sat by the bar to have a glass of wine and eventually moved over to a table to enjoy a proper meal. The motto of Dandelion is “forage to fork,” using only the freshest of seasonal produce. Because I was there in the summer, I was fortunate enough that they had stracciatella with heirloom tomatoes on the menu, served alongside crusty grilled bread. The plump tomatoes paired with the creamy cheese and charred bread still lives in my head rent free.

There are also breakfast baskets which you can order directly to your room, and they’re as charming as they sound. Each basket includes yogurt, fruit, your choice of coffee or tea (with the option for a non-dairy milk), a boiled egg, and some pastries. At night, make sure to swing by the lobby to grab one of the pre-packaged “s’mores kits,” with each having a marshmallow, graham cracker, and bar of chocolate, where you can roast marshmallows by one of the several fire pits right on premise.

Aside from a fabulous restaurant and adorable fire pits, Eastwind Oliverea Valley is the epitome of a wellness retreat thanks to its amenities. There are two saunas to choose from, a standard Scandinavian-style dry sauna, along with an infrared sauna. If you want to get your heart pumping, McKenley Hollow Trail, a 2.47 mile moderate hiking trail, can be reached right from property. If it’s rainy and you still want to get those steps in, head to Hunter Closet, where you can borrow Hunter Rain Boots.

Additionally, there are hammocks on premise to really drive the relaxing factor home. Rent a bike if you want to explore outside of the property, and if you want to bring your furry friend, you’ll be glad to know dogs are allowed with a fee of $50 per dog per day. And while I might have secretly enjoyed the rush of having no cell service, there is indeed WiFi should you need to stay connected.

Is it worth driving to the middle of the Catskills to spend a few nights? In this capitalistic, hustle-induced culture, I can’t emphasize enough how much it’s worth it. Though I went in with an open mind as this was a new style of travel for me, I left with a sadness that I had to face reality ever again. Luckily, my new reality will now incorporate more stays like my relaxing time at Eastwind Oliverea Valley, where I can truly get away from it all.