Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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THIS ISSUE: GAME AND FISH FAR LEFT: Guests at The Point can enjoy a lavish picnic aboard a boat on Saranac Lake. ABOVE: Bison tenderloin with braised short ribs and roasted parsnips with garlic. LEFT: Chef Mark Levy. ONCE A ROCKEFELLER FAMILY RETREAT, THE POINT OFFERS GILDED AGE OPULENCE IN THE ADIRONDACKS. BY VICTORIA ABBOTT RICCARDI F or the ultimate guys' getaway—one that beckons with starry skies in a rustic setting plus a five-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide—head to The Point in Saranac Lake, New York. This Rockefeller Great Camp turned Relais & Châteaux resort is for the sophisticated urban "glamper," who would rather don a dinner jacket than a lumber jacket, trade a down sleeping bag for a downy bed topped with luxe linens, and toast friends with an Aberfeldy instead of beer around a campfire. With fall foliage at its peak, now is an ideal time to experience a classic Hemingway moment with all the autumnal trimmings, minus the writer's block. The Point is best reached by plane—your own jet or Cape Air, which makes the scenic, hour-and-a-half flight directly from Logan to Saranac Lake Airport several times a day. Upon your arrival, a valet will whisk you to the compound's original stone and log buildings nestled on 75 acres of timberland. After a welcoming drink—Pommery Champagne, anyone?—you'll be shown to your room, one of 11 guest rooms with lake views, stone 82 —CHEF MARK LEVY fireplaces, leather armchairs, and artwork depicting the rugged outdoors, which are available to explore or to simply observe. A highlight of The Point is the cuisine, which emulates the lavish dining style preferred by William Avery Rockefeller, who built The Point almost a century ago as a bucolic retreat for his family. "Whatever you like and want, we'll turn it into a five-star experience," says chef Mark Levy, a British expat who won England's prestigious Gastropub Chef of the Year in 2007. "If you want Kobe beef because you had it five years ago on your honeymoon in Japan, we'll get it for you. It's all about having the most exceptional stay of your life." To achieve that, Levy buys the finest seasonal ingredients available, such as truffles from France, game birds from Scotland, or exotic apples from Washington State. Stumptown Coffee Roaster blends fuel every breakfast, which consists of the day's special or whatever else you might desire, whether it's a spartan fruit plate or a truffle-stuffed cheese omelet. Guests gather in the Great Hall, which is adorned with hunting trophies, to savor a four-course menu served every night except Wednesdays and Saturdays, which feature seven-course, black-tie feasts. For lunch you have two options: the two-course set menu served in the Great Hall with other guests, or a lavish picnic, enjoyed mid-hike or on the lake aboard the continued on page 84 PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE POINT A Moveable Feast "There is no 'no' at The Point. Whatever you want, we'll turn it into a five-star experience." BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM 082-084_BC_SC_SMD_LATEFall13.indd 82 9/16/13 6:15 PM