Craig Thompson and David Fainer, owners of CS Coach House in High Falls, find interacting with guests to be the best thing about the job. “It’s really the interaction with the people … whether they’re coming from the city or Europe … that’s the thing that we’ve enjoyed the most: that quick interaction. And everyone is so open.” Just as they finished saying this, Craig had to peel away for a moment. “I’m gonna say goodbye to a couple of guests that are just checking out.” Coincidentally, these guests had flewn in from Edinburgh, Scotland.
A small deck tucked along rocks is perfect for meditation or quiet time. In the evening, guests might gather around the fire pit and share conversation.
Whether they’re from the British Isles or from one of the five boroughs, guests at CS Coach House feel right at home in the historic accommodations set on 10 acres of property that dates back to 1760. Craig and David have been together for nearly 17 years and took over the site just before Memorial Day in 2017. Both Midwest natives who came to New York from Seattle two years ago, Craig and David fell in love with the Hudson Valley and found the Schoonmaker property when it was for sale and decided to continue running the Coach House as an Inn. But to ensure it reflected their vision, they had to move quickly, as they opted to keep reservations that were made before the sale.
“The big thing with the Coach House is we bought everything in it, and then realized that in order to get it to be more aligned with us and our aesthetic and sense of what we wanted it to be, we cleared out all of the antique furniture and did a refresh,” says Craig, adding that they had three days to make the transition before the first guests arrived. “Carpets, art … we did a clean slate.”
CS Coach House is designed as “sort of a rustic chill getaway,” says Craig. Its four guest suites are comfortable and clean spaces that feel like cabins without the antique quilts and mounted fish on timber walls; instead, the walls are an eclectic mix of wallpaper and paint, the hardwood floors are dark, plenty of light comes in through numerous windows, and picturesque artwork adorns the walls. Each room has a four-poster queen-size bed, a private balcony, and its own private bathroom. Antique charm still pervades the space: the Waterfall Room’s bathroom resides across the hall from the bedroom (a unique touch that can only be found at a historic residence), and The Streamside Room includes a cute vanity close to the bed and next to the bathroom.
The balconies, which all have seating, provide views of the Coxing Kill, a trout stream that runs behind the Coach House and connects to the Rondout Creek, just a half-mile up Route 213. The Coxing Kill ambles down two waterfalls right near the coach house, and the Waterfall Room offers the best balcony view of the nearest one.
“There were multiple weekends when we were totally booked, all four rooms, and the guests would all be out there interacting. You would see community gathering.”
Craig and David have placed Adirondack chairs streamside for those wanting to relax to the sounds of the water. A small deck tucked along rocks is perfect for meditation or quiet time. In the evening, guests might gather around the fire pit and share conversation.
“There were multiple weekends when we were totally booked, and the guests would all be out there interacting,” says David. “You would see community gathering.”
All kinds of guests stay at CS Coach House, but Craig says our visitors are primarily looking to play in the wild outdoors. They may be heading to Woodstock or Hudson for shopping, or they may be hoping to hit the trails and mountains nearby. The Shawangunk Mountains at Mohonk Preserve are just a short drive away, while the Catskills are just a little more than 30 minutes away by car. Take Route 213 south and visit High Falls, or north and visit Rosendale, and, either way, you’re in a cool village with plenty of dining and shopping options.
CS Coach House also hosts smaller celebrations and events and can recommend a local catering service, plus photography, music, and flowers. Working in the customer service and experience and beauty and wellness industries during their professional lives, Craig and David enjoy hosting special events, or just that special getaway weekend, in a country escape they fell in love with. They feel they finally have a home to share.
“I think this property kind of found us,” says Craig. “We’re really happy to be able to have the means and the experience of staying in multiple homes, and then to take what we’ve learned and take this house forward from a property that has a lot of history ... it’s just awesome.”
CS Coach House
913 Route 213, High Falls
845-687-7946
captainschoonmakers.com
