An intimate spa at high-design New York country hotel Inness is now open
Inness brings Manhattan-calibre wellness to the rural hamlet of Accord, New York

The new spa at the luxury country retreat, Inness, brings Manhattan-calibre wellness to the gentrifying rural hamlet of Accord, New York. Taavo Somer, one of the proprietors, became a cult figure of New York City hospitality decades ago, as kids prowling the dark and lonely streets east of SoHo found his breakout restaurant and bar glowing cosily like a mirage at the dead-end of tiny Freeman Alley. They called the place Freemans, naturally, and city people downtown loved its rustic interiors, with acres of old-fashioned painted panelling and an endless supply of vintage taxidermy specimens on display. Diners could wait hours for a table, though all were ultimately welcome – except, perhaps, the night Taylor Swift celebrated her birthday upstairs.
Inside the healing world of Inness, New York
Inness, which Somer opened in a new partnership three years ago, feels no less exclusive – though it’s actually just as inclusive by design. No gatekeeper guards the driveway, where the 220-acre property welcomes golfers to its reconfigured course just two hours upstate from Manhattan. Minimalist guest cabins and a new white-painted mock farmhouse – all furnished sparsely with Somer’s signature country antiques – today sit on and around the fairways. The remaining nine holes are converted for trendy Scottish links-style golf.
The yoga room
Along one ridge, on the former site of the golf pro shop, is a sparkling glasshouse for hotel reception and a boutique. Next door is the excellent clubhouse restaurant and outdoor dining balcony with postcard Catskill Mountain views. The barnlike new spa, a freestanding black building 60m long, is a short walk across the driveway, past a micro-orchard of mature heritage apple trees that Somer transplanted into the garden masterplan by Brooklyn-based landscape designer and editor Miranda Brooks. 'It forces guests into nature,' Somer notes.
The sauna
A treatment room
A trained designer who once worked for a year in the experimental New York practice of Steven Holl Architects, Somer created the spa building’s modern exterior with stained pine and corrugated steel. Post Company (also behind Raf’s restaurant in New York City) collaborated with Somer on the project, building interiors such as the Bathhouse hammam with a plunge pool and tadelakt waterproof plaster. There’s a gym and fitness studio, massage treatment rooms with simulated skylights, and a reception area with fir shelving inspired by the sculptures of Donald Judd.
The outdoor pool will be closed all winter, but the indoor pool is ecologically warmed year-round with heat pulled from six geothermal wells drilled down 150m into the ridge, Somer says. 'People should come and hang out.'
Inness is located at 10 Banks St, Accord, NY 12404, United States, inness.co
The Bathhouse
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Architecture-trained Craig Kellogg’s first article for Wallpaper magazine appeared in issue 6. He has contributed to The New Yorker and The New York Times, and he lives in the East Village of Manhattan, where he works as a creative director.
-
Teresa Pągowska's dreamy interpretations of the female form are in London for the first time
‘Shadow Self’ in Thaddaeus Ropac’s 18th-century townhouse gallery in London, presents the first UK solo exhibition of Pągowska’s work
By Sofia Hallström Published
-
We preview Expo 2025 Osaka: what to expect and who will be there
Expo 2025 Osaka prepares to throw open its doors in April; we preview the world festival, its developments and highlights
By Danielle Demetriou Published
-
The new MASP expansion in São Paulo goes tall
Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand (MASP) expands with a project named after Pietro Maria Bardi (the institution's first director), designed by Metro Architects
By Daniel Scheffler Published
-
New York’s only revolving restaurant is back in action
Located inside the New York Marriott Marquis, The View Restaurant and Lounge reopens following a 360 refresh courtesy of The Rockwell Group
By Adrian Madlener Published
-
An Upper East Side townhouse is transformed into a chic French bistro
At Chez Fifi, Sweden’s Joyn Studio has created an elevated setting that transports diners to 1930s Paris
By Dan Howarth Published
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Granger Hotel: an intimate, maximalist charmer in San Diego
Set in the historic Gaslamp Quarter, Granger Hotel is an oasis of design blending history with modernity
By Chadner Navarro Published
-
West Hollywood restaurant Somni is as comforting as it is whimsical
Chef Aitor Zabala relaunches Somni, orchestrating an artful blend of textures, flavours, and techniques for dreamlike dining
By Carole Dixon Published
-
A local’s guide to Los Angeles by defiant artist Fawn Rogers
Oregon-born, LA-based artist Fawn Rogers gives us a personal tour of her adopted city as it hosts its sixth edition of Frieze
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Enter Marea Beverly Hills, an Italian restaurant with Californian gusto
Conceptualised by Nusla Design and led by chef PJ Calapa, Marea Beverly Hills brings in a sophisticated dining party ambience to flourishing Camden Drive
By Carole Dixon Published
-
Enchanting culinary entertainment awaits at this fine dining restaurant in Santa Monica
Chef Dave Beran returns to his fine dining origins with Seline on Main Street, not far from his French-themed Pasjoli
By Carole Dixon Published
-
New York restaurant Manuela masters the art of contemporary dining
The latest restaurant from Hauser & Wirth’s hospitality arm, Manuela offers a masterclass in nourishing connections
By Dan Howarth Published