Five-star luxury resort to anchor revitalization of iconic Catskill Mountains; opening 2020

BETHEL, NY (December 6, 2018) – Developed by Dream Hotel Group and designed by Nunzio Marc DeSantis Architects, The Chatwal Lodge will be a driving force in the ongoing restoration and revitalization of New York’s famed Catskill Mountains.

Nestled among 26 acres along the wooded shores of the 1,000-acre Toronto Reservoir, the five-star luxury retreat is expected to open in spring 2020 with 34 private villas and suite accommodations, refined rustic design and world-class, farm-to-table culinary experiences by DUCASSE Paris, founded by multi-Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse.

The groundbreaking ceremony for this exciting development took place  Wednesday, December 5, 2018, at 11:00am, and featured New York State Assembly Member Aileen M. Gunther and Bethel Town Supervisor Dan Sturm as keynote speakers, leading members of the Dream Hotel Group team: Chairman Sant Singh Chatwal, CEO Jay Stein, and Vice President of Operations, Luxury Division Ashish Verma, as well as Chapin Estate Developer Steve Dubrovsky, Architect Nunzio DeSantis, and Granite Associates Chairman & CEO Alan Gerry, among others.

“We’re grateful for Mr. Sant Chatwal and his Dream Hotel Group team bringing The Chatwal Lodge to the region. The caliber of this project is remarkable, and, once open, will become a world-class destination and an extraordinary addition to both New York State and Sullivan County,” said New York State Assembly Member Aileen M. Gunther.

“The Chatwal Lodge will bring full- and part-time jobs, both during construction and after it opens,” said Bethel Town Supervisor Dan Sturm. “The new tourists and visitors that will come to Bethel will also bring new commerce and better economic opportunity for all the businesses already located here.”

President and CEO of Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association Roberta Byron-Lockwood added, “The Catskills is a picturesque mountainous region that has been long known as a popular getaway since the beginning of the twentieth century. The Chatwal Lodge will help solidify its reputation as a global destination for years to come.”

Rustic and refined, The Chatwal Lodge offers an elegant and charming play of details literally carved straight out of the woods from which it stands. The luxurious hideaway features hand-hewn timbers, oversized stone fireplaces and mighty trunks of 40-foot white pine trees towering from floor to ceiling in the Main Lodge. Luxurious meeting and event venues located at water’s edge are ideal for corporate retreats, social events and lavish destination weddings. Harmonizing with nature, its serene spa offerings will also include some of the most desirable wellness services.

The opening of The Chatwal Lodge is part of a larger economic development plan for the town of Bethel, New York. Within this beautiful swath of the Catskills, located just 90 miles from midtown Manhattan, the wilds of nature are discovered in everyday life. The Chatwal Lodge is located within The Chapin Estate along the shores of Sullivan Country’s two largest lakes. Named as one of the ‘top 10 regions to visit in 2019’ by Lonely Planet, the Catskills and Sullivan County have seen an increasing number of visitors due to its vast recreational activities, as well as growing arts and culture community. The Chatwal Lodge is expected to generate tax revenue and create new jobs, while also offering the growing residential and business communities a new reason to work and play in the countryside destination.

“We are delighted to finally commence construction on this iconic project,” said Developer Steve Dubrovsky. “We greatly appreciate the patience and guidance of everyone involved as we carefully design and connect this new, five-star retreat within the expanse of Chapin Estate, one of the Catskills’ most serene and beautiful natural landscapes.”

“The Chatwal Lodge is born from our signature New York City location and five-star luxury brand The Chatwal,” said Sant Singh Chatwal, Chairman, Dream Hotel Group. “Within this decadent and simply unprecedented country retreat, The Chatwal Lodge is a magical destination where luxury meets nature, and we are committed to embracing the natural resources of the area to create an enterprise that truly redefines the town and country luxury living experience.”

“All of us at Dream Hotel Group are proud to play a role in creating what will be one of the most spectacular destinations in Sullivan County,” remarked Jay Stein, CEO, Dream Hotel Group. “Drawing inspiration from the Catskills’ rich history, rustic architecture and breathtaking natural setting, The Chatwal Lodge will be the star of Sullivan County and a critical addition to our growing global portfolio.”

With 18 hotels open today and 20 new locations currently in development worldwide, Dream Hotel Group is on track to triple its existing portfolio by 2022. The groundbreaking of The Chatwal Lodge signals another exciting milestone in the continued growth and evolution of the company and its portfolio of lifestyle brands.

Indian-American hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal voiced confidence in the county at a groundbreaking for The Chatwal Lodge. The hospitality mogul’s company, the Dream Hotel Group, plans to build the 50-room, $50 million, five-star luxury retreat inside The Chapin Estate, an elite residential community.

Up to $100 million could eventually be invested, depending on the project’s success, Dream Hotel Group CEO Jay Stein told the Times Herald-Record last year.

“Sullivan County has very great potential, just go back to the history of this area, and how it was number one for tourism in the tri-state area,” Chatwal said Wednesday. “Now, it’s time to bring it back.”

“Look at Manhattan, and how no one wanted to go to Times Square,” and how it was redeveloped, Chatwal added. “This is the same story that should happen here” in Sullivan County.

Dream Hotel Group operates 20 hotels, including the Chatwal New York and Time Hotels, and more than 50 restaurants and bars worldwide. The company has another 20 hotels under construction.

Now, Chatwal is betting on the Catskills, after three decades of running uber-trendy, high-end urban hotels with long lines for attractions like rooftop bars.

The Chatwal Lodge’s first 25 rooms at Chapin are due by the second half of 2020, followed by another 25 rooms. If they’re a hit, the 26-acre site has space for 50 more rooms, Stein said on Wednesday.

Accommodations will cost between $500 and $5,000 per night. Some will be beside the Toronto Reservoir. The Nunzio Marc DeSantis-designed complex will include:

‒ 34 luxury villas with 50 total rooms. The rooms will be spread among accommodations such as eight one- and two-bedroom luxury cabins; three or four glamor-camping tents; a guest home with a presidential suite, and a handful of large, ultra-luxe, glass-roofed treehouses;

a restaurant and catering by chef Alain Ducasse, and the Ducasse Paris company, which operates three restaurants that have each earned a coveted three-star Michelin rating;

‒ a pool, a fitness center, a wedding area and cabin amenities ranging from fire pits to decks to golf carts and kayaks; some spa elements on site and others at the YO1 Luxury Nature Cure center in the Town of Thompson;

‒ and a main lodge, created from Chapin Estate co-founder Steve Dubrovsky’s 13,000-square-foot home.

Dubrovsky, Howard Schoor and Dan Silna began building The Chapin Estate in 2000. Residences sell for between $500,000 and $15 million. In July 2017, Chatwal took the leading stake in the community’s roughly 2,500 undeveloped acres, which amount to about 280 unsold lots.

Sullivan County Legislature Chairman Luis Alvarez and other local leaders cheered Chatwal’s hotel plans on Wednesday.

“Sullivan County is not standing behind on development,” Alvarez said. “We’re in the front again as a family destination.”

Hal Teitelbaum, a Chapin Estate resident and Crystal Run Healthcare CEO, said he’s uncertain what the Dream Hotel Group’s project will bring to Bethel.

“If they provide amenities, and if they’re good stewards of the environment, it could be a fantastic thing both for the Chapin community and for Sullivan County,” Teitelbaum said.