Seminary Hill Orchard & Cidery
Rustic without being retro. Shaker-inspired interiors, natural wood, linen sheets, claw-foot tubs, and zero single-use plastics. Think sustainable farmstead with real design credentials — not a kitschy barn conversion.
Book the Cider Experience package directly on the site for early check-in, late check-out, 2 bottles of cider in your room, a $50 Tasting Room credit, and two tour tickets — best value by far.
Why It Matters
Earned a One Michelin Key in 2024. Operates the world's first Passive House-certified cidery. Featured by Condé Nast Traveler ("James Fenimore Cooper's America with a dash of Tuscany"), Travel+Leisure, Food & Wine, and AFAR. The entire experience — orchard, cidery, restaurant, and hotel — is vertically integrated in a way few properties can claim.
Seminary Hill is a working 12-acre organic orchard and cidery in Callicoon, NY — about 120 miles north of New York City in the western Catskills. Opened in 2021 by Doug Doetsch (a 5th-generation Callicoon native) and Susan Manning, the property grows 54 varieties of heirloom cider apples and 7 types of perry pears, ferments them in the world's first Passive House-certified cidery, and pairs the result with a serious farm-to-table restaurant. Sleep at the Boarding House, a 17-room Michelin Key-awarded boutique hotel in two restored 19th-century buildings, designed by local studio Homestedt in Shaker-meets-Scandinavian minimalism.
Where You'll Stay
11 room types available
Apartment 1 (Upper House)
Ground-floor ADA-accessible unit in the Upper Boarding House. Two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms — one queen with an ADA-compliant bathroom, one king with a claw-foot tub. Mud room doubles as the kitchen.
1 Queen (ADA), 1 King
Apartment 2 (Upper House)
Ground-floor two-bedroom apartment with a pull-out sofa in the living room/kitchen — good for families or a small group of three. One walk-in shower bathroom.
1 Queen, 2 Twin BedsApartment 3 (Upper House)
The smallest unit at the Boarding House — a compact second-floor one-bedroom with a queen bed and a separate living room/kitchen. Ideal for a solo traveler or couple who don't need a lot of square footage.
1 QueenApartment 4 (Upper House)
Second-floor two-bedroom apartment with two queen beds and a walk-in shower. Good size for two couples traveling together.
2 QueenApartment 5 (Upper House)
Second-floor two-bedroom with one queen and a twin-bunk room — useful if you're bringing a child or a third adult who's fine with a twin.
1 Queen, 2 Twin BedsApartment 6 (Upper House)
Top-floor king suite with a claw-foot tub in the bedroom itself — the most romantic unit in the Upper House. A pull-out sofa in the living room adds a little flexibility.
1 KingApartment 7 (Lower House)
The largest unit in the Boarding House — a four-bedroom ground-floor apartment that seats eight at the dining table. Comes with four bathrooms including one ADA-accessible and one with a claw-foot tub. Best for groups.
1 Queen ADA, 2 Queen, 1 KingApartment 8 (Lower House)
Three-bedroom second-floor unit with three queen beds and three bathrooms, one with a claw-foot tub. Has a kitchenette and a dining table for four.
3 Queen
Meadow House
A private house on a quiet back road with a wrap-around porch for summer use and a built-in wood stove for winter. Full privacy — the whole property is yours.
Multiple configurationsMountain House & Guest Cottage
A two-structure property sleeping up to 10 guests across 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Features a cozy living room with gas fireplace, private office, and a full kitchen. The guest cottage adds overflow capacity.
3 Twin, 2 Queen, 3 DoubleOld Ross House
A newly renovated shaker-style house available as full-house rental or individual 2-bedroom units. Refurbished in early 2023. About a 5-minute walk from the cidery at 9291 NY-97.
Multiple configurationsThe Property
Eat & Drink
1 venue on property
Restaurant
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
Join the Seminary Hill Cider Club for regular shipments of small-batch, orchard-driven ciders made exclusively from heirloom apples and perry pears grown on-site.
The 65-acre estate includes winding hiking and cross-country ski trails plus a fire pit.
Self-guided strolls through the 12-acre certified organic orchard with views of the Delaware River Valley. Over 60 varieties of apples and pears across 1,500 trees. Best in spring (blossoms) and fall (harvest).
A VIP private tour and tasting led by head cider maker Joshua Hinchman. Inquiry-based, available through the website's private tours page.
Full wedding venue capabilities on the 65-acre estate. Indoor, outdoor, and tented options with the orchard, Delaware River views, and old seminary as backdrop. Property accommodates the wedding party and guests across Boarding House apartments and private houses.
Walk the rows of 1,500 cider apple and pear trees, go behind the scenes of the world's first Passive House-certified cidery, see inside the cellar operations, and finish with a guided tasting of Seminary Hill ciders in The Tasting Room. Tours run every Sunday at 11 AM from May through October, and every Saturday at 11 AM November through April. Reserve tickets on Resy in advance.
Multi-day writing retreats for 2027 (January 3–15 and March 24–26). Held at The Boarding House, 2.5 hours from NYC. Includes daily breakfast and lunch, plus two dinners on opening and closing evenings. Private bedroom/bathroom in shared apartment from $1,500; private apartment from $2,000.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Apartment 1 (Upper House) and Apartment 7 (Lower House) have ADA-accessible rooms with ramp entrances, dedicated ADA parking, and fully compliant bathrooms.
Communal library lounge well-stocked with books (including a private ambassador's former collection) and board games. Shared by all Boarding House guests.
Shared Victorian parlour kitchen for larger gatherings, with oven, microwave, and fridge. Also where weekend breakfast is served.
Grab-and-go continental breakfast served Saturday and Sunday mornings, 7:30–9:30 AM in the Parlour Kitchen. Exclusive to Boarding House guests. Not available Monday–Friday.
All Boarding House apartments furnished with premium WRIGHT mattresses and linen bed sheets from local studio Homestedt.
Each Boarding House apartment has a kitchenette with induction stovetop and premium cookware. Larger apartments include full kitchen setups.
Select apartments feature claw-foot soaking tubs: Apartments 1, 6, 7, and 8.
Homestedt Zero Waste Home body care products, refilled as needed throughout the stay. No single-use plastics on property.
All rooms outfitted by local studio Homestedt with repurposed furniture, Kilim rugs, natural wood paneling, and over 500 Shaker pegs throughout the Boarding House. Most furniture sourced from Doetsch family pieces or local vintage warehouses.
The Boarding House backyard has picnic tables for outdoor meals; the Upper House porch has rocking chairs.
Dogs under 50 lbs welcome with a $100 flat fee per stay (excluding tax). Larger dogs and other pets cannot be accommodated. Pets allowed outdoors on The Tasting Room patio only.
Property runs on well water. Local cow's milk from a nearby farm is stocked in all apartment fridges.
Complimentary parking across the road from the Boarding House. ADA rooms have dedicated parking next to each entrance.
BUILD YOUR SEMINARY HILL ORCHARD & CIDERY PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
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