Sometimes, it’s in your best interest to ignore professional advice. At least that was the case with Hotel Lilien, a newly opened 18-room boutique hotel and cocktail bar in the Catskills. The first time David Harmatz, cofounder of The Lost Boys Hospitality Group, asked a builder to check out the 1890 Victorian estate he hoped to renovate in Tannersville, New York, he was warned not to take it on.

Before: Entryway

After: Entryway

“He was not deterred,” says David’s sister Leah Harmatz, who helms the San Francisco–based interior design studio Field Theory with her husband, Mike Rosenzweig. The couple drew up a design proposal, and it when it was accepted they were thrilled. “It was a total dream,” says Leah. “We love staying in boutique hotels and analyzing the thoughtful design details that make for a truly transformative guest experience, and we were excited to work with family.”

After: Library

The pandemic-driven migration of New York City urbanites to the Catskills, however, meant that builders were in short supply. It took six months to secure Jeremy Constable, but he was worth the wait. “Every single one of the crew was pleasant to work with,” says Leah. “They were total partners in the project.” Renovations began in January 2022 with Leah, Mike, and their now two-and-a-half-year-old son, Max, relocating to the Catskills from May through September to oversee construction.

Before: Dining Room

After: Dining Room

e tracked down vintage and antique furniture, art, and rugs from auctions and estate sales across the region, layering pieces from different eras just as someone who lived in a home over many decades would slowly amass an inspired and meaningful collection of furniture and art.” Jason Marcus, another cofounder of The Lost Boys, would pick up the items in a U-Haul. The pool table, scored at an auction, took 12 people to move." layout="bleed" credit="Photo by Daniel Schwartz" photoUserId="6203492840745762816"/>

Before: Bar

After: Bar

The hotel’s name is an homage to the Lilienthal family who built the original home at the turn of the century. Their daughter, Meta, a feminist and suffragette, described the experience in her memoir Dear Remembered World, which Leah dove into for research. The house changed hands twice and had served as a guest lodge before The Lost Boys found it. “It was sprawling,” says Leah. “Over the years, everyone had built these additions and floors and rooms with interesting layouts.”

Before: Private Dining Room

After: Private Dining Room

After: Public Bathroom

The three-story building, which holds a wood-paneled library, bar, and dining room on the ground floor, had undergone most of its previous renovations during the ’80s and ’90s—and it showed. “There was a lot of pink and dusty green carpeting,” says Leah, “and peeling floral wallpaper, but not in a cool way.” Some of the guest rooms had low popcorn ceilings, and bathrooms were clad in emerald green, pink, or faux marble tiles. Certain ceilings and floors were in sore need of replacement.

Before: Guest Room

After: Guest Room

The goal was to pare back the layers and let the building’s historic details—dark wood paneling, brass hardware, and stained-glass windows—sing. The team took everything down to the studs, updated the plumbing and electrical systems, leveled floors, and added thousands of pounds of soundproofing between the walls. They excavated a few surprises, such as wood paneling hidden under sheetrock in one guest room, and a concealed 15-foot ceiling in another. Under the floorboards, old newspapers used as insulation chronicled wartime attacks and wedding announcements. “I found these ornate door handles and pulls,” says Leah. “I tried to use as many as possible, and I have the rest in a box.”

From door hardware, to old windows, to trim, the team was scrupulous about using what was there—or finding an authentic replacement. “I spent hours scouring online and found the exact size and shape rosette [for the trim],” says Leah.

Before: Guest Room

After: Guest Room

Against this antique backdrop, Field Theory built layered vignettes with furniture, lighting, textiles, and art from different eras; in the dining room and lounge, for instance, Wassily chairs add a modern counterpoint to rustic benches and lived-in couches. “Throughout the hotel, we incorporated a lot of natural wood, unlacquered brass, velvet, and antique Persian rugs—materials that feel cozy and warm, and get better with age,” says the designer. The beguilingly simple spaces are an elevated take on the classic ski lodge—Hunter Mountain is just minutes away, after all—infused with farmhouse flavor and California cool.

Before: Guest Bathroom

After: Guest Bathroom

Before: Reading Nook

After: Reading Nook

The hotel’s bar, restaurant, and first 12 rooms soft-opened in August 2022, and the remaining six rooms on the third floor were ready in December. Its sister restaurant, Nat’s Mountain House, is slated to open next door this spring. With a fire pit and pool on the premises, as well as a certified guide leading nature walks on the weekends, Hotel Lilien is poised to be a coveted stay in the Catskills through every season.

Before: Exterior

After: Exterior

We knew the monochromatic look would balance out the more ornate, Victorian details that had been added over the years.”" layout="wide" credit="Photo by Daniel Schwartz" photoUserId="6158363100070723584"/>

“It’s completely one-of-a-kind, from its historic bones to its guest experience,” says David. “We've really set out to combine the inspiration of a design hotel with the warmth of the classic bed-and-breakfast and the fun of a cocktail bar to create one unforgettable guest experience.”

More Before & After stories:

A Designer Turns an Ugly Duckling Into a Luminous Catskills Retreat

9 “Before & After” Cabin Renovations That Will Make You Look Twice

Project Credits:

Builder/General Contractor: Jeremy Constable

Interior Design: Leah Harmatz, Field Theory / @fieldtheory

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Before & After: Siblings Turn a Neglected Victorian Into a Dreamy Catskills Hotel