Your Guide to Planning a Corporate Retreat in the Catskills

So, you’re looking for the perfect spot to host your company’s corporate retreat or employee incentive trip. You need a place that offers great food, has enough activities to keep everyone occupied but also has the capability to host meetings, and is easy to get to from New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, or Connecticut. You’re in luck - you’ve found the Beaverkill Valley Inn.

Here’s our guide to planning a corporate retreat in the Catskills:

Hire a shuttle bus to get everyone here - we’re only a car ride away from New England, New York City, and Philadelphia.

The Catskills are two hours from New York City and about four hours from Boston - and once you get out of the city traffic, it’s an easy, scenic drive. The best way to get here for corporate groups is to hire a shuttle bus to take you. There are also local airports if you’re coming from further away. Many corporate groups choose the Beaverkill Valley Inn for its close proximity to major metro areas - it feels like a different world, but you won’t have to be in the car for ten hours to get here!

Keep everyone on-site, if possible.

Yes, there are a lot of great Air BNBs in the Catskills, but as we’re in the country, “the next town over” could be a thirty minute drive or longer. That could be an issue in terms of timing as well as vehicle availability if you don’t have cars with you. The corporate groups that have stayed at the Inn usually schedule a full day of activities for camaraderie-building - we have nineteen guest rooms on-site, making it easy for everyone to make it to all the daily events. If you need more space, we can recommend the best spots for your group that are close by, within budget, and fit your needs.

Get out and explore the Catskills Region!

Yes, you’re here for work, but it’s important to schedule structured downtime, too! It’s great for team-building and employees love getting to explore the local area. There’s lots to do in the Catskills - we usually recommend tours of our local breweries and distilleries if groups want to explore the local towns of Roscoe and Livingston Manor. Both towns have attractive downtown areas for shopping and sampling the local wares.

Take advantage of the local activities - especially if your group is coming from the city.

You can’t exactly learn to fly fish in the middle of Manhattan. The Beaverkill Valley is the birthplace of American dry fly fishing, so don’t miss out on trying this sport. We can arrange a short casting lesson, a fly fishing lesson at the famed local Wulff School, an on-site fly fishing lesson with our tour guide Nick Rubicco in our private mile of river, or a custom float tour or midnight mousing trip in the local waters.

Build team camaraderie and enjoy nature at the same time.

There’s nothing better than fresh mountain air! We’ve had corporate groups arrange hiking tours, croquet tournaments, foraging trips, hockey games on our ice rink in the winter, tennis matches, and more. It’s a great way to build relationships between your team and to get everyone outside and active - as well as encouraging friendly competition.

Enjoy fine fare from local farms, suppliers, and gardens.

The Catskills have a plethora of local farms, beekeepers, greenhouses, breweries, and more, and the Inn utilizes many of them in our kitchen and bar. Many corporate groups take advantage of our world-class kitchen and ask our Chef to create a multi-course tasting and wine pairing menu for either a welcome or farewell dinner. We can also create custom menus for any meal as well as prepare picnic lunches if you’ll be out on the river or hiking that day.

We make sure you’re ready to work when necessary.

In the mountains, cell service and wifi can sometimes be shaky - you’ll want to find a venue that has capabilities for meetings, AV equipment, and internet. The Inn has hi speed broadband wireless throughout its grounds and has ample capabilities for conferences and presentations.

Get as creative as you want - your team will love it.

Want to give everyone a Beaverkill Valley Inn tote bag filled with local goods? Want commemorative t-shirts for your croquet tournament? A custom signature drink menu at our bar? A dinner on our wraparound Victorian porch? Ask our event staff, and we’ll work with you to make it happen.

Whether you’re planning an employee incentive trip or a corporate retreat, the Catskills are an ideal place to host it. If you’d like to book the Beaverkill Valley Inn, get in touch with us today.