The Adelphi Hotel

An 1877 grand hotel on Broadway in Saratoga Springs, restored to its full Victorian-revival glory in 2017 after a long closure. Thirty-two rooms, the Salt & Char steakhouse on the lobby floor, and a Victorian-meets-bohemian aesthetic that splits the difference between the original 1877 building and the loose, theatrical Saratoga of the late nineteenth century. The Adelphi has been Saratoga's signature hotel for most of its 150-year history.

It is the polished and serious version of Saratoga — the alternative to a chain on Route 9 and the working-rich-people choice during the racing meet in August.

The setting

Saratoga Springs sits in the Adirondack foothills, thirty minutes north of Albany and three hours north of New York City. The Adelphi occupies a four-story Broadway corner, in the heart of the historic district, with the Saratoga Race Course (the oldest active thoroughbred track in the country, racing since 1863) ten minutes south and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center fifteen minutes south. The drive from Albany airport is thirty minutes.

The town's main street is one of the better-preserved in upstate New York. Broadway runs north-south through the district; the Adelphi anchors a stretch with the most concentrated dining in town.

The building

A 1877 Italianate-Victorian wood-frame hotel — four stories, deep eaves, ironwork balconies. The 2017 restoration restored the period exterior, gutted and rebuilt the interiors at high spec, and kept the original lobby's grand staircase and the sweep of the dining room. The aesthetic inside leans Victorian-bohemian — saturated color, velvet, brass, theatrical detailing. The Salt & Char steakhouse anchors the lobby floor.

The rooms

Thirty-two rooms on the upper floors. Categories include classic kings, deluxe rooms with sitting areas, and a few suites with private terraces. Beds are kings; bathrooms are tile and marble, generously sized in higher categories. From-rates open around $545 in season — racing season (August) runs significantly higher and books out months ahead.

Food & drink

Salt & Char, the steakhouse on the lobby floor, runs a serious meat program with a strong wine list. The bar program is independently good. Morrissey's, the lobby bar, is the social center in the evenings. Non-guests book Salt & Char regularly. Breakfast is à la carte.

On the property

A small spa with body work and facials. A fitness room. A roof deck. There's no pool, but the Saratoga Spa State Park's mineral baths are five minutes south.

• Spa with bodywork
• Fitness room
• Salt & Char steakhouse and lobby bar on-site
• Roof deck
• Walking distance to Broadway, Race Course (10-min drive)
• Open year-round

Who it's for

• Travelers in Saratoga for the racing meet (August) — book months ahead
• Couples doing a SPAC concert weekend in summer
• Architecture and history readers who'll appreciate the 2017 restoration of an 1877 grand hotel
• Anyone who'd choose the Saratoga icon over a Marriott

Who it's not for

• Travelers seeking a small intimate inn
• Anyone allergic to Victorian-bohemian theatrical aesthetics
• Pet owners (verify policy with the front desk)

Nearby

Saratoga Race Course (August racing meet) is ten minutes south. Saratoga Performing Arts Center, with the Philadelphia Orchestra in residence in summer, is fifteen minutes south. Saratoga Spa State Park, with the original mineral baths, is five minutes south. The Saratoga Battlefield National Historical Park is twenty minutes south. For dinner outside the hotel: 15 Church, Hattie's Chicken, and the Wine Bar are the picks. Lake George is forty minutes north.