Enter the Sagamore

A hotel whose luxury has lasted over a century.

Story Josh Schermerhorn

Photos by Jennifer Stiles

Next to the glistening waters of Lake George sits the premiere resort of the Adirondack region. The Sagamore Resort and Hotel is located in Bolton Landing, New York, at the apex of where the lake shifts from its wide southern end to its narrow northern end. However, its state as a luxurious hotel has withstood things from the wrath of fire to ownership change.
 

The origins of this hotel go back two centuries, when millionaires from Philadelphia were requested by hotel owner Myron Brown to fund the building of an exclusive resort in the Adirondacks. In 1883, the Sagamore opened; it was not the open-invite resort that it is today. Back in those days, only the selected and important international figures of the time were allowed to stay at the hotel. 

The hotel and resort boasts many luxurious attributes.  When relaxing in their outdoor patios, guests can gaze upon a panoramic vista of the lake and its surrounding mountains like Tongue and Black. On the island itself, the Sagamore hosts a flurry of lodges off its main hotel building. Included on the premises are various sporting areas like tennis and basketball courts, numerous indoor and outdoor pools, a conference center, and a main hotel area. The best place to catch a spectacular view is on the Sagamore’s waterfront, where its own beach and boating dock allow guests the luxury of swimming and heading out on the lake. 

The Sagamore even has its own boat, The Morgan. The 85-foot vessel makes three trips a day in season for a one-and-a- half hour sight-seeing cruise around the lake. 

Inland from the resort is the Sagamore Golf Course, an 18-hole championship-style course. The course offers a view of the lake from the first hole, followed by a journey through the mountainous terrain. The course has been played by famous golfers like Lee Trevino and Paul Azinger, who also stayed at the hotel. 

“Working at the Sagamore definitely has its perks.”

If the rich and famous come to Lake George, the Sagamore is one of their premiere destinations. Politicians like former New York governor Tom Dewey to Richard Nixon,who was the vice president at the time, have made the trip. In the summer of 2009, The Today Show’s Meredith Vieira and Ann Curry stayed at the Sagamore while the show did its morning broadcast from Lake George.

“Working at the Sagamore definitely has its perks,” says 31-year-old bellman and valet Rich Agruso. “Aside from the unbeatable views, you get to meet a lot of great and famous people, and you even get to drive some pretty cool cars.”

The resort’s prime location on the southern end of Green Island makes for a beautiful backdrop, but it does not protect it from damage. The hotel has been victim to fires twice in 1893 and 1914, but was finally rebuilt in its entirety in 1930. 

After decades of use, the hotel needed a face-lift. In 1981, the hotel’s dilapidated state forced its doors to close. However, Philadelphia real estate owner Norman Wolgin, along with Kennington Ltd., Inc. out of Los Angeles, brought it back from the dead as Green Island Associates. With renovations that totaled nearly $75 million, the Sagamore’s large estate turned into its former self.        

The hotel was on the market again in 2008 due to profit losses and debt, but was taken off later in the month. In September 2008, Florida-based hotel and resort company Ocean Properties Ltd., a multinational corporation which owns hotels across the nation as well as the Caribbean, placed a bid for the hotel. Green Island Associates accepted and sold the hotel. 

With new ownership came changes, including a return to old with a more outdoor veranda experience for its guests. Through a $20 million renovation in 2009, Ocean Properties added numerous features to the resort, including 37 new rooms, a 10,000-square-foot pool deck, an infinity pool, and a new bar named Caldwell’s.

“Ocean Properties definitely wants to make the Sagamore a flagship resort,” says Kevin Rosa, the director of sales and marketing at the Sagamore. 

The resort coincides with its hometown, Bolton Landing, a small tourist location north of Lake George. 

“I think it works both ways,” Rosa says. “The Sagamore provides the town with the tourism from the guests who stay here. On the other hand, we sell the Sagamore to the town, making it a great relationship.”

Luke Callahan, a 20-year-old New York native, worked at various serving positions at the Sagamore’s Trillium restaurant in 2008, which changed to La Bella Vita in 2009.

“Ocean Properties definitely wants to make the Sagamore a flagship resort.”

“It’s hard to find a place to work where you like everyone you’re working with,” says Callahan. “I’ve gone from a food-runner to a front server in the course of two summers.  Being a hotel, restaurant, and tourism major, it’s a great experience to work there.”In the winter of 2009, the new ownership decided to severely lay-off their staff. 

“I knew a few people who stayed or had the chance, but most everyone I knew was laid off,” Callahan said. “I understand why they did it, but it’s still unfortunate.”

Through nearly 130 years, two fires, and ownership changes, the Sagamore has stood its ground on Green Island. Now, with more renovations planned for 2010, the Sagamore is looking to return to its hay-day as the premiere resort in the Adirondacks.

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