Gideon Putnam Resort Completes Renovations

Saratoga Springs, NY (May 2, 2011) – Gideon Putnam Resort & Spa completed a million-dollar makeover of its guestrooms this month. The redo is part of a $20 million renovation by management company Delaware North Companies in partnership with Saratoga Casino & Raceway.

 

Great efforts are underway to restore this National Historic Landmark Hotel as part of the operating company and raceway’s 20-year contract with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. Renovations, which began in 2008, have exceeded $6 million to date. They include major upgrades to the resort’s entrance, guestrooms, lobby, restaurant, bar, fitness center, business center, gift shop and spa.

 

 “Our goal is to add all the modern comforts, amenities and technology, while maintaining the grandeur of the resort’s storied past,” explains Chance Jorgensen, the property’s new general manager.

 

The Gideon Putnam opened its doors in 1935. With its rich ornamentation and fine detail, the Georgian Revival-style resort provided elegant accommodation for guests drawn to the region for its mineral-rich, natural spring waters. Over the years, the hotel has played host to such distinguished guests as: Bob Hope, Fred Astaire, Cary Grant, Liza Minnelli, Robert Redford, Dave Matthews and Yo Yo Ma.

 

Gideon Putnam is located in Saratoga Spa State Park, home to miles of hiking/biking trails, museums, golf courses and Saratoga Performing Arts CenterÒ. Guests enjoy a beautiful park setting five minutes from the lively restaurants, boutique shops and nightlife of historic downtown Saratoga. The resort is owned by the State of New York and managed by Delaware North through its Parks & Resorts Division.

Gideon Putnam’s refurbished guestrooms add a modern twist to the historic charm. Each of the 120 guestrooms and suites now boasts free Wi-Fi; a high-definition flat-screen television; and elegant new furnishings, including plush beds with pillow-top mattresses and luxurious linens. Renovated bathrooms pamper with earth-friendly Gilchrist & Soames amenities. All rooms serve up splendid views of the park’s manicured lawns and lush forests. In some suites, French doors open onto a private screened porch and the park beyond.

 

Throughout the Gideon Putnam, renovations mix the old with the new. The lobby welcomes with freshly painted walls in warm, contemporary cinnamon hues. After a day at the races or hiking in the park, guests can relax here on cushy, new leather armchairs and couches. They also can check email and facebook, with free Wi-Fi available in the lobby and throughout the hotel. Historic touches still add to the allure, including stately white columns, original marble flooring and two custom marble fireplaces.

 

In the adjacent portico, Gideon Putnam’s iconic past goes on full display. Here, a series of new artistic panels spotlight milestones for the resort and surrounding area, from horse racing and mineral baths to performing arts, nightlife and the vibrant culinary scene.

 

At Gideon Putnam’s Roosevelt Baths & Spa, renovations are designed to provide a state-of-the-art experience, while also staying true to the resort’s heritage as protector of Saratoga’s famed mineral springs. With 43 treatment rooms, the full-service spa offers the latest in massages, facials, scrubs, body wraps, manicures, pedicures and hair salon services. A new transition room soothes with soft lighting, bamboo furnishings, water features and a fireplace. The 19,000-square-foot building also houses steam and locker rooms, complimentary for hotel guests.

 

Additionally, guests can indulge in a hydrotherapy treatment with one of the spa’s famed mineral baths. The spa has been offering these baths since it opened in 1935. The facility takes its name from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who led the development of this world-class European-style spa. In FDR’s day, the luxurious facility served people drawn here for what they believed to be the healing properties of the park’s naturally effervescent spring waters. Thanks to recent upgrades, guests here continue to enjoy 100 percent pure spring mineral baths.

 

Today, Roosevelt Baths & Spa carries on its tradition as a protector of precious natural resources. The facility recently earned Eminence Green Spa certification in recognition of its use of organic fabrics and skin-care products, low-voltage lighting, recycling program and other earth-friendly practices.

 

Among the other recent renovations, the full-service Putnam’s Restaurant & Bar is inviting with new bistro-style seating and cozy new bar. The entire restaurant has been remodeled except for the walls, still adorned with the original murals, hand painted in 1939 to provide a panoramic backdrop of Adirondack scenery and turn-of-the-century Saratoga Springs. Guests gather in the bar for premium spirits, microbrews like the restaurant’s own Putnam’s Pour Ale, and selections from the extensive wine list featuring wines from the region and around the world.

 

In warmer weather, diners spill onto the adjacent Putnam’s Patio for live music, drinks and regional cuisine surrounded by the rolling hills and natural beauty of Saratoga Spa State Park. Putnam’s new menu embraces the rich history of the locale, while also presenting cutting-edge options for eco-conscious guests. Partnerships with local certified organic farmers yield delicious dishes featuring fresh fruits and vegetables, often received the day of harvest.

 

Executive Chef Brian Sterner recently was designated a Certified Executive Chef (CEC) by the American Culinary Federation. His seasonal menus offer innovative light bites like Figs In A Blanket (dried black mission figs, honey almond mascarpone crepe and peppered arugula). For heartier fare, savory entrees include Filet Brule (hand-selected filet mignon lump crab and Asiago brule), free-range chicken and sustainable seafood, all enlivened with spices cultivated on Putnam’s herb garden just off the patio.

 

Among the other renovations, the Gideon Putnam also has a new high-tech fitness center, state-of-the-art business center and refurbished lobby gift shop.

 

Saratoga horse racing draws huge crowds from around the world for the excitement that starts with the words – “And they’re off!” Gideon Putnam Resort is minutes from the action at the flat track at The Saratoga Race Course, home of the Travers Stakes, and the harness track at Saratoga Casino & Raceway for racing, gaming, dining and nightclub. The resort’s complimentary shuttle service runs day and night, taking guests to the races as well as to downtown Saratoga Springs for shopping, dining and nightlife.
 

For outdoor enthusiasts, Saratoga Spa State Park is a National Historic Landmark spanning more than 2,300 pristine acres. The park has an 18-hole championship golf course and a par-three executive course, just outside the Gideon Putnam doors. Guests enjoy cross-country skiing and miles of hiking and biking trails. There are also outdoor pools, picnic pavilions and geysers and natural mineral springs to discover throughout the park. 

 

When outdoor adventures give way to cultural pursuits, Saratoga Performing Arts Center is close to Gideon Putnam, right in the park. SPAC is the summer residence of the Philadelphia Orchestra and New York City Ballet. In the summer, the state-of-the-art venue is the place to go for entertainment, from Live Nation concerts to the Saratoga Jazz Festival, food and wine festivals, New York City Ballet, Philadelphia Orchestra, opera, cabaret and contemporary dance. Also in the park are other popular attractions. The Saratoga Automobile Museum is a mecca for auto buffs, and the National Museum of Dance dazzles with tributes to all things dance, from ballet legends to costumes from ABC-TV’s Dancing With The Stars.