© The Roxbury
A Night at The Roxbury
We’ve had it with Manhattan this winter. How many times can one fall into an icy puddle on the way to the office? We laugh when other people slip into the murky slush, but gasp…..not us! If winter is going to insist on sticking around for at least another month, we are adamant about getting out of the city. We’ve always loved taking time off in the Catskills, but we’d rather wrap up in our Vera Wang snuggie and sleep in the trunk of our Range Rover than stay at a B&B covered in floral prints and grandma’s doilies. However, thanks to the two fabulous gay pioneers who opened The Roxbury…we won’t have to!
Ex-Manhattanites Greg Henderson and Joseph Massa have created an extraordinary oasis in the sleepy but scenic town of Roxbury, New York. Their property, The Roxbury, is a 27-room haven of creativity that makes an impact at every turn. Each guest room and suite has been themed and appointed with a level of detail that would satisfy even the greatest Virgo perfectionist.
The guest rooms’ concepts range from intergalactic to shagadelic to the best of film noir. The sprawling property, complete with an exceptional new spa, is truly unique and the perfect destination for a break from the Manhattan masses, close to some of the best dining and skiing in the area.
Exclusively for members of The Showt, The Roxbury invites you to stay two midweek nights (Sun-Thurs) and get the third night for free along with two complimentary spa passes.
We recently had the opportunity to interview The Roxbury’s Greg Henderson about this incredible project. Here’s what he had to say to The Showt!
What was the main catalyst for packing up your life in Manhattan and heading to the Catskills? How long ago was that?
Like for so many people, the final straw was 9/11. We made the official move in May of 2003, but psychologically I knew I needed to change my life in 2001. I love and need Manhattan, but Manhattan had taken me to a place where I was very unhappy and I knew I needed to do something about it.
Purchasing a dilapidated hotel and moving your life upstate seems like a very daunting undertaking. When was your first moment of panic after making this life change?
That’s a hard question because I had DAILY melt-downs for the majority of the entire year while we were renovating. The absolute melting point was the day when it was 25 below zero outside and our pipes burst and flooded and ruined everything that we had been working on for six months. They probably heard me screaming, “OH MY GOD WHAT HAVE I DONE WITH MY LIFE!” all the way back in Manhattan. It wasn’t pretty.
How did the community feel about having two stylish gay New Yorkers in their town?
Stylish? Why thank you. At first I think there was a lot of trepidation. Lots of cars would drive by very slowly or even stop and watch what we were doing. And the day the doors were painted lime green we later heard it sent shock waves throughout the entire county. However, once they saw that we were legitimate businessmen and had the best interests of the area at heart, I must say they welcomed us with open arms. People that you would NEVER expect to be gay-friendly have turned out to be not only friends, but big advocates for us as we have continued to grow over the years.
Did you plan The Roxbury to have themed rooms from the get go, or did the idea of theming the quarters come to you later?
Both. We originally planned to have modern, fun, and “whimsical” rooms and decided that one of the suites should be themed. It was called the Austin Powers suite (now The Shagadellic) and we decided to go what we thought at the time was even further over the top with that one. That suite sold like hotcakes and was always the one that the press wanted to feature, so it inspired us to create more theme rooms with our subsequent expansions. With each expansion, we go a little further over the top.
To the current day, what has been the greatest challenge you’ve faced while developing of The Roxbury?
Other than my natural tendency toward self-doubt and the “but-are-we-good-enough-syndrome,” I would say it’s probably battling the reputation of the area. The Catskill Region is an enormous treasure of beauty so close to Manhattan, yet so many people still think of the region as dilapidated and past-its-prime. It’s true that if you’re looking for Vegas or Provincetown or Fire Island, then you’ll be disappointed with the Catskills scene, but it’s also true that you might be nicely surprised at how much there is to do here and how gay-friendly it is.
Of the 27 guest rooms, which is your favorite and why?
That’s always a difficult question and my standard answer is, “Since I created each one of them, I love them like they were my children – I love each one of them differently.” But we all know that there can even be a favorite child, so I’d have to say that my favorite right now is probably our new suite called Amadeus’ Bride. Prior to that, it was Genie’s Bottle because I truly brought a childhood fantasy to life with Genie, however Amadeus takes another childhood fantasy to a new level. Okay, I admit it, I fantasized about living in an opulent palace with gilded and mirrored surroundings and a crystal chandelier at each turn. Didn’t most gay boys? God I’m a stereotype.
Do you plan to expand the property further? Do you have room themes in mind already?
No definitive plans, but we never stop dreaming. Right now we need a bit of a break from the last major expansion, but we won’t be able to stop for long. I’ve had a fantasy about a Wonder Woman suite for a long time. The challenge is that I don’t want it to be all red-white-and blue, that would translate into some big patriotic thing (not that I’m not patriotic…). I want to create Wonder Woman’s invisible plane – think lots and lots of Lucite – yum!
You use a lime green throughout the property for accents in signage, doors, etc…your favorite color we assume?
I’m so very sorry, orange, I’m finally gonna come out of the closet on this topic. Orange, I’ve loved you since early childhood and you’ll always be dear to me, but I must tell you that you’ve been replaced by lime green. Lime green makes me feel young again. He came into my life at a time when I really needed him. Orange, I hope you understand.
What is the best part of owning the property together?
I can’t imagine NOT being in business with Joseph. We met as young theater rats and spent the first 10 years of our 21 years together like Mickey and Judy – finding a barn and puttin’ on a show. We’re at our best when we’re creating together. The 5 years that I spent on Wall Street before purchasing The Roxbury was torture for me – mainly because I was no longer able to create magic with Joseph.
Does working together on a project such as your hotel put a strain on your relationship or make it stronger?
Both, but the making it stronger part wins out. I hope Joseph agrees. What else can I say? He completes me. Sniff, sniff.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
Oh God yes. There’s not a day goes by that I don’t see something that I want to change or embellish. In fact, we are always adding new things to the rooms and bringing new ideas to the marketing and service aspects of the business. It drives our staff crazy.
What makes the Roxbury area a great year-round destination for gay New Yorkers?
I know there are exceptions and I’m stereotyping here, but don’t most gays appreciate beauty in a big way? And just 2.5-3 hours outside NYC you can be in an environment dripping with natural beauty and then, if I do say so myself, stay at a resort that interprets beauty in ways that you don’t find at your average hotel. Oh, and the spa has a really great steam room – not to stereotype even further or anything….
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Escape
