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Ravishing restoration: Introducing Foster Supply Hospitality's Kenoza Hall

Joseph Abraham - Co-editor
Posted 7/9/20

KENOZA LAKE -- The site of the former Armbrust House, operated by John Armbrust in the early 1900s, has been given new life by Foster Supply Hospitality (FSH). The newly renamed Kenoza Hall was …

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Ravishing restoration: Introducing Foster Supply Hospitality's Kenoza Hall

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KENOZA LAKE -- The site of the former Armbrust House, operated by John Armbrust in the early 1900s, has been given new life by Foster Supply Hospitality (FSH). The newly renamed Kenoza Hall was purchased by FSH in August 2015, demoed in January 2018, and reconstructed that fall. The property was ready to welcome guests and the public in March, but COVID-19 temporarily delayed the opening.

The 22-room destination hotel, restaurant and spa is the largest project FSH has ever completed. And for FSH Co-Founders Kirsten and Sims Foster, being “hands-on” was an understatement.

From laying out every inch of the building, to selecting every piece of fabric and curtain color, to choosing the right furniture and managing the construction, it was no easy process.

“This one was tough,” said Sims, “because the scale of it was bigger than the others. And it wasn't big enough to go hire a whole crew to manage those different aspects.”

While completely renovated, the main building is mostly the original gracious Victorian built sometime in the 1880s, with a few extensions added, including a full dining room with six rooms above it.

Kenoza Hall differs from FSH's other distinctive properties in several ways. There is more maturity to it, evidenced by the largely custom-designed furniture, hardware and lighting, as well as its white-tablecloth Old World Continental fine dining restaurant, the latter of which is not offered anywhere else in their portfolio.

Also, Kenoza Hall provides a resort-like experience, with a full service spa, pool, hot tub, sauna, etc., while still keeping true to the small and intimate feel which has made FSH's properties popular.

Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association (SCVA) President/CEO Roberta Byron- Lockwood had high praise for Kenoza Hall.

“The SCVA is excited to add Kenoza Hall, a luxury escape peacefully nestled in the Sullivan Catskills,” said Byron-Lockwood. “Its holistic and nature-inspired décor creates an atmosphere of serenity that is consistent with the Foster Supply Hospitality brand; a place to rest your head and embrace serene landscapes—allowing nature to envelop the adventurer.”

Town of Delaware Supervisor Steve Lundgren was also complimentary of Kenoza Hall saying, “The Town of Delaware is fortunate to have Kirsten and Sims Foster as residents. This pair of visionaries have combined their creativity, sound business sense, and hard work to respectfully restore and revitalize many structures in Western Sullivan County. By doing that, they have set a new high standard for the hospitality industry in our area. Kenoza Hall is their crowning achievement so far - I can't wait to see what they will do next!”

When asked what Kenoza Hall adds to the county and region, Sims called it a marriage of substance and weight.

“With the luxury level, this property will potentially and realistically attract guests that might not be [interested in the] Arnold House, North Branch Inn, Resorts World … I think it fills a niche of a small luxury hotel that I'm not going to say doesn't exist but is limited here in the county,” said Sims.

“And that's smart business. We don't want to re-create the same thing over and over again. We want to bring in new guests. We don't want to cannibalize. Certainly there will be people that have stayed with us that are making reservations here because they want to try out our new property,” Sims explained. “But we're also seeing people make reservations who have never been to our properties and haven't been to the county before. So we're always trying to layer in a new experience that might create a deeper fabric of tourism.”

Hemlock Spa -- which offers wellness classes, plus treatments inspired by water doctor and herbalist priest Sebastian Kneipp -- is open to the public, as is the adjoining restaurant, which serves classic dishes such as Dover Sole Meunière, Lobster Thermidor and Tournedos Rossini. Reservations are required, as are masks and guidelines to keep guests safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information, visit www.kenozahall.com.

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