Stay: The Catskills Go West

If the phrase “Catskills ranch resort” makes you think of city slickers wearing kitschy cowboy hats taking hayrides, think again. At Driftwood Ranch Resort, a new boutique property set on 300 private acres near White Lake, NY, the Old West rides again—but this time with handcrafted lighting, Pendleton wool rugs and a chandelier made of reclaimed barn beams.

The vibe? Montana wild meets Manhattan design pedigree.

Founded by Steve and Anne Dubrovsky—lifelong equestrians and former rodeo competitors—the ranch blends raw natural beauty with architecture you’d expect to find in a high-end lodge out West. But this isn’t a theme. It’s lived-in, worked-on and deeply personal. Steve isn’t just a cowboy—he’s also the architect behind the acclaimed Chatwal Lodge. His style is all over Driftwood: trees from the property form structural supports, rooms feature handcrafted beds and hand-hewn beams and each suite is a study in rustic luxury. In the Museum Suite, guests will be surprised to find full-sized installations from the “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys” exhibit from the Rochester Museum Of Science And Nature.

“It’s a continuation of the work I’ve done for decades,” says Steve, whose architectural DNA is imprinted on many homes throughout the Chapin Estate nearby. “Only this time, it’s also our home and our lifestyle.”

That lifestyle is no act. Steve is a four-time PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association) circuit champion in steer wrestling. Anne, his wife and partner, has been riding and training horses her entire life. Their dream wasn’t just to create another Catskills getaway—it was to build a fully functioning ranch where guests don’t just watch the cowboy life… they live it. And that’s exactly what sets Driftwood apart. Yes, the rooms are beautiful—like, showstopping stone fireplaces and Pendleton-wool-on-handmade-beds beautiful—but the real magic happens outside.

Each day, guests can opt into the rhythm of the ranch: feeding longhorn cattle, watching horses being trained in the massive indoor arena or learning to rope alongside seasoned cowhands. There are nearly four miles of wooded trails for riding or hiking, ponds surrounded by grazing horses and plenty of porch-sitting for those who prefer to soak in the scenery with a bourbon in hand. On-site, guests will also find a cowboy cauldron fire pit that elicits and encourages campfire stories, a leather stamping workshop with classes on offer, a chainsaw carving studio and a bunkhouse-style breakfast and lunch room (not to mention de facto bar) for refueling. 

The Dubrovskys have also added longtime friends Mona and Mark Kreutziger to the team—both accomplished equine experts in their own right with backgrounds in barrel racing, quarter horse racing and polo pony training. In other words: this place is run by people who know their way around a saddle.

“We wanted it to feel immersive,” Anne says. “You’re not just staying on a ranch—you’re part of it. You’re in it.”

That immersive approach has already captured the attention of guests from New York City and beyond. Some come for the serenity, others for the hands-on experiences and many leave with sore muscles, dirt under their nails and the kind of stories you don’t pick up at a spa.

Despite its frontier charm, Driftwood doesn’t skimp on the good stuff (en suite Toto toilets!). Every room features unique pieces—lighting handmade by Steve and his talented team, rugs from the Pendleton Reserve Collection and super cozy bed covers sourced with authentic Native and Western designs front of mind. It’s truly refined rustic done right.

And then there’s the setting itself. Located a quick drive from popular Sullivan County Catskills towns Bethel, Narrowsburg and Barryville, Driftwood feels remote yet not removed. Whether you’re hiking under cathedral-high pines, learning horsemanship or quietly watching mist rise off an idyllic pond at sunrise, nature always finds its way into everything here.

“People are fascinated by this life,” Anne says emphatically. “There’s a mystique to it—the horses, the land, the history. We wanted to bring that mystique East.”

Mission accomplished. Giddy up.