Glamour in the Country: Glenmere Mansion

Glamour in the Country: Glenmere Mansion - The pristine white tub was calling me: I couldn't resist an end of the day soak. Tossing aside a fluffy robe, I sank into steaming water, a whimsical rubber ducky already lost in a deep sea of suds. Instead of the flat-screen TV, I watched flames from the gas Fireplaces dance and reflect on marble. This moment of peace took place perched high above a Tuscan villa – but I wasn't in Italy. The atmosphere is distinctly old world and refined, but the convenient location is in New York's lower Hudson Valley. Glenmere Mansion in Chester, New York was the chosen spot for a mother-daughter gourmet getaway. Just as the sun was setting behind Glenmere Lake, we entered the mansion's elegant gates and climbed the driveway towards the salmon-pink villa. This serene sunset welcome set the tone for a weekend of lounging by the Fireplaces and sharing farm-fresh cuisine. After settling into separate bedrooms in the penthouse suite, we raised a bellini to a weekend of uninterrupted bonding – with a touch of glamour. In January 2010 Glenmere Mansion opened after a four year, multi-million dollar renovation. This country villa – built in 1911 for wealthy industrialist Robert Goelet – had the right bones to inspire current owners Alan Stenberg and Daniel DeSimone to fulfill their dream of restoring a historic property and