Stay, Splash, And Nosh At Blue Fox Motel—A Catskills Locale With Way More Than A Room

In the late 1970s when Joni Mitchell wrote the song “Blue Motel Room,” motels were still the side-of-the-road, no frills spaces they set out to be. They were places someone could lay low while in between the chapters of life; an unadorned spot to plop when eyes glazed over after being on the road awhile; or the place a jury might be relegated to to block out the world amidst a court case. Today, more and more motels are described as ‘boutique’, and have been revamped to fit the needs of modern travelers. Blue Fox Motel in Narrowsburg, New York, is in the Catskills, along Route 97 where the Ten Mile River meets the Delaware River; and, it is not only a place you can lay low for awhile, it’s also a place where diners eat really, really well, and therefore, might never want to leave.

With a midcentury modern aesthetic that meets its rustic cousin of the same era, the lodging at Blue Fox is cozy and approachable. There are waves to the past in every cabin or room by way of vintage posters or maps, album covers, and old menus; it’s the type of bric-a-brac that echoes family dens of the 1960s and 1970s, and yet, it has modern amenities like perfect mattresses and reliable Wi-Fi. With the roll of the river in ear shot, and the top of Tusten Mountain seen from room windows, visitors get the best of the both worlds: old and new, town and country, and serene and social.

Motel Food with Hotel Flare

The most surprising element of the Blue Fox Motel, however, is it’s attention to dining. Given the comfy digs and close distance to town, they could have easily kept it simple with B-flat soups and sandwiches, or overcooked burgers travelers know all to well while on the road. Not here. Owners Jorge Neves and his partner Meg Sullivan know a thing or two about the hospitality industry and business.

Sullivan is the founder of the women’s organization Quorum Initiative, and knows what it is like to build from the ground up. So, when rolling up her sleeves after getting the property with Neves in 2020, she was prepared for anything. Neves, who is originally from Portugal, spent over twenty years in New York restaurants, most notably Pão and Giorgione 508, which he owned with Giorgio DeLuca of Dean & DeLuca. And, before heading upstate for good, he owned Cuper Café in DUMBO. Alongside him for nearly three decades, now as his head chef, has been Chef Honorio Anguisca. Together they bring experience, partnership, and flavor to a menu that offers international dishes from land and sea.

Favorite Menu Items

In addition to Chicken Lollipops (seen above), a favorite amongst guests is the Flaming Chorizo, Cod Cakes, and the Grilled Pork Belly. “Many of these are my grandmother’s recipes,” says Neves, “Especially the desserts,” he continues. Like the motel’s popular Chocolate Salami, Rice Pudding, and Mousse, which, as Neves points out, has been made much lighter for today’s diners. If that is not all, the bar menu is extensive with a serious repertoire of European wines and playful cocktails.

This summer, the motel is hosting a series of pool parties for guests and day visitors interested in cooling off by the large, retro pool. At a recent pool party (July 23) at the motel, Radio Catskill hosted its Summer Fund Drive and played a range of music for guests, while the motel offered complimentary chips, guacamole, and chicken wings.

In addition to guests of the motel, some of the pool party guests at the event were Narrowsburg business owners who make a regular appearance at the motel for their favorite meals or to support local events. The River Gallery owners, Barry Becker and Tony Coscia, are big fans. Transplanted from a life of fashion and travel—notably of Versace and Valentino before opening their gallery on Main Street in Narrowsburg in 2005—Becker and Coscia have a clear sense of style and taste, and openly gushed about the Blue Fox. They had experienced Neves’ and Anguisca’s meals before, at Pão in Manhattan, so they knew the menu at the motel would be special.

“We both call The Blue Fox Motel our kitchen,” says Becker who is also a notable associate with Keller Williams real estate, “we eat there at least three times a week,” he continued. Coscia loves the way Chef Anguisca prepares the fish—often cod, tuna, or red snapper—over sautéed spinach. “And, they make the perfect martini,” says Coscia. “It is so nice. We often get to the restaurant, and there’s one waiting for us at our table. Jorge and Meg really make you feel at home.”

Martin Higgins and Charles Wilkins of 2 Queens Coffee , likely one of the prettiest places to caffeinate while in Narrowsburg, were also at the July pool party in support of the Radio Catskill event and are also regular patrons at the motel. “We love everything about the Blue Fox,” says Higgins. “The cocktails, the pool, that gorgeous fireplace, but most of all, the kind and welcoming staff. “It’s really everything you imagine the Catskills to be,” added Wilkins. “It’s fabulously authentic and full of charm.”

Check the Blue Fox Motel site or instagram for room rates, special menu items, and its calendar of events. On Sunday, July 30 from 2pm-Sundown, Nobody Presents and the motel will host an “Outlaw Country Day” party featuring three DJs and Blue Fox Motel cocktails and snacks.