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Ten years ago, George Taylor was a successful BMW auto dealer in Pennsylvania. Now he is a successful inn operator in Thendara, New York.
In 1988, George and Jayne Taylor didn't mind packing their bags for this upstate New York resort area, but they had a couple of reservations about - not at - the old Van Auken's Inne. The century old building was in disrepair. Tender loving care would be an essential ingredient to getting the historic inn back into proper condition for it to attract proper clientele.
After three years of hard work, Van Auken's Inne is better than ever. The sign outside proudly states..."Van Auken's Inn, Bed & Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner."
The official history of the Inne is interesting. If you visit, you can't help but notice the old railroad depot across the street. That's also where the inn once was located. Originally, Van Auken's was just to the right of the depot.
Old railroad trains being what they were, fire-breathing behemoths running on wood, fires along the rail lines were common. The story goes that the original owners grew tired of constantly fighting fires caused by the old railroad trains and moved across the street into its present location.
The railroad was a main source of business for the inn and the entire resort area back in the "old days." Originally built alongside the tracks, the inn's long front porches and tall white columns still overlook the old railroad bed.
The village of Thendara is located on the main snowmobile trails in the Old Forge area. Known as the "snowmobile capitol of the East," this region caters to sledders. Taylor, a diehard "Ski-Doo'er," loves to talk snowmobiling with patrons of the inn. This year Taylor was the point person for the famed Old Forge Sno-Deo, an annual kick-off for snowmobiling in the East.
It was his vacation experience with the area that led him to consider moving to Thendara and opening the inn.
Part of the challenge was getting the old inn into shape. In 1988, the Taylors started the renovation. Luckily, much of the inn's old elegance had been hidden, not destroyed. Under layers of flooring, George and Jayne discovered an original wooden floor that had graced the main lobby. Ornate tin ceilings, which has been hidden for decades, were uncovered and restored to add authenticity to the 100 year-old inn.
While as much of the old was retained, the inn was updated to meet modern codes and offer all the conveniences of a modern home. On the second floor, there were once 20 rooms and just two baths, one at either end of the building. The Taylors converted these into 12 spacious guest rooms. Each has its own private bath, cable television and telephone. The third floor is the innkeeper's family residence.
The current basement has extraordinarily high walls and ceilings. George says that legend has it that during Prohibition, there was a popular "speak easy" housed in this portion of the inn. Access to the basement was by back stairs and a special entry way made easy access due to the basement's seemingly incongruously high ceilings. Today, the area houses a lift for sleds and room for overnight sled repairs.
On the main floor, the Taylors re-fashioned the dining rooms. There is a formal ambiance in the rooms that makes for quiet, and, if you wish, romantic settings.
Off the main entry is a huge bar. The new wooden bar has been designed to match the original back bar and antique wooden ice box which is now equipped with electricity.
This huge ice box is a memento to the old days of the "ice harvest," when horsedrawn wagons carried huge blocks of ice from the nearby lakes for storage in the numerous icehouses.
The inn offers a "bed and breakfast" package for its guests whereby a patron's morning meal is included in the overnight stay. You have a choice from the menu.
The public is invited to dine at the inn. So, should you pass up a chance to stay at the inn, don't pass up a chance to dine there.
George makes the breads himself. This is just a teaser for the main course.
The chef is a trained culinary expert specializing in "continental cuisine."
On our stay at the Van Auken's Inne, we tried the New York strip steak. It was one of the best steaks we've had in a very long time. The meat was lightly marbled, adding to the taste. It was singed on the outside, brought to a medium pink on the inside and delicious from first to last.
You'll have a choice of entrees that run from traditional favorites like steak to marinated leg of lamb, roast duckling and more. George serves his baked potatoes sans aluminum wrap. A pet peeve of ours, we always rate a restaurant higher if the potatoes are baked in the natural skin and not steamed in aluminum foil.
One tip, though, don't tell George we're mentioning this, but go for the shrimp cocktail appetizer. You get three to four extra jumbo shrimp - nearly a meal in themselves. We can't imagine that George makes a profit on this appetizer. But, keep it to yourself.
In the bar, you have all the normal post-snowmobiling aperitifs - Coors, Bud, Canadian Club, etc. This is where the real racing and action takes place. After our Battle of New York, much was discussed at high rpm. Ahh...barstool racing. Everyone is a winner.
At the Van Auken's Inne in Thendara, New York, you only lose if you pass by without stopping. We at American Snowmobiler rate George and Jayne's inn a four star stopover. You will too.
For more information about Van Auken's Inne, contact Van Auken's Inne, PO Box 206, Thendara, NY 13472 (315-369-3033).