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Mirbeau Inn & Spa Beacon

New York

Mirbeau Inn & Spa

Beacon, New York

Opening Winter 2026

lily pads

A Historic Wellness Resort
– Reimagined by Mirbeau

For over a century, the famed estate of Joseph and Eliza Howland, known as “Tioronda,” has been a place of healing – a sanctuary for physical and mental wellness in a variety of forms – for many notable individuals. The name “Tioronda” came from the Native American word describing the “meeting of the waters” or the convergence of Fishkill Creek and the Hudson River, which perfectly represents the truly serene setting of the estate featuring waterfalls, rivers, ponds, meadows, and forests.

Uninhabited for over 20 years, it is now time for Mirbeau, a celebrated hospitality and wellness brand, to bring its unique approach to this historic use to the property; reimagining it in a modern, elegant form. Mirbeau Inn & Spa at the former Howland Estate in Beacon, New York will extend the brand’s vision by providing a gracious sanctuary, restful ambiance, and interpretation of classic pleasures to balance our hectic modern lifestyles.

The unique nature of the Beacon property will marry the Gothic Revival architecture of the existing historic mansion with Mirbeau’s French-inspired concept of hospitality. Mirbeau Inn & Spa Beacon will have the residential feeling of a romantic French-country manor house complete with the signature Mirbeau Ponds and Gardens patterned after the Monet Pond Gardens at Giverny outside of Paris.

Located only 2 miles from the Beacon Train Station, a short drive from New York City, Albany, and the regional communities of the Hudson Valley, Mirbeau Inn & Spa Beacon will offer guests a relaxing retreat where they can be truly cared for that feels far, far away, even though they may only be a short drive from home.

Architectural Art by Jeff Stikeman; Architectural Renderings by Arrowstreet Architecture

Fast Facts

  • Number of Guest Rooms: 72

 

  • Spa Mirbeau and Fitness Center

    • Spa Amenities: (Available to all Overnight & Day Spa Guests)

      • Resting Area, Meditation Pool, Reflection Room

      • Aqua Terrace with pools, cabanas, and outdoor bar serving light bites and drinks

      • Finely appointed locker rooms with eucalyptus-infused Steam Rooms and Saunas

      • Yoga Studio, Private Pilates Studio, and Motion Studio with daily yoga and fitness classes

 

  • Dining: The Mirbeau Bistro & Wine Bar set in the historic Howland Mansion overlooking the beautiful Monet Pond Gardens and sprawling estate vistas.

 

  • Conference and Meeting Space: Small and large meeting and conference spaces. 

 

  • Resort Features: Monet-inspired Gardens with waterfalls and ponds on the estate. ​

 

  • Train: Located just two miles from the Beacon Train Station serviced by the Metro-North, Hudson Line.

  • Local Attractions: Mount Beacon and famed local art museums including DIA Beacon and Storm King Art Center, shopping and dining in the City of Beacon are a walk or bike ride away, boat tours on the Hudson River, and much more.

The History

Photo Credit: Beacon Historical Society

  • The famed estate of Civil War General and former NYS Treasurer Joseph Howland and his wife Eliza Howland, known as “Tioronda,” has been a place of healing – a sanctuary for physical and mental wellness in various forms – for many notable individuals. 

  • The name “Tioronda” came from the Native American word describing the “meeting of the waters” or the convergence of Fishkill Creek and the Hudson River, which perfectly represents the truly serene setting. 

  • The Mansion on Tioronda, erected in 1859, was designed by Frederick Clarke Withers, one of the great architects responsible for introducing the High Victorian Gothic style to America. Withers practiced architecture alongside partner Calvert Vaux, and together completed many notable projects such as the Third Judicial District Courthouse (now the Jefferson Market Library), Hudson River State Hospital, Gallaudet University, and Olana State Historic Site.  

  • The Howlands were friends and neighbors with Henry Winthrop Sargent, one of the fathers of American Landscape Architecture, and it was Sargent who curated the horticulture of Tioronda. He laid out and planted the grounds between 1861 and 1862. 

  • Sargent’s Wodenethe, a 20-acre estate in Fishkill Landing (now Beacon), was less than a couple of miles away from Tioronda, located opposite where the Sargent Elementary School is today. Often called ''the most beautiful 20 Acres in America," Sargent was inspired by the gardens of Europe and he purchased many species of plants to bring back home. His most considerable influence, however, was Andrew Jackson Downing, a renowned landscape designer, horticulturist, and writer whose home and gardens were just across the river in Newburgh. 

  • Sargent’s direct influence is still present at Tioronda today. One of four original specimens of Sargent’s Weeping Hemlock, discovered by Howland in the Fishkill Mountains, still thrives here. As well as the oldest specimen of lacebark pine in America, the Pinus Bungeana from China. And, in front of the Mansion’s Music Room Addition, a garden wall, very similar to one at Sargent’s Wodenethe estate, remains.  

  • In 1865, Joseph Howland called Frederick Clarke Withers back to Tioronda to design The Tioronda School building on his estate for the education of the neighborhood children. 

  • Later, in 1872, Joseph Howland commissioned Richard Morris Hunt, his longtime friend and brother-in-law, to design the Music Room Wing which houses the 1872 Johnson Opus 411 Organ. Some of Hunt’s most notable work includes the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty; Vanderbilt Mansions: Biltmore, Marble House, The Breakers; Metropolitan Museum of Art; and many more, including the Howland Cultural Center still operating here in Beacon, NY.  

  • The Howlands were deeply involved in his community of Matteawan (later merging with Fishkill Landing to become the City of Beacon in 1913). At their own expense, they commissioned Richard Morris Hunt to design the Howland Cultural Center, the Howland Circulating Library, Highland Hospital, and a new Presbyterian Church.  

  • The Howlands philanthropic efforts extended beyond Beacon. Joseph had an active role in establishing Cornell University and the Hudson River State Hospital where he advocated for the humane treatment of patients seeking mental health treatment.  

  • In 1911, before her death, Eliza Howland continued the Howland family legacy of community philanthropy by donating Tioronda to the University Settlement House in Manhattan, to develop a sleep-away camp for Jewish children, which eventually sold most of the estate to Dr. Clarence Jonathan Slocum, a local psychiatrist. The remaining 51 acres to the east of 9D would become Mt. Beacon Park after a deal between the Settlement, NYS Department of Parks, and the conservation group Scenic Hudson.

  • Dr. Clarence Jonathan Slocum purchased Tioronda to open The Craig House in 1915, Dr. Slocum was a pioneer of mental health treatment, and in 1935, The Craig House was rated by Fortune Magazine as one of the best sanitariums in America. ​

  • Dr. Slocum referred to patients as ‘guests’ and created an environment with a residential feel complete with comforts such as fine dining, athletics like tennis and swimming, painting, and an emphasis on nature. Under Dr. Slocum’s ownership, The Tioronda School was converted into a hydrotherapy center and gymnasium, and just outside, adjacent to the building, were tennis courts. After he died in 1950, Dr. Slocum’s son, Jonathan, continued his father’s philosophies and practices rooted in talk therapy, art therapy, and nature therapy at The Craig House. 

  • After over 80 years of providing its guests – many with celebrity status like Jackie Gleason, Marilyn Monroe, Frances Seymour, Rosemary Kennedy, Truman Capote, and Zelda Fitzgerald – with a countryside retreat for mental health, The Craig House closed its doors in 1999.