Carrollcliffe

Last updated

Castle Hotel & Spa
Tarrytown NY Castle Hotel.jpg
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Location within New York
General information
Location400 Benedict Avenue, Tarrytown, New York
Coordinates 41°04′02″N73°50′56″W / 41.0671°N 73.8490°W / 41.0671; -73.8490
Completed1897;128 years ago (1897),
1910;115 years ago (1910)

Carrollcliffe (also known as Castle Hotel & Spa, The Castle at Tarrytown and Axe Castle) is a historic castle-like building located in Tarrytown, New York. Built two stages, in 1897, respectively 1910, it was constructed to resemble a European castle, with crenellated towers. [1]

Contents

Initially a private residence it has served as the headquarters of financial firm Axe-Houghton Management (acquired by BNY Mellon) for over fifty years. Between 1994 and 1996 it was acquired by Swiss private banker, Hanspeter Walder and family, who was later convicted of sixteen counts of embezzlement and misapplication of a bank officer or employee, and sentenced to 97 months in federal prison, for defrauding clients out of $70 million to pay for renovations and operations. [2] [3]

The hotel operation closed permanently in early 2025 after several owners since 2003. It has ever since been vacant. [4]

History

It was originally named Carrollcliffe and was built as the residence of "General" Howard Carroll, a journalist, playwright and businessman, with intention that it should be reflect Norman castles in Wales, Scotland and Ireland. [5] [6] a newspaperman and playwright, [7] It is based on a design by the architect Henry Franklin Kilburn.

Beginning in 1941, it served for decades as the headquarters of the financial firm Axe-Houghton Management. [8]

It was converted to a hotel during 1994–96.

New owners Hanspeter and Steffi Walder of Tarrytown bought the property along with a group of investors in 1992. Their vision was to re-create Carrollcliff's glory days. The couple's vision was to convert the Castle into a luxury inn while rediscovering, and ultimately preserving the Castle's original beauty and charm. Their goal, Hanspeter says, is the operation of a hotel and restaurant that can be a haven for the stressed executive or professional desiring to relax in a setting that is warm, inviting, and majestic. [9]

In 2003, Elite Hotels, a limited liability company formed by C. Dean Metropoulos, bought the property, then called The Castle at Tarrytown for $10.9 million, according to a newspaper article at the time, which described it as "a 31-room inn on 10.1 acres". [10] It operated as a hotel [11] and spa until November 2024.

Overlooking the Hudson River valley, it is about 20 miles (32 km) north of the George Washington Bridge.

References

  1. ↑ Historical Society of Tarrytown (1997). Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 50–. ISBN   978-0-7524-0881-1.
  2. ↑ Lehmann, John (January 11, 2003). "BANKER'S CASTLE CRUMBLES : GETS 8 YEARS IN $70M THEFT TO FUND LUXURY HOTEL" . Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  3. ↑ "70 000 Years of Hard Labor". hossli.com. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  4. ↑ Muchnick, Jeanne. "This Westchester historic property has closed, again". The Journal News. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  5. ↑ Lisa Marie Rovito (August 14, 2006). Frommer's Great Escapes From NYC Without Wheels. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 55–. ISBN   978-0-470-04454-4.
  6. ↑ Historical Society, Inc.; Historical Society Inc (October 1, 1997). Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 88–. ISBN   978-0-7385-5780-9.
  7. ↑ Adams, Arthur G. (1996). The Hudson River Guidebook . New York, NY, USA: Fordham Univ Press. p.  135. ISBN   0823216802.
  8. ↑ Singer, Penny (November 8, 1987). "The View from Axe Castle: Optimistic". The New York Times. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  9. ↑ Boros, Phyllis. "IN BUSINESS; Spend the Night in the Castle of your Dreams?". Connecticut Post.
  10. ↑ Brenner, Elsa (May 25, 2003). "IN BUSINESS; Going Price for Castles? In Tarrytown, $10.9 Million". The New York Times. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  11. ↑ Leahy, Michael (December 18, 2007). If You're Thinking of Living In . . .: All About 115 Great Neighborhoods In & Around New York. Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. pp. 351–. ISBN   978-0-307-42107-4.
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