Menla Mountain Retreat
September 1-3, 2006
Phoenicia, New York

Housing and Travel

Quick link: last minute stuff/what to bring? | online registration form

Welcome to the Catskills! And... where is that, exactly?

Menla Mountain Retreat Center is in Phoenicia, NY at 375 Pantherkill Road. Phoenicia is about 2 hours north of NYC (3 hours by bus on Adirondac Trailways); 3.5 hours from Boston; 1 hour from Stewart and Albany Intl. Airports; 50 min. from Rhinecliff Amtrak station.

About the space
This place is gorgeous! The buildings are integrated with the beautiful grounds. There are nature trails, an outdoor swimming pool, and a swimming pond. The layout is spread out compared to recent years' conferences--people will be rooming in different buildings, and we have allowed for travel time between events. There will be some carpooling/shuttling, and there is plenty of parking should you wish to arrange for your own.

• Check in starts Friday at 2pm
• No cell reception? Are you kidding?
  Would we make that up? There is definitely no cell reception out in this gorgeous retreat space. Some rooms do provide a phone (for a fee--credit card required at Menla check-in). If you require a room with a phone in it and are willing to pay the fees, please make sure to request it in the "room options" section of the registration form.
  
• Climate control
  The Menla facilities are not air-conditioned, although the Catskills are known to be cool that time of year compared to the rest of the region. The average high is 77°F (with considerable cross-currents at Menla), and the low in the mid-50sF range. While this is a comfortable climate for most, we encourage those with special sensitivity to heat to consider bringing portable fans. Outdoor campers will also want to bring warm clothes/bedding for layering. The NOLOSE LiveJournal blog is also an excellent resource for coordinating resource-sharing.

Room rates
Room rates are rolled into registration fees, and vary depending on room type, occupancy (single, double, triple or multiple-occupancy), and sliding scale. Check out the room chart for the full breakdown.

Note: You must book your accommodations through NOLOSE Registration and not through Menla. We have the place to ourselves!

We definitely recommend that you room up! We can help you find a double, triple or dorm (there is also a camping option). If you'd like to make arrangements in advance and need a hookup, just send your roommate & room type preference in a query to reg@nolose.org and we'll see what we can do! Otherwise, go ahead and register!

Accessibility

All retreat event rooms and bathrooms are wheelchair-accessible, as are several of the lodging rooms. The outdoor pool area is wheelchair accessible (though the pool itself has no ramp). Please read more about our low-scent policy and accessibility info.

Maps/Transportation

For maps and driving directions, please see the Menla Mountain info page

By bus: call Trailways, (800) 858-8555, for info and departure times to Phoenicia, NY. Bus ride from Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City to Phoenicia takes about 3 hours and round-trip fare is $56.40. Buses leave NYC Port Authority Terminal at 4st Street and 8th Avenue on Friday afternoons at 12:30pm, 3:30pm, 5:00pm, 6:00pm, 7:00pm (the ride is approximately 3 hours.) Make sure that you arrive at the gate at least a half an hour before departure time to ensure that you get a seat. Catskill Taxi and Woodstock Taxi can take you from the Phoenicia bus station to Menla Mountain. Catskill Taxi (845) 688-1065. Car service reservation advised.

By train: Call Amtrak, (800) 872-7245, for info and train schedules to Rhinecliff, NY. Train ride is less than 2 hours from New York City. At Rhinecliff station taxis are available to Phoenicia, site of Menla. Misty Mountain and Catskill Taxi can pick up at the Rhinecliff train station. Misty Mountain (845) 688-2800, Catskill Taxi (845) 688-1065. Car service reservation advised.

By air: closest airports are Newburgh Stuart Airport and Albany International. All NY City area Airports connect to Port Authority Terminal. Misty Mountain Taxi offers airport trips from both airports: Misty Mountain (845) 688-2800, Blue Mountain Limo (845)246-4404 | (800)31-LIMOS.