Photo of the Week: New York

From Long Island, NY OHEKA Castle

OHEKA Castle Tour

OHEKA Castle has an interesting history as far as castles go, it reminds me more of the history of Alcatraz then of a castle.  I just want to start by saying that my guide, Lowell, was wonderful, full of history and a passion for the castle.  She lives right around the castle so she is a local with an invested interest in the success of the castle.

Grand Staircase

Lowell started the tour in the entrance to the castle with the history.  Otto Herman Kahn bought 443 acres of land in 1914 to build this as a summer and weekend home on a high point of Long Island, since it wasn't the highest point, he built it up to be the highest point.  Today the castle land is only 27 acres, much of the landing having been sold off after Otto's death in 1934.  The home was built with 127 rooms, it was then and still is the second largest home in the United States.

After Otto passed away in 1934 his wife sold it off.  Being the tough times of the depression she didn't have many offers and it was purchased by the NYC Department of Sanitation to be used as a retreat.  That didn't go so well and only lasted 2 years.  Then it was taken over by the Marine Radio Operators before being purchased by the Eastern Military Academy.  The Eastern Military Academy was a respectful owner of the building, if you don't mind tanks driving around the gardens.  

Library

In 1978 the Academy went bankrupted, they basically left everything, locked the doors and left.  The castle became a home for vandals, squatters, and kids doing bad stuff.  By 1983 the only reason the building was still standing was because Otto Kahn was so paranoid about fire that the building was very fire proof (there was almost no wood used in the construction).  So although there was no roof in areas, there was fire damage throughout, and plaster had simply fallen off the walls due to cold Gary Melius thought this was a good investment.  He bought the castle for $1.5 Million and has put in another $37 Million dollars into repairing the castle.

 Today the castle restoration is the biggest restoration project of its kind.  70% of the castle has been restored, with plans in the works for the other 30%.  The castle is currently functioning as a hotel, restaurant, catering hall.  I think catering hall is an understatement.  You may have seen OHEKA on Platinum Weddings or in photos of Kevin Jonas wedding.  You may have also seen it in The Emperors Club, What Happens In Vegas, Royal Pains or in ads for Audi, Victoria's Secret, Ralph Lauren and every bridal magazine - just to name a few of its accolades.

Charlie Chaplin Room

So the tour started at the Grand Staircase, which was modeled after a staircase at Chateau Fountainbleu in France.  From there we moved upstairs to the second floor and the main living floor of the castle.  Our first stop was brief in the Foyer before moving to the main ballroom.  The main ballroom was one of the early rooms to be restored, due to it's location across from the entrance and it's allure as a venue space to rent out.  The room had once been a gymnasium, complete with basketball nets.  Today is has ornate ceilings, wood floors, chandeliers and serves as a main dining room for guests.  To the right of the foyer is the formal dining room, and the new Terrace Room that was added to accomodate larger parties, up to 450 guests.  

Formal Dining Room

To the left of the foyer is a series of smaller rooms.  The library has been restored to the state it was in when the family owned the house and it's wonderful.  There are also sitting rooms, the Charlie Chapman Room and the bar is in what used to be the billard room.  Outside this wing is the formal gardens, which have been fully restored from the days of being a tank field.  

4th Floor Hallway

After this we moved upstairs to the 4th floor where most of the suites are.  We got to see the bridal suite and a Fairbanks Suite (a different one then featured on the website).  After the 4th Floor we went to the wind tunnel, which functioned as 1910's air conditioning and then to take a peak at the pool from the outside.  The pool is a long lap pool and for several reasons is not open to the public.  Although it is partially restored, it is still part of the 30% of the estate to still be completed.  After this we were brought  back to the ballroom for coffee and cookies, a really nice way to end the tour.  And it allowed you to take a look around the castle some more if you didn't have time to check everything out.

Bathroom in Fairbanks Suite

Fairbanks Suite

Fairbanks Suite

Bathroom, Fairbanks Suite

Entrance to Bridal Suite

Bridal Suite

If you're out on Long Island this is absolutely a wonderful site to see, although there are some other historic mansions on Long Island this one is unique in it's history.  I think you'll also find OHEKA Castle to be a very warm and home like environment compared to many other mansions you could see in the country.  This could also have to do with the fact that Gary actually lives in the castle and calls it his home.  Yes, while waiting for my tour Gary came by the grand staircase and said hi to anyone who was waiting for the tour and welcomed us to him home.  

Tours operate daily at 11AM, if you are planning on visiting I would recommend asking if there are any events going on when you are there.  If they are filming or have a party you may find areas of the castle are off limits for the tour.  

OHEKA Castle, Long Island, New York

I remember as a little girl my Mom pulling up at a street a few miles from home and telling me that there was a castle down the road, as a little girl, that was just the coolest thing EVER!  In August, as an adult, I finally got to see that castle - OHEKA Castle in Huntington, LI.

In the next few weeks I will post about the OHEKA Castle tour with the history of the estate.  But the short story is that in 1984 (about when my Mom would have told me about its existence) a family bought this old dilapidated castle and refurbished it to be a wedding location and hotel.  Last year I bought a Groupon for a one night in the hotel, I paid less then $200 for a $500 a night room.  

I was booked in a Whitney Room, the second level of rooms offered at the castle.  Mine was not the one they feature on the website, but it had similar features.  When I first walked into the room I saw a fireplace, it's not an active one, but it still felt like a good way to start my stay.  The room had a large King bed, a sitting area opposite the fireplace, a desk, closet, full sized bathroom and 32 inch flat screen TV.  Two things that surprised me, the TV was kinda small, though I doubt it's heavily used in a hotel like this and the TV didn't have HD service on them.  It doesn't cost more for the upgraded cable boxes and I think the TV can display HD.  Odd.  

Whitney Room

Sitting area and fireplace

The bathroom had a traditional tub, but with jacuzzi jets, a fun way to relax after the stressful day I had had at work.  The toiletries were by L'Occitane and there were complimentary waters and snacks in the rooms. What?  I got free wifi, and snacks, crazy!  

Tub

The main floor of the castle has a foyer, ballroom, large party room, several small rooms for parties, a bar and restaurant.  There is also lovely grounds to walk around outside.  But here is one of my biggest problems with the place, it was very stuffy.  There are beautiful grounds, but no one said, feel free to take a walk outside. Every door was closed and none marked, I felt like I was sneaking around the place trying to find my way outside.  I of course got outside and walked around but I felt a little funny.

View from the back of the castle

The following morning I went to breakfast in the ballroom, it was a nice continental breakfast spread - muffins, donuts, bagles, fruit, yogurt, and oatmeal.  As an average person it was a little akward, there were staff there to clear the tables and get you anything you needed.  Although they didn't hover, they were often standing around doing nothing.  I'm not used to that kind of attention.

Formal Gardens

I checked out just before the 11AM checkout time and while waiting for my tour of the castle I met Gary, the owner of OHEKA Castle.  It was totally unexpected and a nice touch that made the castle feel more welcoming.  In case you are wondering, Gary does have his own suite on the 3rd floor of the hotel.

Would I stay here again?  Well since I live 10 minutes away, probably not.  Maybe for a special occasion, but at $400 a night minimum it better be a VERY special occasion. If you're visiting Long Island and looking for a special treat, this is a very unique spot and would make a memorable experience.

From a Town known as Oyster Bay Long Island...

..Rode a boy with a 6 gun in his Hand... From Billy Joel's Ballade of Billy the Kid.

Oyster Bay is an interesting little town on the North Shore of Long Island. There's a beach and some historical sights, what more could you want? It's not a bad little place to spend the day if you want to see a smaller town on Long Island that isn't too suburbanized. While there is some strip malls, they hold a lot of the necessary places - grocery store, drug store, Dunkin Donuts. You wont find large box stores here, and there is a small downtown district so it has a quaint feel to it. And if you're looking for stars, go to Stop and Shop and maybe Branjolina will show up.

I'll start with some historical sites: Teddy Roosevelt's house, Sagamore Hill is in Oyster Bay Cove, it's a very nice National Historic Site. Visiting the house is by tour only, which are conducted regularly throughout the day and only cost $5. Check their website for operating hours. If you're stuck waiting for your tour there are a few other things to do there - take a walk, Sagamore Hill is in a lovely woody area and walking paths. There is also another museum on the property about Teddy. Of interest in Oyster Bay is the talk of building a Theodore Roosevelt museum in Oyster Bay, though I'm not sure of the status of it.

Raynham Hall is another museum in Oyster Bay. Raynham Hall is the former home of the Townsend family and features the history of the American Revolution and Victorian Times. There is also a Railroad museum in the works for the town.

The beach. Oyster Bay has a quaint little beach, it has a view of Centre Island and its mansions, always fun to look at. There are tennis courts, handball courts, a playground for children and the Oyster Bay marina with some lovely boats to look at. I enjoy taking a walk at the beach when I'm in the area. The one problem with the beach is that it is VERY rocky. If you're not interested in going in the water you're better off hanging out at a grassy area and avoiding the rocky sand. If you need to park and don't want to pay the fee, there is some parking near the old train station at the end of Audrey Avenue.

There are no hotels in Oyster Bay, the closest one would be in East Norwich, but I believe it is closing if it hasn't already.

Dining - For a diner type of restaurant I recommend Taby's on Main Street. The prices are reasonable, better then many other diners on Long Island, the portions large and the food is fresh and consistently very good. There is also Canterbury Ales which is popular with the locals. They have a bar and are a little pricier. Oyster Bay Clam Bar has a good reputation though I've never eaten there. If you want some quick pizza or pasta you can try Mario's, I don't love their pizza, but the have fantastic ravioli.

Bethpage Restoration, Long Island

Old Bethpage Village Restoration is an outdoor museum type of place on Long Island, think of visiting Walnut Grove from Little House on the Prairie. The village offers a variety of buildings where you can learn about mid-19th century village life - like running a local store, hat making, or running a farm.

It's a nice place, but I'm not in love with it. I liked it more the first time I visited. There was talk of closing it because of budget issues. As a history buff, I think that would be a shame. Here is what I don't like about it - it's a village which means it's quite spread out. It's a long walk to the village from the entrance and then everything there is fairly spread out. While I understand that this is a part of village life, it's a lot of walking in the direct sunlight and on a hot day it makes it a long day. I've been there twice and felt drained when I left both times. What is good about it is seeing how people lived 100+ years ago. Also, they have a lot of nice events - period baseball games, civil war battlefield reenactments, and other period things. If you're interested in going I would highly suggest going on a day when there is an event scheduled as it will make your visit worth while. I do see some more promise at the village, there are quite a few buildings that haven't been developed yet. Unfortunately, I wonder if they will ever have the money to actually develop them.

It's a nice quaint place, good for children and families. Once you pay for admission their are little costs inside the village - unless you want to buy a drink, cookies, or candies in the period shops. I suggest wearing sneakers as the paths are dirt, apparently they didn't pave them in the 1800's.