Inn and Restaurant at Vassar Institute to Open July 30
A 50-room hotel and a farm-to-table restaurant—both imbued with a distinct Vassar vibe—will open this month on the site of The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts adjacent to the Town of Poughkeepsie campus on Raymond Avenue. The hotel, called The Heartwood at Vassar, and the restaurant, The Salt Line Hudson Valley, will be open to the public starting Tuesday, July 30.
Bryan Swarthout, Vassar’s Vice President for Finance and Administration, says the names of the hotel and restaurant were chosen specifically to highlight the College’s connections with the greater community. “‘The Heartwood’ is a tribute to the campus arboretum, but also to the natural beauty of the Hudson Valley, and the salt line is the place in the Hudson River where salt water and fresh water meet, which occurs near Poughkeepsie,” Swarthout said. “This entire project is about crossing borders and further connecting the liberal arts and the greater community.”
Vassar President Elizabeth H. Bradley said the opening marks the next step in the College’s vision for promoting dialogue about important issues of the day and coming together to collaborate and learn with the larger community. “The Institute for the Liberal Arts will embody this vision; it is a convening place, a set of programs and events, and a gathering spot for the incubation of new ideas and for serendipitous conversations,” Bradley said. “The inn and the restaurant provide an important additional nexus for connection and exchange.”
Lauren Dellolio, Director of Sales and Marketing for The Heartwood and The Salt Line, said the properties “have their own, distinct identities but are also inextricably tied to Vassar.” The lobby of the hotel is home to a Cabinet of Curiosities, a unique installation created by artist Mark Dion that contains dozens of curated items and artifacts reflecting Vassar’s 160-year history. The bar in The Salt Line, named Night Owls—a tribute to the Vassar a cappella group—features a cocktail called the Old Deece, a reference to a nickname for the campus dining hall, and the walls of the hotel and restaurant will be adorned with works created by artists affiliated with Vassar. “These elements will be fascinating to any guest, but I love how they will speak to alums and students, and prospective students and their families, who we are excited to welcome here,” Dellolio said.
The Institute for the Liberal Arts will hold a launch event in October. It will also host Signature Programs during the 2024–25 academic year that address multifaceted issues of local, national, and global concern.
“We are excited for the opening of The Heartwood inn and The Salt Line restaurant,” said Wesley Dixon, Deputy to the President and Secretary of the Board of Trustees. “Our hope is that The Heartwood, The Salt Line, and The Institute for the Liberal Arts become destination locations in Dutchess County and the broader Hudson Valley region. Throughout the conceptualization and construction process, we have been in close collaboration with partners such as Dutchess Tourism, Inc. and the Arlington Business Improvement District to ensure that these new businesses not only served Vassar, but also served the needs of residents and visitors to the area.”
The new property utilizes state-of-the-art technology for heating, cooking, and air conditioning. As Vassar’s first net-zero-emission building, it does not employ any fossil fuels for its energy sources and is carbon neutral, making it one of the first such buildings of its type in the Hudson Valley. Vassar’s Alumnae House, a destination for alums and other visitors to Vassar for more than 100 years, will continue to accommodate guests. Joining Alumnae House as a signature gateway to campus, the area now unites the historical and the contemporary.
Dellolio said she and others had visited Vassar’s main dining hall, Gordon Commons, on several occasions to learn about the more popular meals being served to students, faculty, and staff, and they are establishing relationships with numerous farms and other food providers in the region.
She added that members of the restaurant staff are planning to offer one particular Vassar favorite dessert item, the Vassar Devil, but only when it meets the highest standards. “We want to be careful,” Dellolio said. “We want to make sure our representation does it justice.”