If Kublai Khan had decreed that his stately pleasure dome be built in late-19th-century Saratoga instead of in Xanadu, he might have come up with the Adeiphi Hotel. This lodging is nothing like home, unless home is an Italianate-style palazzo, with the requisite piazza and ornamented by a maze of colorful fretwork. The opulent lobby with slowly rotating fans is done in a style so reminiscent ofLa Belle Epoque that one could picture the Divine Sarah Bern-hardt holding court amid its splendor. It’s hard to believe that not too long ago the Adelphi stood empty, evidence of for-tune gone sour.
Saratogans shook their heads and laughed at what they took to be the fool-hardiness of Gregg Siefker and Sheila Parkert when they bought the place in 1988, but no one’s laughing anymore: The hotel is one of Saratoga’s showpieces, its lobby bar and café a gathering place for natives and visitors alike (in July it’s a favorite hangout of members of the New York City Ballet). Guests at the Adelphi have access to a parlor on the second floor, which has a grand porch overlook-ing Broadway. This is a great place for afternoon cocktails, especially during racing season, when it’s fun to watch the buzz ofactivity on the street below. For a more quiet respite, the back courtyard has lots of flowering plants, Adirondack chairs, and an interestingly shaped pool that was designed by the owner.
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