By the late ’80s it was a dilapidated, smelly building - that’s all gone,” says the resort’s Tonia Lewis. “We wanted to let people know this wasn’t the same Mount Airy they saw in commercials years ago. They demolished the building and started over. So when the DeNaples family purchased the property in 2004, they knew it didn’t just need a makeover, but a complete overhaul and redesign. The Mount Airy Lodge was one of these famous destinations left abandoned.
But once the 1990s hit, the area lost its appeal, forcing many hotels and resorts out of business and into disrepair. Already known as a skier’s haven and an ideal escape for city dwellers (the region is just 90 minutes from Manhattan), during the ’70s and ’80s the Poconos hotels became notorious for jingle-filled advertisements touting their honeymoon suites and other amorous amenities. Decades ago, the resorts scattered across Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains were the places-to-be for a romantic getaway.
