4 Best Hotels in The Finger Lakes, New York

All the rooms at this Adirondack lodge–style hotel have gas fireplaces, heated bathroom floors, rustic decor with wood on the walls and wool blankets on the beds, and balconies with spectacular lake views. Guests share an outdoor hot tub. The Lodge Restaurant serves contemporary American and grill fare, from burgers to maple-glazed pork tenderloin. You may cross-country ski or snowshoe on the grounds in winter (rentals available) or play the 18-hole championship golf course. Ski packages with Bristol Mountain are available.

Under the same management as the Aurora Inn and less than a half mile up the road, the E. B. Morgan House is equally as impressive and has many of the same luxurious amenities (terry robes, Frette linens). The lakefront 1858 Italianate mansion is filled with a mix of tasteful modern, reproduction, and antique pieces. Three rooms have carved-wood four-poster beds. All rooms have marble baths. A full breakfast is available at the Aurora Inn May–October; the on-site Continental breakfast includes a hot entrée and fresh muffins or scones.

The lodging is in a suburban spot 3 miles from downtown. Motel rooms are simple, with no-frills furnishings. Rooms in the separate lodge building have wood-covered walls and vaulted ceilings. A cottage and a carriage house contain several rooms and suites. Picnic tables and Adirondack chairs, sprawled across the lawn, offer a respite after hikes at Buttermilk Falls State Park, 1 mi away.

This three-story inn sits on 70 acres on a hill 3 mi from downtown. You can hike into Buttermilk Falls State Park or fish in one of the two on-site ponds. Rooms vary in configuration and style: king rooms (many with fireplaces, hot tubs, and balconies) have swagged windows, light-wood furniture, and an overall feminine feel. A tower room has curved walls and a round bed. The John Thomas Steakhouse occupies a farmhouse on the grounds; the inn building also has a bistro.