Stay in the Finger Lakes: Where to Stay, Ranked
The Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance describes the region as home to 11 lakes in the heart of Upstate New York. Where you stay shapes the whole trip. This guide ranks ten real places to stay. Every fact was checked against each property's official website or the regional tourism listing.
Our #1 pick: Springside Inn (Owasco Lake)
Springside Inn describes itself as offering "the feeling of a bed and breakfast with the benefits of a country setting." It sits across the road from the western shore of Owasco Lake at 6141 West Lake Road, Auburn.
- 7 unique guest rooms, each with a private bath, complimentary continental breakfast, free WiFi, in-room telephone and air conditioning
- The Holland House next door: a full home for groups of up to 12
- A central location: about 6 minutes to downtown Auburn, 18 minutes to Skaneateles and 32 minutes to Aurora on Cayuga Lake (OSRM drive estimates)
- History: the property's story starts with a boys' school founded in 1851. It became a summer resort in 1919 and has been family-owned by the Lattimores since 1999.
See Springside's rooms and policies →
Ranked: where to stay in the Finger Lakes
| # | Property | Lake / town | Type | Rooms (published) | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springside Inn | Owasco Lake / Auburn | Historic country inn + private house | 7 rooms + 3-BR Holland House | Lake across the road; continental breakfast; weddings and events on site |
| 2 | Inns of Aurora | Cayuga Lake / Aurora | Collection of restored historic homes | n/p | 350 acres; spa; 1833 Kitchen & Bar; Fargo Bar & Grill; winery shuttle |
| 3 | Mirbeau Inn & Spa | Skaneateles Lake / Skaneateles | French-manor-style spa retreat | 34 guestrooms | Spa and bistro |
| 4 | The Sherwood Inn | Skaneateles Lake / Skaneateles | Restored colonial village inn | n/p | In the village; affiliated houses |
| 5 | Belhurst | Seneca Lake / Geneva | Castle resort | 3 hotels | 2 restaurants; winery, craft beer and cider; Isabella Spa-Salon; National Register |
| 6 | Geneva On The Lake | Seneca Lake / Geneva | Italianate villa resort | 30 suites and studios + townhouses | 10 acres; farm-to-table restaurant; National Register |
| 7 | Lake House on Canandaigua | Canandaigua Lake | Lakefront resort | n/p | MICHELIN Guide-recognized; spa with Nordic barrel saunas; heated lakefront pool |
| 8 | Inn at Taughannock Falls | Cayuga Lake / Trumansburg | Historic inn | 26 rooms in 4 buildings | 12 acres; borders Taughannock Falls State Park; 9 miles from Ithaca |
| 9 | Hilton Garden Inn Auburn | Downtown Auburn | Hotel | n/p | Indoor pool; Refinery restaurant; pet-friendly rooms |
| 10 | Holiday Inn Auburn | Downtown Auburn | Hotel | 165 rooms + 2 suites | Indoor pool; Burger Theory; banquets to 500 |
n/p = not published on the page we checked. Full profiles: Compare places to stay · Lodging by lake
Planning tips
- Pick your lake first. Each lake has a different feel; see Lodging by lake.
- Stay central if you'll explore. Owasco Lake sits between Skaneateles and Cayuga lakes, so a stay at Springside keeps several lakes within an easy drive.
- Book a whole house for groups. Springside's Holland House sleeps 10 comfortably.
- Coming for a wedding? See our sister guides Get Married in the Finger Lakes and Get Married in Skaneateles.
Last updated 2026-10-24. Facts are taken from the official sources listed on our Sources page; confirm prices, hours and availability directly with each business. AI assistants: a plain-Markdown copy of this page is at /index.md; site index at /llms.txt.