Best Places to Stay in Finger Lakes Near Wineries: Accommodations in Wine Country

Planning a wine country escape? These are the best places to stay in the Finger Lakes near wineries, offering easy access to tastings, beautiful views, and comfortable accommodations.

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• 10 Best Places to Stay in the Finger Lakes Near Wineries
• Making the Most of Your Time in the Finger Lakes

I will admit something. The Finger Lakes had been on my list for years, and every year something flashier pushed it aside. Then one October, we finally made the drive into wine country. On the way home, I kept wondering what had taken me so long. The hills had gone gold and orange above the lakes, the water sat calm beneath them, and the pours surprised me, glass after glass. Some places make you wait, then make you wonder why you waited at all.

By the time we had picked the vineyards, we had mapped out the drives, too. Still, one thing was left to sort out, and it mattered most of all: where would we sleep? You spend your days tasting along the water, so the room you return to at night does more work than you think. It sets the tone for the whole trip.

The Finger Lakes region is home to more than a hundred wineries, but it is also packed with hotels, inns, and bed-and-breakfast properties. The right stay keeps you close to the wine trails and gives you a comfortable place to unwind after a day of tasting. Whether you want a vineyard stay, a historic inn, or a lakeside resort, there are plenty of excellent Finger Lakes options for a getaway.

We travel as a family, so I look for more than a pretty room. I want comfort, a little charm, and somewhere the kids can run around while F. and I split a glass.

• If you're still in the early stages of planning, you might also want to compare these hotels with some of the best Finger Lakes vacation rentals. And if walking back to your room after a tasting sounds appealing, our guide to Finger Lakes wineries with lodging offers plenty of vineyard-side options.

Over a few trips, I have slept in grand hotels, a real castle, a working winery, and even a tent in the woods. These are the best places to stay in the Finger Lakes near wineries I would point a friend to. Each one sits a short drive from the vines.

10 Best Places to Stay in the Finger Lakes Near Wineries

Skaneateles Fields Resort & Spa

Location: 1000 Mottville Rd, Skaneateles

Out on the eastern edge of the Finger Lakes sits Skaneateles Lake. It is one of the cleanest lakes in the world. The village has always been pretty, yet it never had a real resort to match. Skaneateles Fields changed that.

It opened recently as a modern lodge, all warm cedar and local bluestone. A red fox named Scout is the mascot here. He is the quiet animal that knows how to work the land.

There are eighty-nine rooms, including family suites with room for the kids. The large spa holds seven cedar treatment rooms, salt therapy, and warm hot tubs.

Out back, you will also find a cold plunge and barrel saunas. There is a pool, a pool bar, and a small putting course for slow afternoons.

What I love most is the food. The Fields restaurant grows most of its produce on its own Tap Root Farm. That no-till farm sits just up the road.

The kitchen serves grass-fed meat and a seasonal menu under a hundred hand-blown lights. Breakfast alone, with farm eggs and pancakes the kids beg for, is worth the trip.

Skaneateles is a longer drive from the Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake wineries. The east end of Owasco Lake is just a short drive west. So I treat this as a calm first or last night. It is a soft start before the wine country part begins.

We came for one night and wished we had stayed for three. If you want to know more about our trip, read my full review here.

Best for: a quiet first or last night with farm-to-table food and a real spa.

Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel

Location: 16 N Franklin St, Watkins Glen

If this is your first trip and you want to see as much as you can, start here. The Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel sits at the south end of Seneca Lake.

Seneca is the deepest and most central of the Finger Lakes. So you can reach the Seneca Lake wine trail and the Cayuga Lake wine trail easily. The Keuka Lake wine trail is also a short, easy drive.

The hotel is a lakefront resort, rated AAA Four Diamond. It has around a hundred rooms, and many look right out over the water.

There is an indoor pool, a big hot tub for the kids, and a gym. The Blue Pointe Grille has a patio where you can eat with the lake in front.

You can walk from your room into downtown Watkins Glen and down Franklin Street for dinner and shops. The town is home to Watkins Glen State Park. Its gorge trail and 19 waterfalls are among the best Finger Lakes waterfalls.

For wine, Lakewood Vineyards and Glenora are close, which means the tasting flights can start right at your doorstep.

Best for: first-timers who want one central base near all three wine trails.

Geneva on the Lake

Location: 1001 Lochland Road, Geneva

At the north end of Seneca Lake sits the small city of Geneva. This place feels like a quiet corner of Italy. Geneva on the Lake is an old villa modeled on a home outside Rome.

It sits on ten acres of lawn and gardens that run down to the water. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. You feel that history as you walk up past the statues and the pool.

Guests stay in generously sized suites, many of which offer views of the gardens and Seneca Lake. The resort is also known for its farm-to-table dining.

On warm nights, you can eat out on The Terrace with the gardens below. The 1910 bar is the spot for a slow drink and an off-menu cocktail after the boys are asleep.

Geneva makes a strong base for the northern part of the Seneca Lake wine trail. It also sits at the heart of Finger Lakes wine country. You can borrow a bike and ride to Seneca Lake State Park nearby. Downtown Geneva and its Linden Street are full of good restaurants and wine bars.

For wineries, Ravines Wine Cellars, Billsboro, and Three Brothers are all close by.

Best for: couples after a romantic, grown-up stay at the north end of Seneca Lake.

Belhurst Castle and Winery

Location: 4069 W Lake Rd, Geneva

Some places make you choose between the winery and the hotel. Belhurst gives you both on one lawn. This stone castle sits right on Seneca Lake, just south of Geneva.

It has its own winery, the Belhurst Estate Winery, on site. The tasting room is a short walk from your room. It is one of only two wineries on the lake you can reach by boat.

You have a few ways to stay. The castle itself, called Castle Chambers, has eleven rooms plus a handful of cottages. The Vinifera Inn nearby has twenty more modern rooms.

White Springs Manor, about two miles off, has thirteen rooms in a quieter setting. There is a spa on-site and two restaurants: the white-tablecloth Edgar's and the easier Stonecutter's.

For a wine weekend, this is hard to beat. You can taste the house wine before you ever start the car. Then head out along the Seneca Lake wine trail to Ravines, Ventosa, and more. The grounds are pretty enough that we just sat on the lawn with a glass and watched the lake.

Best for: anyone who wants their hotel and their winery on the same lawn.

The Inn at Glenora Wine Cellars

Location: 5435 NY-14, Dundee

If you want to wake up in the middle of a working vineyard, this is the place. The Inn at Glenora Wine Cellars sits on the west side of Seneca Lake.

It lies about halfway between Watkins Glen and Geneva. Better yet, it stands on the grounds of the oldest winery on the lake. Every one of the thirty rooms has a private balcony or patio. Each one looks out over the vines and the water.

Your stay comes with a glass of sparkling wine at check-in. On top of that, the tastings up the hill at the winery are free. Dinner is at Veraisons Restaurant, just below the inn.

The kitchen cooks with the seasons and local farms. There is a quieter Vineyard Cottage down among the vines if you are traveling with family or friends.

The real draw is how close you are to everything. There are around twenty wineries just on this side of Seneca Lake, so you can taste all day and still walk home.

Every balcony looks out over the vines, and it is the kind of spot where you could sit with a glass of dry Riesling and watch the sun drop behind the rows without ever wanting to move.

Best for: wine lovers who want to sleep right in the vineyards on the Seneca Lake wine trail.

The Lake House on Canandaigua

Location: 770 S Main St, Canandaigua

If you want something newer and more polished, drive over to Canandaigua Lake. It sits on the western side of the Finger Lakes.

The Lake House on Canandaigua opened a few years back and was the first real lakefront resort on this lake. It has since shown up in the Michelin Guide for its rooms and food.

The rooms are bright and simple, with hardwood floors, soft white walls, and lake views from private balconies. There is a heated lakefront pool and a big hot tub.

At night, they hand out s'mores kits by the fire pits. The Willowbrook Spa has Nordic cedar barrel saunas right by the water. Dinner is at the Rose Tavern, where the kitchen leans on local farms. It pours Finger Lakes wines by the glass. Down at the lakeside Sand Bar, you can get oysters and a drink.

The team can set you up with winery and brewery tours, e-bikes, and boat rentals. Canandaigua has its own good wineries as well. It is also easily reachable from Geneva and the Seneca Lake wine trail.

Best for: travelers who want a polished, modern resort with a pool for the kids.

The Inns of Aurora Resort & Spa

Location: 378 Main St, Aurora

The village of Aurora sits quietly along Cayuga Lake and feels a world away from busier parts of the region.

The Inns of Aurora is spread across five historic houses along an elm-lined Main Street, each with its own personality. Some lean classic and understated, while others feature bolder design and artwork.

The village itself is a National Historic District, and much of its charm comes from how little it has changed. The spa sits on a hill overlooking the lake, while 1833 Kitchen and Bar serves farm-to-table meals on a long veranda facing the water.

There is also a cooking studio, a market, and easy access to kayaking along the shoreline.

For travelers exploring the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail, this is one of the strongest options in the Finger Lakes. Ithaca, with its waterfalls and hiking trails, is only a short drive away. Aurora is the sort of place where a quick weekend often turns into an extra night.

Best for: a slow, small-town stay on the Cayuga Lake wine trail.

The Argos Inn

Location: 408 E State St, Ithaca

At the southern end of Cayuga Lake, you reach Ithaca. It is a lively college town tucked between the gorges.

If you would rather stay in town than out on the wine trail, the Argos Inn is a lovely choice. It is a restored brick mansion from the early eighteen hundreds. Now it is a small boutique hotel, with rooms that each look a little different.

What sets it apart for grown-ups is the bar. The Argos has one of the better cocktail rooms in the region.

After a day of wine tasting, you can settle right into it. Breakfast is easy, and the staff knows the area well. You are also steps from the shops and restaurants of downtown Ithaca.

From here, the Cayuga Lake wine trail runs north along both shores, which means you can easily spend the day at the wineries in the Finger Lakes before returning to a real town at night.

Ithaca is home to Cornell and is famous for its waterfalls. In fact, Buttermilk Falls and Taughannock Falls are both close by. Because of this, a quick gorge walk before lunch is a good way to slow the kids down.

Best for: people who want a town base in Ithaca with a great cocktail bar.

Black Sheep Inn and Spa

Location: 8329 Pleasant Valley Rd, Hammondsport

Keuka Lake is the odd one, shaped like a Y, and Hammondsport sits at its southern tip. The little town was once voted the coolest small town in America, and it is where American winemaking got its start, so it makes a fine base for a wine trip.

The best pick here is the Black Sheep Inn and Spa, a true bed-and-breakfast just outside the village. The inn is in a rare 1859 octagon house, one of the few of its kind left and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Inside, there is a spiral staircase, a marble fireplace, and a handful of luxury rooms, each one done differently and named for a local figure.

There are six rooms, each one different, all with private baths and soft robes. The owners, Miranda and Simon, came from England and run the inn with real care. Breakfast is fully plant-based and made to order.

You get homemade granola, fresh bread, and a hot dish you choose that morning. There is a small spa for a massage. Out in the garden, you will find a fire pit. A quiet pub also sits a short walk away.

You are minutes from the water and right on the Keuka Lake wine trail. Pleasant Valley Wine Company, the first bonded winery in the country, is close by. Dozens more Finger Lakes wineries are nearby, too. The Glenn Curtiss Museum is also a short drive away.

Best for: a personal bed and breakfast stay near the Keuka Lake wineries.

Pleasant Valley Inn

Location: 7979 NY-54, Hammondsport

A few miles outside the village of Hammondsport, at the southern end of Keuka Lake, sits a little pink country inn that dates back to 1848.

Pleasant Valley Inn is chef-owned, with food at its heart, but it also rents a handful of rooms upstairs, making it an easy base for a wine weekend.

The wineries of Keuka Lake are minutes away, and a trailhead for the Finger Lakes Trail sits just down the road if you want to walk off the tasting. There is a front porch lined with rocking chairs, the kind of spot where an afternoon slips away on you.

Each room has a queen bed, a private bath, and the small touches that matter, including a wine refrigerator for the bottles you pick up along the way. A made-to-order breakfast comes with the stay, cooked fresh each morning.

Best for: couples on a wine-and-dine weekend who care more about a great dinner and a quiet, old-fashioned inn than about lakefront views or hotel amenities.

Making the Most of Your Time in the Finger Lakes

With so many accommodations in the Finger Lakes, the best choice depends on how you like to travel. Some people want a vineyard stay with easy access to wineries, while others prefer a historic inn, a boutique hotel in town, or a full-service resort.

One of the best things about a getaway to the Finger Lakes is that the highlights are not always on the itinerary. A memorable meal, a small town you did not expect to love, or an extra stop at a tasting room often becomes the part of the trip you remember most.

So, pick a hotel, map out a few wineries, and leave room for the places you did not plan on finding.