9 Best Hotels in Cooperstown, Albany and Central New York

There's something almost collegiate about the stately Otesaga—maybe it's all the brick, or perhaps it's the cupola or the neoclassical entryway. The same studied grace runs throughout the interior. But it would be hard to hit the books here, thanks to such distractions as the Leatherstocking Golf Course and fishing or canoeing on Otsego Lake. In the luxurious dining room, massive windows look out onto the grounds. The four-course dinner is quite formal, with jackets required for men. The ever-changing menu lists contemporary dishes such as boneless chicken glazed in honey and lavender and sautéed sea bass.

The owners of this 1850 mansion are opera lovers, and the inn tends to book up with other opera buffs during the local company's summer season. The house, on a tree-lined, flower-filled yard created from three city lots, includes rooms painted in salmon pink, malachite green, burgundy, and pale yellow. Each guest room is unique, and a coach-house apartment—a good value—has a bedroom, a living area, and a kitchenette. Breakfast includes fresh berry pies and fruit crisps as well as such standard fare as quiche. Note that a dog also resides here.

Otsego Lake is the focal point at this well-run motel, which has its own beach with docks, paddleboats, canoes, and gazebos—there's even a waterside swing set. The central building has large guest rooms, a sweeping porch, a lounge, and a room with pinball machines. There are also 11 freestanding cottages, the largest of which can accommodate 10 people, but these are much more expensive than the guest rooms.

Atop a hill off Lake Street, this old mansion has lake and mountain vistas and provides a country-manor-house experience. The resident dog and cats pay you visits in the spacious public rooms, which have wood details, paneling, and floors. In the dining room the windows open so wide that you feel like you're on a porch. Guest rooms are done in dusty pastels, whites, and florals.

With white moldings, delicate plasterwork, and a flying staircase, the interior of this 1812 brick inn is as Federal as its exterior. A stay here gets you access to all the facilities at the nearby Otesaga Resort—including discounted greens fees and meal prices—as well as to those at a sports center down the road.

Rocking chairs are set all along the front porch, which runs the width of this inviting Second Empire building with its dormer windows. Guest rooms are uncluttered, making them seem even roomier than they are. Crisp clean walls, king- and queen-size beds, and wall-to-wall carpeting lend modernity. Pastel quilts in traditional patterns and period reproductions are nods to this inn's history and its place on the National Register of Historic Places.

An expansive front lawn rolls from Chestnut Street to the sheltered entry of this truly grand 1856 Italianate mansion. Common areas are large and sunny. Gleaming wood floors and attractive furnishings are found throughout. Beds and chairs are so plump you can't resist flopping onto them as soon as you enter your room. Many rooms have special showers or tubs; one has an 11-head shower. Full breakfasts are served in a formal dining room.

This 1802 Federal-style hotel is one of Cooperstown's oldest brick structures. It was first used as a general store before being transformed, in 1848, into a hotel. A restaurant with an old-fashioned tap room adjoins the hotel, which is near the Baseball Hall of Fame and other village sights.

The 1835 Greek Revival sits on a half acre near the village's main sights. Behind the inn are the carriage house, pool, and shaded yard. Public areas are enlivened by Oriental rugs. Guest rooms feel more casual, thanks to pastel color schemes, country quilts, and flowers here and there. Rooms can be combined to accommodate groups of up to six.