The Best Hotel in Chautauqua and Mayville, Niagara Falls and Western New York

Background Illustration for Hotels

The Chautauqua Institution publishes an extensive list of on-campus accommodations, including apartments, houses, condominiums, hotels, inns, and rooms in denominational houses operated by various religious groups. The list is available on the institution Web site, or you may request a copy by telephone. Some condos are available on a weekly basis, although most apartments are available only during the nine-week season. Many people who attend the summer program return year after year, so places tend to book up early. Mayville, Bemus Point, and Jamestown are all close enough to be viable options if you’re attending the institution.

Athenaeum Hotel

$$$$ | 26 S. Lake Dr., Chautauqua, NY, 14722, USA

One of few options within the Chautauqua Institution gates, this Victorian hotel faces Chautauqua Lake and is steps from the amphitheater. Opened in 1881, the Athenaeum frequently hosted Thomas Edison and was one of the first electrified hotels in the country. These days, however, modern advances (like central air-conditioning) are lacking, furnishings are threadbare, and the building is in dire need of restoration. It's pricey for the quality of rooms, though three meals a day are included. We've included the hotel in this book not because we strongly recommend it but because it is one of only two hotels on the grounds of the institute, and for some, location trumps quality and cost. Dinner (for those not staying at the hotel) is a five-course prix-fixe affair.

Pros

  • Fantastic location if attending the Chautauqua Institution
  • Friendly staff
  • Good food

Cons

  • Deteriorated
  • Expensive
  • Parking lot is a golf-cart ride or five-minute walk away
26 S. Lake Dr., Chautauqua, NY, 14722, USA
800-821–1881
www.ciweb.org/athenaeum-home
Hotel Details
Credit cards accepted
Closed early Sept.–mid-June
155 rooms
Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

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