5 Best Hotels in Ithaca, The Finger Lakes

Rooms at this inn, an 1880 Queen Anne downtown, are imaginatively decorated to highlight alcoves, built-in shelves, curved walls, and steeple views of the city center. Furnishings are traditional and pretty: European armoires, cherrywood sleigh beds and four-poster beds, and wood shutters. Breakfast is excellent, with treats like a homemade English muffin topped with scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, and asparagus, plus fresh juice and assorted muffins. A dessert buffet is offered in the evening.

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.

An 1830s Greek Revival mansion was completely renovated to create the main building of this unconventional B&B. Accommodations are rooms, suites, and cottages, some a block away from the main inn. The design is contemporary, with custom-designed furniture by architect and co-owner Kenn Young. Suites and cottages have gas fireplaces. Kenn's wife Madeline, a chef, prepares breakfast. The owners are fairly hands-off.

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.

Cornell's School of Hotel Administration operates this nine-story hotel, as well as an Italian restaurant and two cafeterias. Guests have access to university recreational facilities, including the pool, golf course, basketball court, and ice-skating rink. Rooms, with contemporary furnishings, have beautiful campus views. Suites are spacious and have one full and one half bath. The hotel and dining facilities are closed during the university's Thanksgiving and Christmas recesses.