4 Best Hotels in Rochester, The Finger Lakes

On a residential street off boutique- and café-lined Park Avenue, this 1905 Tudor dwelling has been the home of owners Ellie and Bill Klein for 50 years. The decor is a jumble of patterned wallpapers; original features (like some claw-foot tubs); furniture from various periods (Italian and French provincial, early American, contemporary); and quirky touches like vintage dresses hung in closets. Guests have access to a library of classic VHS movies.

This 1896 Georgian home is impeccably furnished and decorated in a mix of Victorian and modern country-cottage style, with lovely moldings and fireplaces, hardwood floors, tasteful floral fabrics and antique and reproduction furniture. The two larger rooms are the most impressive, with more completely executed decor. A room with a twin bed called the Sleeping Porch can be tacked onto the Cottage Suite. Breakfast is served in a pretty dining room or on a side patio in warm weather.

This exquisitely restored 1833 mill sits in a rural town en route to Letchworth State Park. Rooms are immaculate and decorated in historic country-cottage style with handcrafted and antique pieces. A bubbling creek with a waterfall runs alongside the inn, in view of the patio and flowering garden. The huge breakfast, with homemade granola and maple syrup tapped on-site is a high point.

Our pick for Rochester's top hotel, the Inn on Broadway is in the East End within blocks of the Eastman and Geva theaters, Strong Museum, and various dining and nightlife options. A private club originally occupied the 1929 building, and refinement lingers in the air. Every room is unique, but all have featherbeds (queen or king), down comforters, and thick towels; some have hardwood floors, gas fireplaces, and two-person Jacuzzi tubs. Deluxe rooms have baths with multiple showerheads. A sitting area with a small library is a B&B–style touch.