4 Best Hotels in Rochester, The Finger Lakes

Within Letchworth State Park, this country inn overlooks the park's tallest waterfall. Park founder William Pryor Letchworth had used the mansion as a retreat; it became an inn in 1914. Interiors are Victorian in style. Smaller standard rooms have one double or two twin beds, but the suites, with queen beds, are spacious. The Cherry Suite has a whirlpool tub, a private porch, and chevron-patterned hardwood floors. Also available are contemporary lodge rooms and three houses.

Rooms at this downtown high-rise hotel either look out onto some of the city's finest examples of 19th-century architecture or face Lake Ontario or the Genesee River. The hotel is within walking distance of the Blue Cross Arena and Geva Theatre Center. Guest rooms and corridors were completely renovated in 2006 and 2007; beds are topped with down duvets and bathrooms are granite.

The modern hotel is next to the Erie Canal, 6 mi southeast of downtown Rochester. Rooms have doorbells and traditional furnishings, while beds have luxurious sheets, specially washed to preserve softness, and down pillows and comforters. The spa offers massages, facials, body wraps, manicures, and pedicures. The Erie Grill, an intimate candelit restaurant, overlooks the canal, serves a seasonal American menu that emphasizes game meats in cooler weather.

Suites here are either one-bedrooms, with full kitchens and living rooms, or studios, with kitchenettes and living areas separated by shelving units. Every other suite has a balcony, with views toward downtown or the residential neighborhood. Suites are furnished with microfiber sectional sofas, contemporary wood-veneer furniture, and stainless-steel appliances. At the highly regarded Grill at Strathallan, seafood and beef dishes have some Asian influences.