CANANDAIGUA LAKE – Efforts are underway to transform a Finger Lakes town into a world-class tourist destination.
The Lake House on Canandaigua is leading the charge while providing guests with their very own lake house experience.
The Lake House on Canandaigua sits on 9 acres at the northern tip of the lake, with stunning year-round views.
“When you enter the Lake House, the look, feel and feel is just as impressive as how hopefully our team treats you and anyone else entering the property,” says the manager. Chris Pulito.
Opened 2 years ago and completed last summer, the Lake House has 124 rooms and suites.
Local sculptors designed the four-poster beds and chandeliers throughout.
The resort attracts family vacations, mini-moons, and couples’ retreats. There are games and activities and little nooks for romantic dates.
“We were able to secure a number of world-class awards. But these are voter prices. This is what matters a lot to us. That means people who went through that came back and said, “Wow, we want to come back to the Lake House,” Pulito says.
Its signature restaurant is the Rose Tavern with its open kitchen and fireplace.
The Sand Bar offers a laid-back, seafood-focused atmosphere with live music.
And the library bar offers coffee and pastries in the morning and signature cocktails in the evening.
Executive Chef Steve Eakins says the focus is on locally sourced, seasonal ingredients.
“There are so many great products, so many great people. So we’re going to tell all of these stories, whether it’s the local cheese maker or the local farmer who has great lettuces, radishes and tomatoes all summer long. I’m just here to tell these stories, really,” Eakins says.
Willowbrook Spa offers traditional spa services with a solarium that overlooks a pair of Scandinavian-style barrel saunas.
Each sauna can accommodate 2 people with a view of the lake and its emblematic island.
The Event Barn, which hosted 55 weddings last year, also hugs the coastline of a peninsula.
“A one-of-a-kind experience in upstate New York where you can really enjoy the view, the area, and really stay at the resort for an entire week without getting bored,” says Pulito.
Pulito says the Lake House blends the contemporary with the classic in a section of the Finger Lakes that offers adventure and excitement, rest and relaxation.
