Stay & Play

Stay and Play at Lake House at Canandaigua

Article and photography by Jennifer Merrick

Located in the Finger Lakes region of New York State, an area famed for its glacially-sculpted landscape and wineries, Lake House at Canandaigua is already making a name for itself. Since opening in 2020, the property has swept accolades, including TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Award, Condé Nast Traveler’s Hot List and the prestigious No. 1 Resort Hotel in New York State in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards.

After our fall weekend getaway to The Lake House, it’s easy to understand how they earned so much recognition in such a short time. It’s luxoury without pretension, a place to escape the stress of our hectic lives and truly relax.

Everything about the resort is conducive to R & R from the Adirondack chairs along the lakeshore and well-cared for gardens to the exceptional Willowbrook Spa, suburb food and the friendly attentive staff. Not to mention my indulgent to-do list that was so very different than the one I’m usually ticking off at home.

* Detox at Willowbrook Spa with a barrel sauna ritual

A barrel sauna may sound rustic, but not this one. First off, one end is glass with a close-up view of the lake. And it’s not just about a sweat with a view, but an immersive ritual. The 60-minute experience features contrast bathing (hot-and-cold cycles that trigger beneficial hormones and neurotransmitters) and a botanical honey mask that left my skin feeling like new afterwards.

* Sample a few of the region’s many vinos on a Finger Lakes wine tour.

* Relax on the balcony

Over 70 % of its 124 rooms have a lakeview, and our spacious balcony was the perfect perch to sit back and take it all in. The rooms themselves have a modern but warm decor with a specially-designed four-poster bed as a focal point. There were lots of thoughtful details and touches, including a pair of binoculars for an even closer look of the mesmerizing lake.

* Roast marshmallows for s’mores around the fire pits

* Bike to a brewery

The resort’s bikes are free to use and it’s a leisurely pedal to Young Lion or Twisted Rail Brewery.

* Dine at The Lakehouse’s restaurants

At Rose Tavern, we feasted on their delectable dishes like ‘Nigiri’ Arancini (rice balls wrapped with wagyu beef), their signature roasted Sticky Brussel Sprouts and the melt-in-your-mouth JBs Parker House Rolls. At the more casual Sand Bar restaurant, we enjoyed seafood specialities in a beachy atmosphere.

Like always, my do-do list was left incomplete but this time with items like yoga class, pool time and cocktails in the library still unchecked. So, we’ll just have to come back another time to tick them off.

www.lakehousecanandaigua.com