Staying at the Inns of Aurora

Staying at the Inns of Aurora
📍 Aurora, New York

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Some hotels are simply a place to sleep between everything else you have planned. The Inns of Aurora is decidedly not one of them. Tucked along Cayuga Lake in the tiny village of Aurora, New York, the resort feels less like a traditional hotel and more like being welcomed into a collection of exceptionally beautiful country houses. I visited for an October weekend, just as the Finger Lakes were settling into fall. It was exactly the slow, cozy weekend away I had been craving. The Inns had been on my radar for quite some time, but what surprised me most once I arrived was how little I felt the need to leave. Between the historic homes, beautiful interiors, lakefront setting, good food, and plenty of places to settle in and stay awhile, this is one of those rare trips where the hotel isn’t simply part of the destination. It is the destination.

The Inns of Aurora

Rather than one enormous resort building, the Inns of Aurora is a collection of beautifully restored historic homes spread throughout the village. It gives the entire property a much more intimate feel than a traditional resort. The original Aurora Inn dates to 1833, and that sense of history carries throughout the property without ever making it feel stuffy or overly precious. The interiors are probably what won me over most. Think: patterned wallpaper, antiques, layered textiles, books, art, fireplaces, and rooms that actually feel like rooms rather than generic hotel common spaces. Everything feels collected over time, which is exactly the sort of traditional, lived-in design I love. Add in Cayuga Lake just beyond the village and the changing leaves in October, and the whole thing felt like the Upstate New York version of the country-house weekend I always want this time of year.

Staying at the Inns

One thing worth knowing before booking is that the Inns of Aurora isn’t a single traditional hotel. Accommodations are spread among several distinctive historic properties. They each have their own personality, while guests share the amenities and experiences available throughout the larger resort. I stayed at E.B. Morgan House in one of its lakefront rooms, which gave me a beautiful view of Cayuga Lake and made the whole experience feel even more like a weekend at a private country house than a hotel stay. I loved being able to wake up to the lake right outside our window, then wander through the house’s beautifully decorated common spaces. That residential feeling is one of my favorite things about the Inns. You can move between the historic houses, walk into the village, head down toward the water, and discover different sitting rooms and little corners along the way. Rather than constantly feeling as though I needed to leave and find the next thing to do, I was perfectly happy slowing down and enjoying where I was.

Dining at the Inns of Aurora

I kept dining fairly simple during our stay, but both meals I had fit the weekend perfectly. Before dinner, I started with a wine tasting in the Parlor, which felt like exactly the right way to spend an early fall evening in the Finger Lakes before walking over to 1833 Kitchen & Bar at the Aurora Inn. Overlooking Cayuga Lake, 1833 feels special without being overly formal, with a seasonal menu and plenty of Finger Lakes influence. The next morning, I stopped at Village Market for breakfast before hitting the road, an easy spot for coffee, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and other grab-and-go options. I didn’t have enough time to try everything during this stay, but Fargo Bar & Grill is another option for casual tavern fare, while Aurora Cooks! offers culinary classes and experiences. Between the wine tasting, dinner, and an easy breakfast the next morning, I was able to enjoy a few different sides of the Inns’ food and drink offerings without making the weekend revolve around reservations.

Exploring Aurora and the Finger Lakes

Aurora is tiny, which is part of what makes staying here so charming. You can walk around the village without feeling like you need a complicated plan, and the lake gives the entire place a sense of calm that makes even a simple walk feel like part of the weekend. Of course, you’re also in the Finger Lakes, so a longer stay could easily include wineries, neighboring towns, farms, and more time exploring the region. For a short weekend, though, I wouldn’t make the mistake of spending most of your time driving from one attraction to another simply because you feel like you should be sightseeing. One of the luxuries of staying at the Inns of Aurora is that you’ve already traveled somewhere worth experiencing. Pick an excursion or two if something really interests you, but give yourself permission to make Aurora itself the plan.

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For me, what made the Inns of Aurora special wasn’t one spectacular room, meal, or view. It was how thoughtfully everything fit together. The houses feel residential rather than resort-like, the interiors are beautiful without feeling staged. The village is small enough that you quickly settle into its rhythm. Cayuga Lake is almost always somewhere in the background. Most importantly, I never felt pressure to constantly be doing something. I ate well, wandered, explored, took in plenty of fall foliage, and simply enjoyed being somewhere beautiful for a couple of days. I went expecting a lovely October weekend in the Finger Lakes and left already imagining what another stay might look like in a different season. Those are usually the hotels I end up loving most: not the ones where I managed to check everything off a list, but the ones that make me want to come back before I’ve even left.

Love from New York,
Katie

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