There’s something about a motel… like a real one, with a parking spot at your door and a neon sign and a view you can actually see from your room, that a big-box hotel chain will never replicate. And the Finger Lakes has more of them than you might think. Here are ten worth booking this summer, from retro gems to lakeside classics to one that will absolutely make your kids lose their minds.
1. Miami Motel — Canandaigua 4126 Rt. 5 & 20, Canandaigua | motelmiami.com | (585) 394-6700
The cult favorite. The Miami Motel is resurrecting the history and glamour that once surrounded this 1953, 28-room Miami-inspired resort, from its original neon sign to the expansive grounds and unique design. Every room is totally unique, with its own color scheme, furniture, and layout. Some rooms and bungalows have carports in the back. Some have Jacuzzis. In the summer, guests gather around portable fire pits with Finger Lakes wine and cocktails on the back side of the property. It sits close to Canandaigua Lake, New York Kitchen, and CMAC Performing Arts Center. Think Mad Men cool meets Extreme Makeover upgrades. Rates from $89/night.
Best for: Couples, retro enthusiasts, anyone who appreciates a genuinely good story about where they stayed.
2. Grayhaven Motel — Ithaca 657 Elmira Rd., Ithaca | grayhavenmotel.com | (607) 272-6434
A charming vintage motor lodge located in Ithaca with 20 rooms year-round and one very cute 1964 Shasta camper available during the summer months. The lovingly restored motel has been hosting vacationers and travelers for more than 100 years. You’ll find classic and spacious mid-century rooms as well as fully equipped cottages and suites with kitchenettes. Rooms have been thoughtfully restored with period fixtures and modern amenities. Situated on over 11 acres, the property offers walking trails, hammocks for lounging, a bocce court, croquet, fire pits, picnic areas, and bird watching. Several rooms are dog friendly, and the motel is conveniently located halfway between Buttermilk Falls and Treman State Parks.
Best for: Nature-loving families, dog owners, anyone who wants a genuine mid-century experience that’s been done beautifully and sustainably.
3. Caboose Motel — Avoca 8620 State Route 415, Avoca | (607) 566-2216
We’ll be honest with you: this one is for the kids. You can stay in a regular motel room or one of five refinished real train cabooses. Each caboose has a small bathroom with a shower, a small sitting area, and multiple sleeping berths that sleep up to six. The cabooses are still definitely cabooses, with metal pipes, rails, wheels, shelves, and portholes – but outfitted with beds, cable TV, and a functional bathroom. One reviewer put it simply: “When I’m 80 years old, I won’t remember too many of the Motel 8s or Holiday Inns I’ve visited. But I will remember the time we stayed in a caboose.” Located just 25 minutes from Corning and the Museum of Glass. Fair warning: this is rustic. Come with the right expectations and the right spirit.
Best for: Families with train-obsessed kids, road-trippers, anyone who values the story over the thread count.
4. Keuka Lake Motel — Keuka 14720 Route 54, Keuka | (607) 292-6622
Right on the western shore of beautiful Y-shaped Keuka Lake, this classic lakeside motel is the definition of simple and right. Clean rooms, lakefront access, a dock, and one of the most scenic lake views in the entire region. For families who want to wake up, walk outside, and be on the lake in sixty seconds… this is the move. Keuka is also centrally located between Hammondsport, Penn Yan, and the Finger Lakes wine trail.
Best for: Families who want genuine lake access without the Airbnb pricing. Wake up, put the kayak in, and let the day take care of itself.
5. Hammondsport Motel — Hammondsport 24 Water St., Hammondsport | (607) 569-2600
Right in the heart of one of the Finger Lakes’ most charming small villages, a short walk from the village square, Keuka Lake’s public beach, local restaurants, and the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum. Hammondsport is the kind of place that feels like the region at its most itself, and staying right in the village means you wake up already there. A charming inn in a small town is one of the most popular Finger Lakes stays for a reason.
Best for: Families who want to walk everywhere, history lovers, anyone planning a Keuka Lake wine trail day.
6. Pinewood Manor — Canandaigua 4420 Lakeshore Dr., Canandaigua | (585) 394-0150
A quiet lakeside property on Canandaigua Lake’s eastern shore. Wooded, calm, and unpretentious in the best possible way. The kind of place where the owners know your name by day two and can tell you exactly where to kayak and where to eat. Lakeshore Drive is one of the most beautiful stretches of road in Ontario County, and having it as your front yard for a few days is genuinely restorative.
Best for: Families wanting calm over scenes. The lake is right there and the crowds aren’t.
7. Woodridge Motel — Canandaigua 4459 Lake Shore Dr., Canandaigua | (585) 394-5432
Another Canandaigua lakeside gem – clean, affordable, and utterly unpretentious. Visitors consistently note the quiet setting, the old-style parking right at your room door, and the ability to sit outside in the evenings watching the lake. It’s the kind of motel that feels like a throwback to the way family summer travel used to be, before everything needed to be a boutique experience. Sometimes that’s exactly what you want.
Best for: Budget-conscious families who want genuine lake proximity without paying resort prices.
8. Longhouse Lodge Motel — Ithaca area
A mid-century motor lodge with strong bones and a loyal following among Ithaca regulars. Clean, character-filled, and well-located for exploring the gorges, Taughannock Falls, the Ithaca Commons, and Cayuga Lake. No frills just a good room, a parking spot at the door, and all of Ithaca waiting for you.
Best for: Gorge-hikers, Ithaca visitors, families who want to be close to everything without paying downtown hotel rates.
9. The Gould Hotel — Seneca Falls 108 Fall St., Seneca Falls | thegouldhotel.com
The Gould Hotel in Seneca Falls offers a European chic feel with modern décor that meets historic roots. Technically more boutique hotel than motel, but it belongs on this list for the sheer character of the building and its downtown Seneca Falls location, steps from the Women’s Rights National Historical Park, the Erie Canal, and some of the most historically significant streets in America. Small, beautifully appointed rooms with real personality.
Best for: History-minded families, overnight visitors to Seneca Falls, anyone who wants their lodging to have a story.
10. Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel — Watkins Glen 16 N. Franklin St., Watkins Glen | watkinsglenharbor.com
Okay, this one is a proper hotel but it’s earned its spot because of where it sits and what it delivers. The Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel has been voted “America’s Best Waterfront Hotel” by USA Today – and the views of Seneca Lake from the rooms justify every word of that. It’s the anchor for a Watkins Glen weekend: wake up on the lake, walk to the state park gorge trail, come back for dinner at Veraisons. As a splurge staycation, there’s nothing in the region quite like it.
Best for: A special-occasion stay, anniversary getaways, anyone who wants to experience Seneca Lake from the best vantage point in the region.
Before You Book
The Finger Lakes motel scene books up fast in July and August – especially the small, character-driven properties with limited rooms. Book as soon as you know your dates, call ahead to confirm what’s included, and ask about pet policies if you’re traveling with a dog. Many of the best properties on this list are pet-friendly.
And remember: you will not remember the Hampton Inn. But you will absolutely remember waking up on Seneca Lake, or sleeping in a train caboose in Avoca, or sitting around a fire pit at the Miami Motel. That’s the whole point. 🌙
Have a Finger Lakes motel that belongs on this list? Tell us – we’d love to check it out.