I don't usually write reviews, but my experience here was so wonderful I just had to get the word…read moreout. My daughter and I were up for Admit Day at Colgate, and we stayed at this beautiful Bed and Breakfast just outside of town. Our room (the Ryan room) was immaculate and had a beautiful view of the property. We felt completely at home as logged into wifi and were able to watch TV in the living room. We slept well and Kevin (the owner) put out a great spread for continental breakfast in the morning. Kevin could not have been kinder or more generous. We would definitely stay there again if we visit Colgate in the future.

A wonderful place with wonderful people!…read more My parents had stayed here four years ago for parents weekend and had loved the place so much that they booked it right then and there for graduation weekend three and a half years later. Kevin and Leslie were wonderful hosts and catered to our every need be it food, cleaning, or making a warm fire. The property was spacious and beautiful with a large pond well stocked with fish and a hammock to rest on outside in the beautiful upstate air. The cabin itself was spacious and had all amenities you could imagine with a new grill, washing machines, and a great kitchen. Although we only stayed five days, I would recommend this a million times over and hope to come back again when I return to upstate New York and relive my collegiate past!

We reserved three rooms at the B&B, along with rooms at three other area B&Bs, during a recent…read morewedding weekend. We paid for the rooms, but did not personally stay there, although we visited there before our guests arrived. The issues noted were reported by seven individuals who did stay at the B&B. Timberlake is in a beautiful setting right on a small lake. Upon arrival, we noted that the B&B seemed more "lived in" than most where we've stayed. Bob was very friendly, and most of our guests staying there were the outdoorsy types, so we thought it would work.We were taken aback that the breakfast schedule seemed to revolve around Bob's golf schedule more than guest preferences, but the rooms seemed adequate for our needs, and the country setting provided ample opportunity for walks, running, kayaking, etc. What we did not know at the time we reserved space is that the owner is facing some personal issues that may affect guests and their stay. Problems arose early when their dog peed on one of our guests. We all love dogs, and many B&Bs have them around, but they must be perfectly trained before meeting guests. Bob did offer to clean the affected clothing. The first two nights, all of our guests, as well as another friend who was staying at the facility, noted that there were significant loud noises going on upstairs into the wee hours of the morning. They said it sounded like furniture being dragged around all night. One couple left the B&B early because of that plus an unpleasant smell in their downstairs room. This is a lovely spot, and Bob is very personable, but we cannot recommend staying here until the family issues are resolved and business can get back to "usual." Unfortunately it appears that Bob may not be aware of what is going on in the house during his absences, and it affects guest experiences. Guests should also be aware that the driveway to the B&B is very rutted. Four wheel drive is not needed, but slow going and good ground clearance is a must. None of our guests at the other three B&Bs reserved this weekend had any issues, so Hamilton has numerous great options for visitors.

Great service, easy to work with for catering. Loved the chicken francaise with rice. Loved it!…read moreDelicious.

Had a great dinner here this past weekend. We sat in the bar area, it gets really nice lighting…read morewith all the windows. Fun and refined atmosphere, food was delicious, and dessert was spectacular. Can't wait for my next time back, really all you could ask for out of a night out. Oh and of course our server was the best, I didn't feel rushed but I wasn't waiting either.

We thought the Colgate inn was the Hallmark Xmas movie that became a real-life-lived encounter…read more Beautiful white snow, a hot chocolate station, Xmas trees everywhere, festive red and green, etc. Right down town. I saw a bunch of deer while walking at night. This spot is reasonably priced too. Way better and cheaper than the Marriott I am currently waiting to leave. For love, for life, for the Colgate Inn.

I'm writing this review solely based on the tavern experience at the Colgate Inn., not the inn…read moreitself. Staff: We made reservations and were greeted by the hostess upon arrival. Staff were very accommodating and even helped fix a table that was slightly wobbly. Server was nice and the ambience was pleasant in the dining area. Not too loud, and wasn't packed. Food: the food was very good. We started off with a couple drinks and plentiful amounts of breads. I ordered a simple craft beer and my partner had the winter margarita which was exceptional with great presentation. We ordered the whipped feta skillet for an appetizer and it was very good as I never had anything like this before. My main course consisted of the braised short ribs (exceptional by the way) and my partner ordered the ratatouille (exceptional as well). Presentation and flavor for both and outstanding. I appreciate the black slate plates which were a nice touch. I hope the pictures do justice because the food was very good. . As expensive this place is and with the newer and younger staff, they did appear knowledgeable in how to navigate the restaurant world. In my opinion. The 1 star reviews might not really be necessary for this establishment because you felt slighted a bit, so reader be wary of allowing other bad reviews Influence your choice on eating here. Check their rating history, and if it's typically 1 star reviews, maybe it's just them? Overall we felt it was a great experience, the ambience and fireplace were nice , food was very good overall! We would come back, everything seems to be going up in price now adays, so it wasn't "too" unreasonable overall. They do offer some rich history with old photos of neighboring towns which I thought was very cool to see the historic side of things.

Went here for a friends birthday dinner that was hosted in the main dining room. This place was…read moresimply amazing and had so much character. The owners of the in were so nice and accommodating. They were great at hosting and give the guest their space. The meal and presentation was so nice. We also got to take a tour of the inn and it was so beautiful. Hopefully in the future we will get to come back and stay here!

We have family in the area and we drive up to visit at least once a year. When we googled hotels…read moreThe RIver Edge Mansion popped up. We had never stayed at a bed and breakfast and weren't sure what to expect. This place exceeded our expectations. The mansion itself is beautiful. Every time we walked around the house we discovered more treasures, everything from the molding to antique pieces. The property has a lovely view of the Erie Canal. Each morning there was coffee waiting or us outside our door on a beautifully arranged tray. Then we went down to breakfast. I hate to repeat myself but the table was also beautifully arranged. We tried several different dishes during our stay, each one delicious. Our host, John and Rebecca, were there for our every need, without being intrusive. After running around all day It was so relaxing to return to our room each night. We asked several relatives to stop by and see the place. Our Aunt was thrilled as she had driven by hundreds of times and never been inside. She was not disappointed. One extra point. They have a friendly dog named Riley who helped us forget how much we missed our own pets. We plan to return here each time we return to Syracuse.

I left a review when I stayed with Diane last summer but I had to send an update. We really enjoyed…read moreour stay. It was like staying with a much loved Aunt. We live in a rural small town so we took advantage of some shopping while in civilization (Syracuse). We had too much to carry back on the plane so we arranged shipping and Diane took care of it. Even contacted us to let us know our packages were picked up. You won't believe it but she even helped me pack the boxes fussing over our stuff just like my mom would have! I seriously love this lady!!!! We have travelled plenty and have never experienced warmth and hospitality like at Diane's place. We are looking for excuses to travel back to the area so we can stay at Madison Bed, Book & Candle again. It will definitely be one of our family "get away and relax" spots. I bought some of Diane's crochet baby blankets, ponchos, scarfs, hats, etc. They are lovely and very reasonably priced. I wanted some in other colors and she made them and shipped them to me, after helping me pick the colors. If you stay with her ask to see her work. It's worth it. Stay here. Don't look anywhere else. Diane will take great care of you with all the personal touches of home and then some. I just can't say enough.

If you're looking for a great alternative to a hotel in Madison, NY (less than 5 miles from Colgate…read moreUniversity in Hamilton, NY), this country inn is perfect. We stayed here for my husband's high school reunion and found it convenient (right on Route 20), comfortable, and quite charming! We stayed in the Nathaniel Hawthorne Room. This room overlooks Highway 20 and does get some traffic noise, so if you' re a light sleeper this might not be the room for you ... but with the windows closed and the air conditioner on low, we could barely hear the occasional car or truck go by. We heartily second the other reviewer's comment that the rooms were spotlessly clean and well appointed. And to top it off, she has free wi-fi access in all the rooms. Our hostess, Diane, made fresh lemonade for us to sip on the spacious side porch and made a delicious batch of fudge brownies for us to munch on. Breakfast was also delightful - fresh kiwi fruit and strawberries as a garnish with light, fluffy pancakes, bacon, and enough coffee to keep me happy. Yesterday's breakfast was also good - poached eggs on a lightly toasted english muffin with bacon and fresh fruit. We arrived just before the start of the annual Madison-Bouckville Antique Week festival (which is less than 2 miles down the road from the inn). Although we aren't into antiques, our fellow guests have a booth there ... they told us that this was their 4th straight year of staying here - a testament to Diane's hospitality. Prices are in line with what we expect to pay for a bed and breakfast with a private bath (there is another B&B on the road to Hamilton that's less expensive, but I understand it does not have a private bathroom) All in all, we had a very pleasant stay (and my husband even enjoyed his reunion!).