Run down. The two…read morestars are for the location. If you're seeing a show here, you're about 20 feet from the hotel. Also, Chautauqua Institute is a lovely place. The room: peeling wallpaper, chipped paint, cracks in the floor and cracks in the ceiling, and floors so warped it's like a little skate park. The shower is small and dingy, also unlit. There's a light over the sink, but it's doesn't really reach the shower, especially with the shower curtain closed. The concert let out around 10:30, and we took a stroll around the grounds to skip rocks and look at constellations. When we got back to the hotel, bar closed. 11 on a Saturday night. Also no food to be had. Sunday morning continental breakfast was paltry at best. Even the coffee sucks, watery and tasteless. All this for the bargain price of about $400/night. For two of the crappiest double beds I've ever slept on. All that money is for the location.

This hotel is old (1881), but it has tons of history and charm. That's why I love it so much. We…read morestayed here for the first time this year, and we've already reserved our room for the 2025 season. It's mind-blowing to walk down the same historic hallways that Ulysses S. Grant, Teddy Roosevelt, and Bill Clinton walked and stayed. We had a fantastic room at the end on the 2nd floor. It had been updated (see photos) and had a great view of the lake. There was even a charming porch area outside the room. The front desk staff were very polite, helpful, and quick to address issues. We loved our maid, too. She took care of our every need and made sure our room was cleaned properly. At the end of our visit, we asked her what some of her favorite rooms in the hotel were. She showed us each room and we reserved one for our 2025 visit. NOTE: I see that some of the less-than-stellar reviews knock the hotel for its restaurant, The Heirloom Restaurant. I agree that the food and service at the Heirloom are not that great and don't meet expectations for such a grand hotel. But I shared that in a separate 3-star review for the restaurant.

I give this place a 4 because it does not deserve a 5 or a 3. The 4 is for the genuine staff, the…read morehomemade food and the general feel of the dining area. It is an old building, it is in Chautaqua NY, not Manhattan. The food is homestyle, the kind your dear Granny used to make. I know your Granny could cook but I am sure it was not better than this place. Details as follows, Fried fish, excellent, Pork ribs, very good! The salad bar was fresh and had many options, including cucumber salad and fruit salad. The desert was exceptional with many options, I got the homemade blueberry pie, excellent! The young servers worked hard to please and were of the highest caliber of young people. Thank you Tally Hoe for the genuine camp meeting dining experience!

I have returned for the last ten summers to the Tally-Ho Hotel and Restaurant, conveniently located…read moreon a quiet street inside the famous Chautauqua Institution. The Tally-Ho, family-owned and operated since ca. 1939, offers a rabbit warren of quirky, quaint, and quiet rooms, each of them unique. As the 3 conjoined structures were built in the late 1800s they have that rustic sense level due to their age. Expect to climb stairs.

This is my third stay at the Gleason . I will not be back'…read morePrimary problem is a seriously failing and old physical plant and absent management. Owner is in Florida for the season, Host couple tried their best.

The Gleason Hotel, a Victorian era rooming house, is located directly on Lake Chautauqua, offering…read morefantastic views from both the first and second floor back porches. The front porches overlook picturesque Chautauqua Institute with beautiful trees, lawns and gardens. There are a variety of rooms ranging from good to adquate. Most have private bathrooms, and a few have kitchen facilities. There is are two communal kitchens that are outfitted with appliances and anything needed for cooking. A stay at the historic Gleason Hotel offers a charming and comfortable stay. Staying here you are a five minute walk to the Amphitheatre and the Athenaeum. You can't beat the lake views.

Hmmm so wanted this place to be amazing, but I was left wanting. We went for breakfast right at…read more8:45 (open at 8:30) and place was packed. Sat along the side of the house (2 persons small tables) and it was tough being "out of sight" from the waiter; plus they were crazy busy. Food: blueberry pancakes were super small, & sadly under cooked, literary moist batter, and I had to wait almost 10 mins to get butter and syrup, my husband was already done his food. He liked his eggs. And our waiter was super nice young gentleman doing what seemed to be the best he could for sure. So kind and polite- just think maybe too busy for the amount of staff they had ready to go for a Sunday breakfast.

We had a 6:30 reservation. When we got here we were told the kitchen would only provide a buffet /…read moreno Al a carte. We stayed and the included dessert was then 'out'. The only choice we had was one of the four usual desserts. We couldn't have it due to allergies. We asked to be not charged for dessert. The manager chose not to deal with us. We had no choice but to pay. We had a concert to attend so we really couldn't try to find another location.

I wanted a relaxing weekend so my boyfriend found us a 2-night stay at this charming hotel in the…read moreChautauqua Institute in February during the off season. The hotel was well-kept for its age. The rooms are writer themed and we stayed in the Agatha Christie honeymoon suite with the jacuzzi tub, which I spent a lot of time in watching snowflakes fall from our second story window. We also had fill access the two person sauna to decompress in, which was conveniently across from our room. The breakfast was great! Highlights were the zucchini bread and sunflower bread and my favorite, homemade waffles that Helen, the owner made us, were the best I've ever had. It says hotel and spa. I think they said the spa was still not being used since covid, but they helped facilitate me getting a wonderful massage within walking distance at the St Elmos Spa.

Let's just say - they have a good photographer and post compelling photos on their website…read more On the plus side, you can't beat the location. It's a few buildings down from the Amphitheater, so you can enjoy the evening symphony easily from the porch or terrace. Also, the entire staff was kind and helpful. They really tried to accommodate the guests, but there was this sense that these gals were quite fearful of screwing up. On the downside, the room was straightened up, but it didn't feel clean - especially post-pandemic clean. The room we stayed in had 1-1/2 bathrooms - both very small with no room to hold personal belongings. The shower experience was no better than you'd find at a campground. The amenities were cheap and never replenished, so we ended up buying shampoo, conditioner, and body wash at the plaza store. The floor wasn't level, evidenced by our roller bags rolling around on their own. The bed was way too soft and uncomfortable. There was no airflow in the room and there was no way to control the air conditioning. The windows were permanently shut. Despite the Spencer's charm and history, we won't be staying here again.

Cozy and welcoming. We loved hanging out in the lobby, sipping drinks and people watching. On our…read morelast night we ordered their vertical carrot cake! Wow. Service was always good.

Nice lobby, the way hotel lobbies used to be, kind of serving as a hub. You can buy a snack here…read moreand copies of the daily newspaper, you can have a drink, or just hang out. Bellmen are full of good info, too, the hotel is a key bus stop.