A Cozy Winter Weekend at the Sagamore Resort
/The Sagamore Resort is a historic hotel sitting directly on Lake George in a tiny but cute town called Bolton Landing, NY.
It is widely known as a popular Northeast summer destination but since (i) we’d probably never make it here in summer (#TeamMaine) and (ii) we noticed this spot offered some INDOOR attractions, off we went to the Sagamore on a January long weekend road trip!
We Spent a Frigid but Lovely Weekend at the Sagamore
In the warm weather, the Sagamore is surely packed with guests enjoying its lakefront outdoor spaces and boat rides on that lake itself. But the following is a summary of our visit to the Sagamore during a FREEZING January weekend!
No matter when you visit, you’ll notice on arrival that the Sagamore is an old but understatedly elegant property. Since 1983, it has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the Historic Hotels of America.
The lobby is lovely with its tasteful furnishings, crackling fireplace and lake views (appreciated from cozy indoor couches). The other facilities we checked out in the main building - the indoor pool, spa and dining options - were equally charming. And little touches such as complimentary champagne offered at check in and complimentary s’mores offered at night, really added to the resort’s luxurious atmosphere.
Service at the resort was polite, helpful and proficient across the board. We noticed such a sharp difference compared to our stay last summer at a smaller, hipster hotel in the Catskills (and service was similarly way better at spots around Bolton Landing than it was anywhere in Sullivan County).
The Indoor Amenities Make the Sagamore a No Brainer Winter Getaway
There were several indoor attractions to keep our family (and the many other families staying at the Sagamore) occupied through the cold weekend at the Sagamore.
The main building of the resort boasts a really nice indoor pool and hot tub, as well a fitness center and serene spa. Our girls had a blast at the indoor pool and this tired mama was rejuvenated by her aromatherapy massage at the spa. During our holiday weekend visit, there was even a wedding style bar set up at the indoor pool.
And housed in its own separate building apart from the main hotel building is the Sagamore’s large Rec Center (aka heaven for most kids and many dads, too). Here you can find 9 holes of adorable mini golf, a wiffle ball field, a basketball court with one small and one regulation size hoop, a rock climbing wall, table tennis, a pool table, foosball, air hockey, video games, crafting stations and plenty of seating for those who wish to rest while their loved ones play.
The Rec Center is what made us land on the Sagamore to spend a frigid weekend in January. And it came quite strong - a lot of great, “back to basic” recreational activities nicely kept in an inviting, large space. Plus our little one even got to do a “Build A Bear” session to make her own kitty stuffed animal appropriately named “Kitty” at the Rec Center ($25 fee for this).
With these fam friendly indoor amenities and a few bars and restaurants on property serving solid, basic eats and drinks (and live music at night), it’s easy to see why the Sagamore is so popular with Northeast families even in winter.
One Thing To Note About the Sagamore
The rooms at the Sagamore, at least from what I could see, could benefit from a refresh. The resort offers rooms in the main hotel building, as well as other buildings scattered about the property. But from reading some online reviews, it seems that, no matter which room type or location you choose, all the rooms at the Sagamore are surprisingly rather rustic and outdated.
We stayed in the Lodges separate from the main hotel building, which offer suite style rooms with a kitchenette, sofa bed in the living area and separate bedroom all done in a “cabin” aesthetic. Our room was nicely sized and very clean. It had two flat screen TVs and an electric fireplace. Many folks would love it. But for me, the aesthetic felt plain, unimpressive and out of sync with the elegance of the Sagamore’s public spaces. I wish the resort would give its rooms a proper update and refresh.
About the Surrounding Areas Around the Sagamore
We didn’t do too much outside the resort given the frigid temperatures, and much of what we did see was closed for the season. The small town of Bolton Landing is right outside the Sagamore and though much here was closed on our visit, the area is probably quite cute in summer albeit small and limited. We did love our breakfast at Bolton Landing newcomer, Bear’s Cup (omg the hand rolled bagels); and went both mornings that it was open.
One afternoon we drove the 20 minutes to Lake George and it is pretty much a ghost town in winter. Even still, the looks of it did not seem like an area I’d want to come back to in summer.
We also planned to do a tubing session at nearby West Mountain during our stay, but we sadly ended up skipping it with the temperatures so low.
One last spot I highly recommend is Main Street Ice Cream Parlor, located about 20 minutes from the Sagamore in Chestertown, NY. This is an adorable old fashion ice cream soda fountain that we loved. It’s Must Do!
Thank you for a lovely winter getaway, Sagamore! I Love New York!
