Best Western Adirondack Inn

If not for the large Best Western logo on the sign, you would never guess this to be a chain hotel. The stone and wood structure retains much of its authentic midcentury charm (its original section was built as a 14-room hotel in 1959 before becoming a Best Western in 2007) and fits seamlessly into its mountain backdrop. Because of its small size, check-in is a breeze. Next to the front desk is the cozy living-room-like lobby, which has a wood-burning fireplace, hardwood floors, cushy seating areas, and a few pieces of classic mountain-lodge decor, like a black-bear table lamp, a pair of vintage snow shoes mounted on the wall, and framed posters for past Winter Olympic Games. Best Western Adirondack Inn makes a great spot for travelers looking for a place to crash and grab breakfast in the morning -- including big groups rolling through for youth hockey tournaments. Families represent three-fourths of the clientele, and couples and business travelers make up the remaining one-fourth.

Perfectly situated on Main Street, the Best Western Adirondack Inn is just across the street from the Olympic Center (site of the 1932 and 1980 Olympics) and its Olympic skating rink, and next to Mirror Lake beach. Downtown is two blocks away, featuring shopping, restaurants, and bars.- Five-minute walk to downtown Lake Placid and to Mirror Lake beach

• Nine-minute walk to Lake Placid Golf Club
• Five-minute drive to Lake Placid Olympic Ski Jumping Complex
• Nine-minute drive to Cascade X-C Ski Center
• 12-minute drive to High Falls Gorge
• 14-minute drive to Olympic Sports Complex 
• 18-minute drive to Whiteface Mountain Ski Center (free shuttle available)
• 27-minute drive to Adirondack Regional Airport

Rooms at the Best Western Adirondack Inn are plainly decorated with a “rustic” style, and will benefit from the renovations that are part of Best Western Adirondack Inn's near-future plan. But overall, they provide good quality for the price compared with other area hotels.Units start with the 250-square-foot Standard Rooms, which come with one king bed or two queen beds. Deluxe rooms are closer to 300 square feet, and are available in the same configurations. Deluxe rooms have cathedral-style ceilings with exposed wood beams and access to the long communal balcony with deck chairs. Some Deluxe rooms have a pull-out sofa, as well as a mountain or partial lake view. There are two suites with two queen beds each, plus two interconnecting Jacuzzi Suites, one with a king bed and one with two queen beds. Suites have a separate sitting room and double-glass sliding doors with semi-private balconies and either lake or mountain views.All rooms come with air-conditioning, coffeemakers, mini-fridges, and 40-inch flat-screen LED TVs with cable channels. Hairdryers and a few toiletries are provided in the bathrooms, which feature shower/tub combos. Wi-Fi is free in the rooms.

Best Western's rectangular indoor pool has shallow and deep ends, plus a separate hot tub and a few surrounding lounge chairs with hunter green cushions. There are pool towels and changing rooms with showers available. The hotel's sauna is a nice bonus -- especially after a day of winter sports. Adjacent to the pool are a game area with ping-pong table and a small fitness center featuring basic equipment and a flat-screen TV mounted on the corner.Best Western lacks a full restaurant, but it serves a free hot breakfast (continental options, as well as eggs, sausage, waffles, and French toast) in a spacious dining room with an adjacent outdoor deck with tables and chairs overlooking the Olympic Center. A rear garden patio provides more outdoor seating during the summer. Wi-Fi and parking are both free. The hotel features charging stations for electric cars.