Lake House

Formerly known as the Lakeview Motor Inn, Lake House is a cozy, budget-friendly inn that's part of the High Peaks Resort complex, with which it shares facilities and management. The Lake House rooms are spread over two floors and look out over grassy lawns lined with shrubs and trees. A cluster of Adirondack chairs situated around a fire pit make the outdoors inviting both in the cooler and in the warmer months. Inside, there's a bright lobby area with industrial gray floors, pops of red in rugs and decor, and cedar accent walls and matching furniture. Hallways have a similar gray-and-red decor scheme (that's also found in rooms), giving the property a lodge-like look that is cozy and warm -- with a touch of updated retro feel. The hotel primarily attracts vacationers on a budget, though it also hosts the occasional corporate group.

Lake House is located in the Adirondack town of Lake Placid, overlooking Mirror Lake and within a few minutes' walk of tons of restaurants and shops. The area is walkable -- it's a 10-minute walk to the Olympic Conference Center and a 15-minute walk to Mirror Lake Beach -- but most travelers come here with cars, as the town is most easily reached by road and many of the area attractions require a short drive. It's five minutes by car to Lake Placid Golf Club, eight minutes to the Olympic Sports Complex and the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex, and 10 minutes to Jon Brown’s Farm. High Falls Gorge and Whiteface Mountain Ski Center are each about 15 minutes away by car, while the Christmasy Santa’s Workshop theme park takes 25 minutes to reach. It's a 40-minute drive to The Wild Center, an educational outdoor adventure park, while the Adirondack Museum takes around an hour and 15 minutes to reach. The Adirondack Regional Airport is a good half-hour drive away.

Lake House hotel offers three room types: Single Queen Rooms, Double Queen Rooms, and King Rooms. All are spacious and feature similar decor and amenities, consisting of cedar beds with tall backboards and matching ceilings and furniture, and all sorts of red accents, from shiny bedside lamps and blankets to doors and accent walls. Carpets and walls are gray, but the red accents and sliding-glass doors that lead out to big furnished balconies with lake views keep the spaces from feeling dark. Standard amenities include coffeemakers, mini-fridges, free Wi-Fi, small flat-screen TVs, and irons with ironing boards. Bathrooms are bright but unmemorable, with shower/tub combos clad in subway tiles, small sinks, hairdryers, and basic toiletries, plus plenty of counter space.

This hotel offers a good range of amenities, and guests at the Lake House have access to other facilities at the neighboring High Peaks Resort, including two outdoor pools (open seasonally) and an indoor pool. The Lake House has an indoor pool of its own, housed in a small room with large windows on one end; there's also a small hot tub in the space, on a platform off to one side. Other amenities on the property include a fitness center with cardio and weight-training equipment, yoga classes, and a spa -- Element Day Spa and Salon -- which offers all sorts of facials, massages, and beauty treatments, including make-up services for weddings and events. The hotel can also help with organizing activities in the area, and arrange for things like ski and snowshoe rentals in the winter. Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards are available free of charge in the summer months. Pets are welcome in rooms and most areas, free of charge, and Wi-Fi is free throughout the property. There's also ample free on-site parking.