Where to Stay in Ithaca

Or, how NASCAR threw a lug wrench into our plans.  Ithaca in the summer is quite beautiful, if a little sleepy.  Unless of course there is a NASCAR race in Watkins Glen. Which there is on the weekend of our wedding, we recently learned.  What this means for you is that hotels are already getting booked.  Ithaca is made for large crushes of people a few days out of the year (think graduation) and there are a lot of options - we have put some of these together for you.  But we do want to suggest reserving one right away! We apologize for being pushy, but strongly suggest that you book something soon soon soon. We're told that the whole city will be fully booked months before our wedding! (You can always cancel, guilt-free, usually up to 3 days beforehand; hotels will have no trouble re-booking your room. But please check the cancellation policy at the hotel you select.) So, even if you're just considering whether to come, please reserve a hotel room, B&B, cabin, or campsite!


We’ve reserved blocks rooms in a few local hotels, which are listed below.  If these don’t appeal to you, feel free to peruse the longer list or check out the www.visitithaca.com website.  We’re also looking into getting Cornell dorm rooms, which still isn’t confirmed but could be fun!  We recommend making a hotel reservation ASAP, and then switching to the dorms later if it becomes possible and appeals to you.

Hotels We’ve Reserved:

• Country Inn & Suites. A new hotel located 1 mile south of downtown. Has a complimentary shuttle to downtown and the airport.  Rooms are $189.99 per night. Reservations can be made by calling the property directly at (607) 256-1100, or the Country Inn & Suites toll-free line at (800) 456-4000.  Please mention the Johnson-Maxfield Wedding when you call.  Unfortunately you can’t use their online reservation system to access these reserved rooms. (www.countryinns.com/ithacany)
• Homewood Suites by Hilton. Located north of Cornell, 5 miles from downtown Ithaca. All rooms are suites with a kitchen, and are either studios or multi-room suites. Kitchens have cookware and dishes provided. Rooms are $155 per night for a studio or 1-bedroom suite. Reservations can be made by calling the hotel directly at (607) 266-0000, and mention the Johnson-Maxfield wedding.  Unfortunately you can’t use their online reservation system to access these reserved rooms. (www.ithaca.homewoodsuites.com)
• Best Western University Inn. Located in East Hill Plaza (a shopping center), 2 miles east of downtown Ithaca.  Free shuttle service to and from Cornell University, downtown Ithaca Commons and Tompkins County Airport. Reservations can be made by calling the hotel directly at (607) 272-6100 x4714 and mentioning the Johnson-Maxfield wedding. (www.BestWesternUniversityInnIthaca.com)

Swanky and Business Hotels: 

The high-end hotels in Ithaca are the ones with the most restrictions for our weekend. If you can’t find what you want, we recommend some of the nicer B&Bs.  

• The Statler Hotel at Cornell University.  Run by the College of Hotel Administration, the Statler is walking distance to Collegetown restaurants and shops. 1.5 miles to downtown Ithaca. Rooms start at $240 per night, and there are some restrictions on check-in dates for our wedding weekend. (www.statlerhotel.cornell.edu or (800) 541-2501) 
• Hilton Garden Inn. Located in downtown Ithaca near the Commons, within short walking distance of many restaurants and shops. This hotel has a 3-night minimum for our weekend and does not have many rooms remaining. Rooms are $209-284 per night. (www.hiltongardeninn.com or (607) 277-890) 
• Holiday Inn. Located in downtown Ithaca near the Commons, within short walking distance of many restaurants and shops. This hotel has a 3-night minimum for our weekend. Rooms are $230-290 per night (www.hiithaca.com or (877) 863-4780) 
• Courtyard by Marriott. Located near the Ithaca Airport, 12 minutes from downtown Ithaca. (The Ithaca airport is a small regional one, so hotels near it won’t have the bad connotations of a usual airport hotel!) There may be restrictions on the reservation length or availability. (www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/ithcy-courtyard-ithaca or (866) 541-3600)
• La Tourelle Resort & Spa. Has a variety of room types, a well-known restaurant, and is on 70 acres. Located 3 miles south of downtown. $215-330 per night. (www.latourelle.com or (800) 765-1492)

Mid-Range Hotels: 

• Taughannock Farms Inn. Located north of Ithaca, 10 miles from downtown. Some holidays have two-night minimums. The Inn has a well-known restaurant. Rooms are $140-210 per night. (www.t-farms.com or (607) 387-7711)
• Country Inn & Suites. A new hotel located 1 mile south of downtown. Has a complimentary shuttle.  Rooms are $180-240 per night.  (www.countryinns.com/ithacany or (800) 596-2375)
• Homewood Suites by Hilton. Located north of Cornell, 5 miles from downtown Ithaca. All rooms are suites with a kitchen, and are either studios or multi-room suites. Kitchens have cookware and dishes provided. Rooms are $155 per night for a studio or 1-bedroom suite. (www.ithaca.homewoodsuites.com or (607) 266-0000)
• Ramada Inn. Located north of Cornell, 4.5 miles from downtown Ithaca. Has complimentary shuttle service to and from the Tompkins County Regional Airport and Cornell University. Has pools, sauna, hot tub, fitness room and free parking. If you reserve here, make sure your room is not in the Clarion, which is owned by the same people and shares reservations; reviews say that the Clarion is gross. Rooms are $120-$150 per night. (www.ramadainnithaca.com or (607) 257-3100)
• Comfort Inn. $130-$160 per night. Located 2 miles south of downtown Ithaca.  (www.choicehotels.com or (800) 228-5150)
• Best Western University Inn. Located in East Hill Plaza (a shopping center), 2 miles east of downtown Ithaca.  Free shuttle service to and from Cornell University, downtown Ithaca Commons and Tompkins County Airport. No online reservations. (www.bestwesternuniversityinnithaca.com or (607) 272-6100 x 4714)

Bed & Breakfasts: 

• There are a ton of local B&Bs located in and around Ithaca. Most have just 3-5 rooms. The best place to find a list is at www.visitithaca.com– click on the lodging tab and search under B&Bs.  Note that some of these B&Bs are 30 minutes away from downtown Ithaca. 
• Frog’s Way and The Wild Goose B&Bs at EcoVillage. For our adventurous and eco-minded friends, you can rent rooms or an apartment at EcoVillage, a sustainable co-housing community. Rooms are $65-$90 per night. Located 3 miles west of downtown Ithaca. (www.frogsway-bnb.com or (607) 275-0249; www.wildgoose-bb.com or (607) 272-0953)
  

Camping and Cabins:
There are three gorgeous state parks near Ithaca, and each has camp sites and cabins available.  Cabins have 4 cots with mattresses, electricity, an outside picnic table, and a fire ring. Cabins do not have heating. Cabins are $48 per night; campsites are $19 per night. Park information for all three can be found on the New York State Parks website (http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks). Reservations can be made on the Reserve America website (www.reserveamerica.com), which also has details about the amenities at each park and campsite. Because this is a holiday weekend, reserve these sites as soon as you can!

• Taughannock Falls State Park. Taughannock is one of the highest waterfalls in the East, falling 215 feet into a deep canyon. The park offers 4 miles of hiking trails on 783 acres, boating, and swimming in Cayuga Lake. There are 16 cabins and 72 campsites with public toilets and showers. Located 11 miles north of Ithaca.
• Buttermilk Falls State Park. Buttermilk is locally known for its falls that spill into a natural swimming hole. The park offers 7.5 miles of hiking trails on 751 acres and a 15-acre lake.  There are 7 cabins and 61 campsites with public toilets and showers. Located 3 miles south of downtown Ithaca.
• Robert H. Treman State Park. This 1,025-acre park has smaller falls and a swimming area.  There are 13 cabins and 67 campsites with public toilets and showers. (Don’t confuse this with Alan Treman Park, which is in downtown Ithaca and does not offer camping.) Located 6 miles south downtown Ithaca.
  

Other resources for lodging:
www.visitithaca.com - click on the lodging tab and search by type. There are more mid-range hotels and motels than we’ve listed above, along with loads of B&Bs.