The Sagamore Resort

Lake George has plenty of motels and cottage colonies, and then it has the Sagamore, which is a different category entirely. Opened in 1883 and set on Green Island in Bolton Landing, connected to the mainland by a short bridge, it is the lake's grand historic resort, a white-columned hotel with the kind of scale and amenities that turn a stay into a whole vacation. After fires, a 1930 reconstruction, and a multi-million-dollar restoration that brought it back in 1985, it has settled into its role as the flagship of the region, and it wears the Historic Hotels of America badge with reason.

Is The Sagamore Resort worth it?

For a lake vacation with real range, yes, and it is the easy number one on Lake George. The case is depth: an island setting on the water, an 18-hole Donald Ross golf course, a spa, indoor and outdoor pools, eight places to eat, boat cruises, and enough room types to suit a couple, a family, or a whole reunion. The historic grandeur is genuine and hard to find elsewhere in the Adirondacks. The honest counterpoint is scale and season. This is a big, busy resort at peak summer, not a quiet hideaway, and rates and crowds rise accordingly, so if you want intimacy or a bargain, a smaller inn will suit you better. For the classic grand-resort lake experience, nothing else on Lake George competes.

Where is The Sagamore Resort?

The resort occupies Green Island in Bolton Landing, on the quieter, more scenic western shore of Lake George, about an hour north of Albany and its airport. Sitting on its own island gives the Sagamore a sense of arrival and privacy that shore hotels cannot match, while the bridge keeps the village of Bolton Landing, with its shops and restaurants, a short walk or drive away. The golf course and additional lodging sit on the mainland side. This is Adirondack country, so a car is essential, and the payoff is direct access to the lake for boating, cruises, and swimming, plus the mountains and trails all around.

What are the rooms like?

Wide-ranging, which is a real strength here. The historic main hotel holds 137 rooms and suites with a classic, traditional feel, many looking out over the lake or the grounds. Beyond the main building, the estate adds lodge rooms, condominium-style units, and cottages and houses with up to several bedrooms, which is what makes the Sagamore work equally well for a couple's weekend and a large family gathering. Because this is a historic property with many accommodation categories, the experience varies by room type, so it is worth being specific about what you want, whether that is a lake-view room in the main hotel for the grand-resort feel or a condo or cottage for space and a kitchen.

Where should you eat and drink?

You could stay a week and not repeat, since the resort runs around eight dining outlets. La Bella Vita is the main dining room, serving Italian-inspired cooking for breakfast through dinner, and The Pavilion pairs lake views with a full lunch and dinner menu. The Club Grill is the steakhouse up by the golf course, good for a bigger dinner, and Caldwell's handles lighter fare, sandwiches, salads, and desserts, for an easy meal. Add seasonal and poolside options and a bar scene, and the practical upshot is that you rarely need to leave the island for a meal, though Bolton Landing's restaurants are close when you want a change.

What is there to do?

This is where a grand resort earns its keep. The centerpiece is the Donald Ross-designed championship golf course, one of the Adirondacks' classics, and the Sagamore Spa covers the wellness side with treatments, indoor and outdoor pools, and a fitness center. On the water you have swimming, boating, and lake cruises aboard the resort's historic vessel, and the setting opens onto Adirondack hiking, biking, and, in winter, snow season nearby. Families get kids' programming and space to roam, and the event lawns and ballrooms make it one of the region's premier wedding venues. It is a full resort, so a stay can be as active or as restful as you make it.

When should you book, and what will it cost?

The Sagamore is highly seasonal, and summer is the crescendo, when the lake is at its best and the resort is fullest and priciest. Fall foliage is a spectacular and popular second peak. For value and a quieter stay, the shoulder seasons of late spring and early fall are the sweet spot, and the resort operates into the colder months for a cozy Adirondack escape. Plan for resort-level pricing and any resort fee, and if a specific room type matters, a lake-view main-hotel room or a particular cottage, book early because those go first. This is a special-occasion and vacation resort, so budget for it as a trip rather than a night's stay.