The Chautauqua Harbor Hotel

We arrive at the village of Celoron, NY under sunny, blue skies and somewhat to our surprise, very warm temperatures. I think we brought the Florida weather with us -- no need to unpack the gloves and sweaters. Established in the 1800s,  the village used to house the region's premier amusement park, which is now the site of the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel. From 1894 to 1962, it was the location of the Celoron Amusement Park, called “the top amusement park of its day between New York and Chicago.” It featured four hotels, athletic events, top musical and vaudeville acts and a giant toboggan slide. Historic photos of the park can be seen in the hotel lobby.

The hotel sits on nine acres by beautiful Lake Chautauqua. The newest Harbor Hotel, it features 135 rooms and suites, many with balconies. On arrival, the cheerful desk clerk presented us with an insulated travel bag containing fresh fruit, snacks and water. It's a gift for anyone who specifically books the Empire State Road Trip by calling 607-535-3659 or on the website, https://www.harborhotelcollection.com/experiences/empire-state-road-trip.
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Top of mind for all travelers these days are the COVID safeguards and protocols. While New York had recently relaxed restrictions, the hotel continued their modified procedures, such as:

— Daily housecleaning suspended for guests staying four days or less
— Nightly turn down service suspended
— Bell service on request
— Limits to the number of people using the pool or fitness room, and social distancing in the restaurant.

Hotel personnel wore masks at all times, but for guests who are fully vaccinated (we are), masks were optional.

With its beautiful lakeside location, and extensive banquet and meeting facilities, it’s the perfect choice for special events and weddings. In fact, there were no less than three weddings going on while we were there, no doubt all delayed due to the pandemic.

Our room was spacious, with wooden floors and all the upscale touches one would expect, including Pam’s favorite – a big, fluffy robe. She also appreciated the daily coffee and tea service, available on each floor starting at 6 am.

Once we settled in, it was time to tour and explore. The hotel features two pools – one indoor and one outdoor, as well as a fitness center. For dining, there’s the Lake Side Tap and Grille. No doubt the main attraction is the outdoor space, where you sip a drink in an Adirondack chair by one of the firepits, gather with friends at the Carousel Bar or claim a spot to view one of their spectacular lake sunsets.

One section of the lobby is devoted to a display from the National Comedy Center, located in nearby Jamestown (more on that soon). Established in 2018 to document the history of comedy, it has quickly been recognized as one of the nation’s top museums. We’ll be visiting there tomorrow, along with the museum devoted to Jamestown’s most famous resident, Lucille Ball. (NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell also hails from Jamestown.)
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