Ampersand Bay Resort, Saranac Lake NY

We’ve been hosting our family reunion at Ampersand for over a decade but this will be our last visit. The quality of the place’s amenities and cleanliness of the condos (we rented seven condos this year) has declined with each passing year even as the rates ballooned.

My husband and two kids stayed in a birch condo and when I first opened the door to my ground floor bedroom, cockroaches scurried away and I noticed a large damp stain on the rug from rainwater seeping in over the door’s threshold.

I managed to kill one of the cockroaches and complained to the staff. They said they’d send someone over but never did. Meanwhile, it was clear they knew there was an infestation since they had installed bug deterrent devices in every room.

Next door, my cousin caught a mouse and in the Heron condos, my uncles struggled with plumbing issues that led to waste water bursting up from their sinks and tub drains within an hour of their arrival.

In the Balsam cabins, my aunt and uncle had to rewash every dish because items in the drawers and cabinets were still covered in bits of food from a previous guest.

I am not sure what is going on with the cleaning staff and maintenance of these buildings, but the conditions were completely unacceptable and staff offered no assistance, explanation, or apology. I might expect a room to be damp, dirty, or infested at a roadside motel but my extended family spent well over 30k for our one week stay, (well over $200 per night per bedroom). At that price, we shouldn’t have to deal with mildewed carpets, cockroaches, mice, sewer backups, and MIA cleaning staff.

For my husband and two kids (3 year old & four month old), we decided to stay in spite of the bugs and damp room. We were here to see family and so we made it work. (We knew this would mean serious cleaning when we got home.) We all got a stuffy, runny nose after our first night in the condo and I assumed it was the start of a cold. The runny noses, sneezing and coughs persisted through the week right through to this morning as we packed up our things to head home. But seven hours later, my kids’ runny noses and coughs were gone and my own runny nose and sneezing was improving. It wasn’t a cold after all. I believe our room was making us sick.

Less serious but still relevant is this: boat rental prices are exorbitant there. We easily rented pontoon boats and motor boats from a nearby business for just over half the price that Ampersand was charging. Don’t rent boats from them.

Last comment is about the actual condition of the buildings and landscaping… we have watched as the Heron condos have sunk deeper and deeper into the marshy soil due to improper foundation work over the 10+ years that we have been coming to Ampersand resort. This year, All the covered docs and much of the waterfront buildings are under water and many are effectively inaccessible.

Also waterlogged are the large grassy areas between the condos and the beach. They are are now effectively marsh land overtaken by Canada geese that have pooped EVERYWHERE. The staff would do well to naturalize some of this soggy turf covered in poop and install a few boardwalks to offer guests paths that aren’t muddy or covered in poop. Adding water loving (water absorbing) plants might offer a more balanced ecosystem AND prevent water from making its way into the downstairs bedrooms of the birch condos.

Without such naturalizing measures to reduce the Canada geese domination, I spent the week watching my three year old like a hawk to make sure he didn’t touch poop and that we washed hands frequently. It made beech play quite a bit less enjoyable.

We had a great experience renting a boat here! Super easy, and the staff was very helpful and kind!

Every summer, we go camping on Saranac Lake and have rented a boat from Ampersand Bay. These folks are a pleasure to deal with. The boats have 100% been reliable and perfect for our needs and the staff/management make sure that we're 100% satisfied. It keeps us coming back to Ampersand Bay year after year.

This place it's absolutely beautiful and relaxing. The sunrise and sunset always stunning.

We had a nice stay at Ampersand Bay Resort for Saranac Lake Winter Carnival! The cabin we stayed in was nicely sized with everything we needed. Despite the cold temperatures, we were nice and cozy inside. We had an issue arise with our cabin during our stay, and the staff very communicative and able to resolve the issue to our satisfaction. We look forward to staying here again!

Unique combination of Rustic and Modern. Well maintained and clean. Had a great experience, highly recommend