Cayuga Lake Inn - Ithaca Hotel Alt, Lansing NY

This bed and breakfast was beautiful. The views from the room were stunning, and outside patio and garden area was so cute and quaint. Diane the host was the sweetest woman and very accommodating. After our stay we forgot our pillows and she had to drive to 2 different post offices to mail them back to us. She was so nice about it. Can’t wait to visit again one day.

I needed a break after solo-caretaking for a sick toddler, and Cayuga Lake Inn was exactly what the doctor ordered! I stayed during the Inn's dormant season, so it was very quiet and rooms had been unoccupied for some time. Diane upgraded me to a room in the villa, which I had completely to myself! The view of the lake was incredible-I could see it from my bed, from the many window seats, everywhere. The property is sprawling, with wonderful gardens and a wild prairie where I saw a herd of deer grazing every evening. They came right up to the house, within 10 ft of where I was sitting. Diane is an incredible, sparkly human who can sit and talk about anything from teaching pedagogy to crystals and vibes. If you are looking for a quiet retreat where you can soak up fresh air, sun, birdsong, and enjoy the company of a truly unique soul, this is the place for you!

Pillows are not comfortable at all. No TV or any entertainment to unwind with. Hot water doesn't last very long at all. Limited privacy. We were also told breakfast isn't included with the bed and breakfast like most are and told when it's made only one dish is made and was directed to restaurants near by. Room view was pretty but the room wasn't very clean. Upon arrival pillows were left on the floor and a old pair of socks was lying on the floor under the table.

Our room in the villa was really nice and the view of the sunset was gorgeous. We visited in July and we saw a pair of fawns off the deck early in the morning! A special thank you for mailing my glasses back! I was so happy someone found them, your thoughtfulness is appreciated!

Beautiful room overlooking the lake. Saw several deer. Just beautiful scenery and a great Host!

Beautiful! Dianne is a gem and her place is magical, it’s like something out of a fairytale book. Truly was an honor being her guest and I can’t wait to come back. Absolutely amazing!

My husband and I stayed over night. Diane has an amazing personality. When we arrived we had the option on choosing which room we wanted. (Which is rare) we chose the villa. It had an amazing view of cayuga lake. All of the amazing antique pieces were amazing. I will be staying here again.

Beautiful view, really enjoyed my stay! Would definitely recommend to other people traveling through the finger lakes or Ithaca.

This is the second time I’ve visited Cayuga Lake Inn and it has been as pleasant as ever. Diane is a great host and the breakfast she serves is delightful. I needed to change rooms and she was very flexible about it. Overall a great experience if you’re visiting Ithaca. Would definitely come again.

I stayed here a few years ago but I’m sure nothing has changed. It’s a very cool place to stay. I remember I stayed in a ground floor room with a shared bathroom and Diane had just made a hammock out of an old curtain. Was different but very cool. Great views up on the top deck to drink a bottle of wine and take in the great views. I think I stayed here during Memorial Day. Wasn’t super busy but the place was very cool. I moved well across the country and think about this place from time to time. It isn’t a 5 star resort but it’s an experience. I really enjoyed my stay here and it’s in beautiful upstate New York. The rooms had a/c but It was a nice summer night and we slept with the screen door opened and had a nice breeze roll in. Man what a great time. If you’re in the area or are on the fence check this place out. And call before hand you never know what rooms will be open

The view is gorgeous, the room lovely and spacious. The bed was very comfortable. And Diane was easy to communicate with and shared many local hidden gems. A delightful stay

No AC, no lights when you arrive, no screens in the windows, no lock on back sliding door (i was given a stick to jam in), and main door to our room was glass. More a hostel than Inn. Gave me back half my money which I took and ran with because of time constraint, but still feel scammed. Want the rest of my money back. Do Not Go! You've been warned.

Could not ask for a better host, Diane is the sweetest! She gave us a free upgrade to the bedroom overlooking the lake. Amazing fresh air fills the room while my wife laid in our robes. This is a must for a fun romantic getaway in the Finger Lakes
Will definitely be back. Berkley and Khrystal

We loved our week-long stay at Cayuga Lake Inn. Diane was very accommodating-we were taking our son up to school in Ithaca, and his aptment that he'd rented had signif problems. So, he had to spend a couple of days very quickly finding alternative accom'ns. However, we were able to add him to our stay at the inn for a couple of night without a problem. She was super accommodating as we were facing a few unplanned bumps in the metaphorical road on this trip.
.
.
Diane is friendly, outgoing, and prompt about responding to calls. The grounds around the inn are well tended, tho of course the field beyond the villa & inn sloping down toward the lake is not mowed or landscaped-I wouldn't expect it to be, as that would detract from natural setting. There's a path down to lake, and it's easy to walk thru field. And the view is beautiful.
.
.
The rooms are large, and tho it's true (as others have noted), that some of the bedding isn't brand-new, it can't be more than a couple of years old; it's in fine shape, and quite charming, fitting w/inn's ambiance. There are ample blankets and pillows, and beds were large & comfy-everything was comfy. I've looked thru a couple of other reviews, and one recent review mentioned no screens-we definitely had screens-not even small holes in screens. That helped our ventil'n. Not sure about other rooms, of course.
.
.
We had a key for the door we used-and Katie (who works w/Diane) locked it nightly if we did not. I don't think we ever saw her, but we saw the good work she does.
.
.
There's a small fridge in the common area where we kept keep a few snacks & drinks. Also in common area (and throughout the rooms) are books and puzzles, etc. The common area leads out to a deck with the same lovely view of the lake.
.
.
The inn was clean; our room was very spacious, with a small work area. We had a private restroom next to us, an a separate door to walk out to a small porch. The room had a fan and as others have noted, no air conditioner-but I assume (though I don't know) that many inns/b&bs do not have central air in this region (?). We found the overhead fan and open windows worked fine. I suppose in the future, I'd plan on bringing a fan along on summer road trips to this area-again, I'm assuming (perhaps incorrectly?) central air is unusual. A wall unit would be noisy, possibly drip, and block ventilation. (Granted, to me, Ithaca weather was chilly.)
.
.
Location is perfect-very close to Ithaca, walking distance down to the lake (where I gather there's a swimming home and watefalls). Tho there were other guests, we heard no sounds. I'd think this would be a great option for families w/children, given the expanse of space outside.
.
.
There are a couple of good restaurants nearby, but Diane will serve breakfast, even on short notice (and I think dinner, though I'm not 100% sure.)
.
.
It's very, very peaceful-you can have all the privacy you desire, though we did meet several other inn guests who were friendly and very interesting.
.
.
At least when we traveled, the cost was actually LESS than staying at a chain hotel in Ithaca, and the accom'ns were so much nicer. We had no complaints; it more than exceeded our expectations, which is why we stayed several days extra. We hope to stay there when we visit our son in a few months.
.
.
The one minor thing that I'd suggest fis to be waste paper cans in each room-they're in the restrooms, and I assume in common area, but it would be convenient to have them in rooms.

The rooms are vintage, beautiful and comfortable.
I went with my two toddlers and was fun for them. The host is so nice, even left books for kids in the room!
The breakfast and view was spectacular! Clean, affordable, beautiful and romantic spot!

Although our room was spacious and clean, the rest of the property is extremely cluttered and dirty. The common area tables were full of odd things and crumbs, deflated old balloons, lots of dust. The outside seat cushions are old, flat and very uncomfortable. The grounds are terribly neglected with overgrown grass and weeds everywhere. The outside terrace furniture needs to be replaced and the whole thing cleaned up. It was clear Diane was not aware we had booked breakfast and literally pulled leftovers out of her fridge and made a very strange dish that was not very appealing. She never asked about dietary allergies or preferences. This is unfortunate since she could easily get some bakery pastries, fruit, yogurt, granola etc without much effort and make it quite nice for guests. We decided to go somewhere else for breakfast on the additional days.
There was also a very stale dusty smell in our room, on the bedding and towels. I sprayed air freshener in the hopes to make it better but it only masked the smell for a little while. Yes, the inn is quirky which could add to the charm, but instead it just makes it look dated, dusty and in need of a huge makeover. I am pretty sure the comforters, pillows etc haven’t been washed in a really long time. If you are considering this inn, please just be aware that all of the photos are very old. The inn and grounds do not look anything like what you see. I wish I had done a better job in checking the reviews and considered the poor ones, not just the good ones. I feel like there was a bit of a bait and switch here.

We stayed here during 4th of July weekend. Absolutely awesome location and gorgeous views from the deck of the inn. Diane was amazing too with her sweetness and energy! She cooked fresh breakfast every morning for us. Lots of attractions nearby including Myers park only 5 minutes away.we had a great time. Highly recommend!