Lake Motels in the Northeast

Cove Creek Lodge

McHenry, MD

A 2024-renovated lakeside motor lodge on a quiet cove of Deep Creek Lake, where rooms open onto their own decks and a fireside armchair waits at the end of the day. The social side runs outdoors here, with a heated pool, firepits by the water, and free kayaks and paddleboards you can take out whenever the lake looks inviting.

Grayhaven Motel

Ithaca, NY

Eleven wooded acres where rooms hold curated art by local artists, vinyl record players, and s'mores kits. Eight years into a restoration that keeps getting better.

Lakeview on the Lake

Harborcreek, PA

A family-run cluster of 1940s motor court cottages, knotty pine cabins, and modern suites strung along an eight-acre bluff above Lake Erie. Everything faces west, and every evening ends in an Adirondack chair on the grassy knoll, watching the sun drop straight into the water.

Miami Motel

Canandaigua, NY

A 1952 Miami-inspired frame where rooms have been restored one by one over a decade, each with its own color scheme, furniture, and layout. Drive-up parking at the door and a cult following earned over time.

Motel Long Lake and Cottages

Long Lake, NY

A lakefront cluster of retro-renovated rooms and Adirondack cabins right on the shore of Long Lake, where every unit gets a screened porch and the canoes and kayaks are free at the dock. Mornings are for paddling glassy water and evenings for gas fire pits under some of the darkest skies in the Northeast.

The Kelby

Hebron, NH

A single-level lakeside hideaway near Newfound Lake where the Doyle family swapped city life for slow mornings, kitchenette rooms, and semi-private decks under the trees. A cheerful cafe out front and a shared beach a short walk away make it feel less like a stopover and more like borrowing a friend's cabin.

The Rex Hotel

Greentown, PA

Quality beds, a fire pit, and a private trailhead steps from the door. A welcome bag greets every arrival, and the mountains beyond take over from there.

Colonial Motel

North East, PA

Family owned and freshly updated a short walk from Freeport Beach, in the heart of Pennsylvania's Lake Erie wine country. A single level with doors that open to the outside, a picnic area, and grills for a quiet lake-town stay.

East Shore Lodging

Hawley, PA

Unusually large rooms in a converted row of shops, with an on-site boat tour and a lakeside walking trail starting across the street. A format that works and owners who built it from what was already here.

Pines Motel on Lake Erie

Ripley, NY

1950 knotty pine bones and the Rock & Roll Suite in the 1822 farmhouse with a record player and vinyl collection. Restored by people who relocated specifically to bring it back.