1897 Beekman House Bed and Breakfast — Hotel in Town of Starkey

My friend and I stayed in the French room for 2 nights and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. From the moment we walked in and were greeted by the proprietors, we were in awe of the magnificent old architecture (that fireplace!) and beautiful furnishings. Our room was absolutely gorgeous with incredible antique furniture, but the bed was also very comfortable. Of note, I appreciated that the blankets were not too heavy, as many hotels these days only have one thick comforter which I always find way too hot. There were also extra blankets available if needed. I had inquired whether there was enough room for an inflatable air mattress, and imagine my surprise when we walked in and found one already set up for us complete with linens! What a relief to not have to set it up ourselves, and it was a twin size and fit perfectly in the room. The bathroom was very clean and the shower had great water pressure. The breakfasts were some of the best I've had anywhere, and extremely filling, setting us up nicely for a day of adventure. Note: breakfast is served at the large dining room table with other guests, which I was a bit wary of at first. I wasn't too keen on making small talk with strangers with no caffeine in my system yet, but it turned out to be interesting and lovely to talk with the other guests. A highlight of breakfast was when the owners came out and chatted at the end, and brought out their sweet and well behaved dog Lola to say hello! Overall, we absolutely loved our time at the Beekman. We felt very welcome from the moment we arrived and would stay there again in a heartbeat! It may seem like it is in the middle of nowhere, but it is well situated between Keuka and Seneca Lakes, making it ideal for wine tasting, and not far from Penn Yan, Watkins Glen and Geneva. The owners were also very responsive emailing me about dinner suggestions in the area and knowledgeable about local wineries. Indeed, Lily was a sommelier in NYC! Thank you,...

If you’re thinking of staying in Watkins Glen during a trip to the Finger Lakes: Switch your plans and stay here in the small village of Dundee. It’s only 15 minutes away but closer to wineries like Hermann Wiemer and Dr Konstantin Frank.

Hosts Greg and Lilly will welcome you into their Victorian gem, incredibly well preserved to the period. They took over running the inn in March 2021 and are busier than ever. They are former wine industry pros from NYC which means they know hospitality better than anyone in our weeklong trip to various parts of the Finger Lakes.

Each guest room (there are 5) has its own charms, so you can’t go wrong. I stayed in Isadora’s, which faces Main Street in Dundee. A special treat was waking up to horses clopping as the local Mennonite families make their way to church.

The most incredible part of the stay was Greg’s breakfast, served by Lilly. Gourmet breakfast served in a Victorian dining room with other guests. Splendid.

Tip: Ask Greg and Lilly after you book your room to suggest restaurants in the area. They know it well. Stonecat Cafe and Elf in the Oak around the lake in Hector were favorites. And Graft in Watkins Glen was the overall best!

Can’t wait to return to this part of the Finger Lakes! Thanks, Greg and Lilly! I hope you remain as busy as you are and your business...

We stayed one night (quick note: the availability of one-night stays is a huge plus, or at least it was for us this time), and so only partook of the service for that long, and of only one breakfast, but these folks do make an impression. It's a beautiful home, with a ground floor full of curios if you want to explore, and our bedroom and bathroom were comfortable and pleasant. The breakfast was simply fantastic. I've never had a thick slice of french toast cooked so well in my life - creamy and custardy in the center, with a thin crisp along the outside - but I still found myself stealing from my wife's plate of croque madame, with its tasty ham and perfectly runny egg yolk. The first-course pastry had the quality of a fine bakery. Overall, I highly recommend this place on those merits alone. And if you like dogs, the proprietors' shepherd is friendly and fun too.

Dundee itself is not much of a draw - one stoplight, a Dollar Store and a gas station/convenience store, in the middle of seemingly nowhere, crisscrossed by Mennonite horse & carriages at sunup and sundown. But the town is situated geographically right between Lakes Keuka and Seneca (albeit closer to Seneca, as far as the roads are concerned), and so ideally situated for, say, a 2-day weekend of wine touring on one lake and...