Cassadaga Hotel

Cassadaga itself felt like a beautiful little hidden gem, with lovely grounds, a calming sense of peace, and good energy. We met some lovely people and went to lectures, services, and a seance during our first trip, for the fall gala weekend in November. The gala was wonderful too, and we'll definitely return. The hotel is quaint, cozy, and full of character. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but we weren't looking for those.

Quiet and unplugged, with no amenities or TVs in the rooms. Bring a Keurig if you want coffee before 9 am or after.

The staff at the hotel and restaurant were nice, a little quirky in a way that fit the town, and the restaurant food was decent with fair prices. Still, the place came across more like a tourist trap, taking advantage of people hurting over a lost loved one, than anything spooky. The reading we had was vague, but at least we can say we tried it. The rooms felt old and damp. There's no central AC, just wall units, and the towels and sheets looked worn, maybe 40-50 years old. They were all dark colored, which grossed us out since it seemed they couldn't be bleached. There's no TV either. It felt like an old hideaway in the middle of nowhere, the sort of place you'd go to hide from someone. We'd heard about Cassadaga and were curious, but couldn't cancel our phone reservation, so we went despite being on a road trip and short on time. The cancellation policy required 72 hours' notice, FYI. We visited shops and the fairy garden, had dinner and a reading, and rinsed off in the shower after spending the day at the springs. You only need 1-4 hours to see what's there, depending on what you want to do. It was nice to see once. I just wish we'd been able to cancel the hotel reservation, since we didn't stay. Oh well.

I was a bit disappointed. I know the hotel wants to keep its historic charm, but the room I had needed more attention to detail. It was very dusty, including the furniture, and the shades were broken. The mattress needs replacing, and there were black spots on the bathtub and walls. The restaurant doesn't serve breakfast, so you'll have to go elsewhere. Its prices were high too, $50 for two Cokes and two Caesar salads.