The Hotel Laurel at Seneca

The view and location alone would be enough to bring me back. Our room was clean, the area was quiet and felt safe, and I liked the Halloween decorations. The restaurant was decent, though there are other food options not far up the road. The parking setup caused a real headache. Each unit has one space, so if somebody else takes yours, there’s nowhere to park by your unit. You have to leave your car at the lobby and walk all the way down. That’s especially rough in the dark, rain, cold, and after a tiring hike. It happened to us both nights, and we also heard neighbors honking and yelling at someone. The hotel should provide a card or some other way to show which car belongs to each unit. Aside from that, we enjoyed our stay a lot.

We paid $235 a night for The Laurel because the photos showed a gorgeous, unobstructed private balcony view for our wedding anniversary. Instead, we were put in a ground-level room at the bottom of a hill, with our window directly facing a parking lot. Guests and staff walked right past it, and two cars blocked the scenery completely. We kept the curtains shut for privacy, so the advertised view was no use to us. The listing never said ground-level rooms were possible, and if I’d known, I would have called to secure the room shown online. We never would have booked otherwise. It felt like a roadside motel stay for the same price other guests paid for a million-dollar view and private balcony. I asked to move the first morning, which meant missing the chance to have coffee with the sunrise. The front desk person was kind, but the place was fully booked and she couldn’t do anything. I contacted Expedia about what I see as false advertising. The representative claimed the listing said “balcony upon request.” I asked exactly where, but got no answer. I read the policy, amenities, important-to-know, and about sections carefully, and found nothing saying a parking-lot room was possible. Even with photo proof, Expedia only offered “key points” as compensation, which would require using their service again and still left the room at $200 a night. It was a horrible experience, and I felt they were skirting the issue after taking our money. Call ahead to make sure you get the room actually advertised, so you don’t end up as we did.

We had a really nice view from our clean, updated room, and the bed was comfortable. The staff were friendly, and the restaurant was convenient with reasonable prices. It’s only minutes from Watkins Glen. I’d definitely recommend this hotel.

We had a great weekend here. The staff were very friendly and welcoming, and the spacious balconies looked out over the shores of Seneca Lake, with beautiful, peaceful panoramic views. The motel has been completely refurbished, pairing mid-century decor with updated amenities for a step-back-in-time feel.