High Peaks Resort in Lake Placid, New York

During last weekend’s birding trip to the Adirondacks my friends and I had the pleasure of being hosted by The High Peaks Resort on Main Street in Lake Placid (located a bit south of the famous Bicknell’s Thrush site on Whiteface Mountain). The Resort overlooks Mirror Lake and the views beyond, and features 133 recently refurbished rooms, some with direct waterfront access to Mirror Lake.

The Resort has a primo location right in the heart of Lake Placid’s bustling downtown, two indoor and two outdoor swimming pools, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and a full-service spa & salon.

Front desk at the High Peaks Resort.

It casual-but-upscale family friendliness and is underscored by a dramatic and inspiring architecture…

An extension of the lobby.

…such as this stone fireplace in the lobby, which keeps you toasty on chilly Adirondack nights without missing a social beat.

This stone fireplace anchors the lobby.

And the guestrooms? The guestrooms had me at Hello. Not just for their great views and stylish decor with warm woods and autumn hues, nor its oversized work desk, flat screen televisions, complimentary  WiFi, or even the multi-function music systems with MP3 players.

But for the beds. The beds are soft and thick with triple-sheet high-thread count linens–the kind that make you want to roll around like a pig in mud. I mean, these beds are so comfortable they made me seriously question my bird watching practices: what fool abandons this kind of comfort at 5:30 in the morning?

As if luxurious beds weren’t enough, the European style bathrooms are sinfully delicous. They feature a marble vanity with wall-mount faucets and a walk-in shower lined with natural stone tiling and rainfall showerheads. The shower makes you appreciate a day’s build up of sweat and grime. Heck, I’d roll around in mud again if it gave me another excuse to shower here.

European style bathroom with walk-in shower

The Resort features two restaurants, the Dancing Bear lounge and Reflections casual dining. My friends and I ate at the Dancing Bear and ordered standard American fare. The meals and service were good and the atmosphere was lively.

Dancing Bear restaurant

High Peaks Resort is a good choice if you travel to the rugged Adirondacks, but prefer to leave the hardships behind on the trail.

If you go:

High Peaks Resort | 2384 Saranac Avenue |Lake Placid, NY 12946-1105 | Phone: 518.523.4411 |  Toll-Free: 1.800.755.5598. Rates start at $189 per night this summer. Hint: “Like” the resort on Facebook so you can be informed of special “Fan Fare” deals offering deep discounts.