The Inn at Erlowest

My niece is getting married during the Fall of 2016, and on a recent trip to upstate NY, my Dad and I took a drive up in the Adirondack Mountains to the little town of Lake George to visit the site for the wedding.
The Inn at Erlowest is a truly magnificent turn-​of-​the-​century stone castle, perched on the hillside, overlooking Lake George. It’s easy to imagine guests mingling on the patio after a day on the lake, or parties held by candlelight with fine crystal and laughter, and of the elegance of a time gone by. Erlowest recalls an era when people escaped from the cities to enjoy mountain air and pristine beauty while luxuriating in elegance and sophistication.
Your first view of this spectacular Queen Anne-​style stone castle starts with your drive along Lake Shore Drive, just north of Lake George, in an area that was formerly known as «Millionaires Row». There’s a long meandering driveway that brings you down to the porte-​cochère entrance to this beautiful Inn. The gardens and landscaping are amazing along the way.
Up the steps and onto the covered wrap-​around deck, and then inside to the waiting area where you can check in for your rooms or dinner reservations. A very kind lady escorted us around the Inn, and pointed out the two main dining areas. The Green Room is where they serve complimentary breakfast, and the Red Room is the more formal dining room for dinner. There is a gorgeous bar area tucked around the corner, with it’s rich, dark wood, and great selection of bourbons! Oh happy day!!!
Outside is a covered pavilion which is used for wedding receptions, and weather-​permitting there is an area of the spacious lawn to host an outdoor wedding ceremony, all while overlooking the scenic lake. Dad and I sat on a couple of Adirondack chairs near the big outdoor stone fireplace and decided that we need to remember to bring a bag of marshmallows so that we’ll have something to do after the reception.
Inside the Inn are 10 historically-​restored guest suites, appointed with fireplaces, and breathtaking views of the Lake. Dad and I will be relegated to one of the split-​level lakeside cottages with the rest of the family members.
This place is sheer elegance, and I can’t wait to go back later this year to help my niece celebrate her big day.

We had the most lovely and relaxing evening here. The room was well appointed and comfortable and dinner was fantastic. Well done, chef. Staff are tops and the view of Lake George was gorgeous. Highly recommended on all fronts.

My husband and I spent an overnight here and I highly recommend the inn and the restaurant. The inn is off the main road, overlooking the lake. The rooms are extremely comfortable, immaculate, quiet and well– appointed the bathroom includes a two person shower and jacuzzi. The view of the lake is lovely. Service is perfect, professional, and welcoming. There is an intimate bar and you can take your drink outside and sit by the fire by a beautiful stone fireplace and look at the stars. The restaurant is exceptional and I recommend it even if you are not staying at the inn. Everything was delicious. This is a special dining experience with creatively prepared food and an excellent selection of wine. Service was friendly, professional and non intrusive. I would come here just for the dining but will definitely return for the full experience.

Nothing was not excellent; the food was wonderful, service excellent without being annoying and the location simply beautiful. We came on a weekday, late in the season and was still shown every courtesy even with a wedding being held at the same time. Even though cool, we sat outside on the patio and were very happy for it. Wine list is excellent and a reasonable cost for the quality. We were never rushed and had a very memorable dinner.

Second time here. Stayed overnight! Watched the moon rise over the lake while having a cocktail near the outdoor fire. Enjoyed a great dinner and elegant accommodations. Superb service all around. Bartender even researched how to make a Brandy Alexander, and made an excellent one!

I had one of the best meals of my life here on the 4^th of July. Every taste of food was heaven.

What can I say… My wife and I had the luxury of dining here last Friday night (8÷21÷15) we were lucky enough to get a table outside overlooking the outdoor fireplace. Although the server was maybe not as polished as the food deserved she was attentive and friendly. the atmosphere couldn’t have been better… until the food came– amuse boushe… does anyone even know to do that anymore? This place does with a well thought shrimp Andouille bite! Then when they learned my wife was vegan came running with a vegan option!
A wonderfully executed gazpacho, salad and seared pork belly apps… then came heaven… Local Wagu beef– like nothing I have ever had– Chef made a tofu and Purple rice concoction for the vegan love of my life that hit home.
If this place is in the realm of possibilities for you… you’d be sad to have missed it!

The inn at erlowest is a goergios mansion, one of the nicest places to stay in lake goerge. Their prices are amazing for what they provide on their grounds and within the rooms. The rooms are absolutely gorgeous and you will certainly feel like a queen. I especially liked the beautiful scenery that I was able to see from the balcony. It was a beautiful scene and although I didn’t have a view from my room, my room was absolutely stunning and I would certainly take back the room on my next stay. I would recommend this inn to anyone that needs the feeling of running away to utopia!

Very disappointed in our experience here. Not only did we leave starving, but the food could be equated to something you’d order at Outback. Service was atrocious and slow. We never got our water glasses refilled and many things we asked for we never received (more to drink, coffee with dessert) Overall, we are VERY disappointed in our meal. For the price, this place is NOT worth going to.

My friend and I were so excited to go for dinner to the Inn At Erlowest, We go every year it’s big deal for me. There are very few places I enjoy Dinner in Lake George We had reservation for May 6^th @ 5:30, We both ordered for a starter the Tomato Burrata and it was lacking any flavor, I have taken a few cooking classes at the Institute of Culinary in N.Y.C. Love the experience of eating in fine restaurant.
From the Grill, we order 1 well and 1 medium rare Domestic Lamb T-​bone, my lamb was far from med and both lambs the fat had not render and were grizzly and tough so tough that I struggled with my knife… We were so disappointed we send it back the lamb and ordered coffee instead we were done. We won’t be back to the Inn again and now would never recommend you go there!
As far as a rating they would be lucky if we gave it ½ star, it’s a shame!!!

Overall a gorgeous castle that you absolutely must stay in if you’re ever in the Lake George area. On to the details:
First impressions: The windy road leading down to the Erlowest gives such a dramatic first impression. All of a sudden, BAM! Castle! Plus the Lake is right behind it, just gorgeous.
Our room: We stayed in the Jogues Room which was very nice. The bed was huge and comfy, with an absurd amount of pillows on it. The TV was small but had a bunch of channels. The only downside to our room, really, was the temperature — we came mid-​October during a warm/​humid spell. The only AC was a window unit which we kept blasting on 60 overnight just to keep the humidity at bay. The unit was old and I don’t do well with AC air, so it left me feeling kinda gross.
Bathroom: Luxurious and huge, lots of towels, and tons of charm. However, the tub was so huge, it was dangerous getting in and out of wet because there is nothing to hold on to. There’s no way to do it gracefully (long story short, I ended up with a bruised thigh after trying to climb out soaking wet).
Views of Lake George: INSANELY PRETTY. Our room had a little bit of a view but you can totally enjoy the full effect from the lower or upper balconies.
Dining room/​restaurant: Our stay came with breakfast and it was delicious. We enjoyed the full breakfast menu (no stale continental buffet here!). Everything was fresh cooked and served in the lovely dining room. The menu had everything from eggs & bacon to oatmeal to smoothies. The service was a little slow (there was only one waiter) but we weren’t in a rush. The ambiance is really relaxing and the décor is intricate and so unique.
Staff: Excellent, friendly, warm, and inviting. I can’t say enough about them!
Price: Pricey but worth the splurge for a special occasion.
Extras/​Misc: When we arrived we were brought up a cheese plate and prosecco which was an amazing, and delicious, surprise! We totally brought the prosecco out to the upper balcony and enjoyed while staring out over the lake.
Don’t expect to get any cell service here — wifi/​4G/​3G/​anything! — the granite walls make it impossible to get a signal.
The main floor patio/​balcony is a little piece of heaven. Tons of seating, a huge fireplace they light every night, and a lovely view of the lake.

My wife and I have grown to love Lake George, and are frequent visitors to the region. We recently celebrated our 30^th anniversary with a visit to the Inn at Erlowest.
The Inn itself is beautful. A former residence built in 1898, it oozes turn of the century charm. The building has been modified and renovated, so loses points for preserving history in the strict sense. However, the modifications are mostly welcome. For example, the lake-​faciing patio is large enough to host all of the inn guests (there are only six guest rooms) and the fireplace is a nice addition.
There is a second floor balcony overlooking the lake (as everything does). This is a common area for all guests. There is a section of the balcony marked «private», which is clearly segregated to reduce the likelihood that guests will disturb fellow visitors with rooms that abut that balcony. In other words, it’s crowd control and not really private in the usual sense of that word.
All of the guest rooms are decorated nicely in period décor. The bathrooms are elegantly outfitted in earth toned tile and with modern fixtures. Wireless connectivity was there, although the upper floors are a bit near the end of the range. Our room was The Horicon, which has two windows facing the lake directly.
The staff was extremely friendly and cordial and all seem to enjoy chatting with guests in a very appropriate but personal way. Advice and recommendations on area attractions and restaurants was solid.
The property itself has been radically altered over time. The Villas of Sun Castle resort (a sister property on the same grounds) were built in the 50’s. Sometime more recently, a couple of rows of very nice townhouses were added in order — I assume — to squeeze the most income out of this valuable strip of land. The net effect is a bit cluttered with structures obscuring what was once a pristine bit of lawn extending from the mansion (the Inn) down to the lake. In addition to the Villas, a large wedding-​factory banquet hall was build adjacent to the Inn. The architecture of the banquet hall echos the Inn’s Queen Anne style, but it’s clearly modern-​era construction and it detracts from the overall charm the place once had.
The restaurant was excellent. It has recently opened to the public. Prior to that, it was intended to serve the guests only. Our meals were five-​star, wonderfully prepared and presented, and served with great personal attention in a setting with great old-​school ambiance.
While rooms at the Inn are a bit on the epensive side, I’d definitley return again. It’s worth it for special occasions with a special someone.

Perfect from start to finish. We knew it was a good omen when upon entering the already stunning grounds, we saw a HUGE rainbow spanning the entire lake! Breathtaking. Service was friendly and efficient. I had scallops for an appetizer and gnocchi for the entrée. A friend who is the «wine and food snob» of the group said the filet mignon was the best she ever had and the wine (recommended by the waiter) spectacular. Overall a wonderful and flawless experience!

My husband and I celebrated our wedding reception at the Inn and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get married in the area. We planned our wedding almost exclusively through calls and emails since we were living on the west coast at the time. Erin, the wedding coordinator extraordinaire did an amazing job from start to finish. She made vendor and other hotel recommendations, stepped in when necessary and let us run the show when we wanted to do so. The food choices were exquisite, with many local and seasonal choices. I am very picky with food and expected an amazing spread, and that it was. Not only the food but the display of the food was truly amazing. The chef was able to work with us when we had guests with special dietary needs and the dishes he came up with for those guests were just as delicious! The staff were attentive and gave fantastic customer service from the planning process through the end of the perfect night. When were too busy with guests, our captain made a dish up with a couple of extra slices of cake — and left them in our room for us. What a perfect breakfast that was. :)
The property is gorgeous with views of the lake. The inside of the Inn is ornate and beautiful — lots of great spots to take photos.
The hotel rooms were also stunning — we stayed in the Montcalm Suite and that bed… i could have slept in that bed for days. Our whirlpool tub wasn’t working properly but that didn’t take away from our stay at all. They even left us Champagne for us to drink when we finally went to bed.
I cannot recommend The Inn at Erlowest or working with Erin enough — she really made our day perfect. We are looking forward to spending an upcoming anniversary or birthday there so we can reminisce…

This place is really lovely and the restaurant has delicious food. We had a great time. The only reasons I am not giving it a 5 is because it was incredibly crowded and noisy till late because of a wedding. As a guest we didn’t know that would be happening at the same time.

What a lovely site for a wedding.
The experience begins as you pull into the winding entry way to the inn and the handsomely manicured lawns and landscaping beholds you. You forget, for a moment, that you are in Lake George and only miles away are touristy restaurants, shops, and water parks. When you get to it, this stone castle is a stunner. Very elegant and sophisticated with magnificent views of the lake. Amazing for pictures.
We ran into some difficulties on the day of the wedding as it began to pour about an hour or two before the wedding started and the rain did not pass by the time the wedding was scheduled to begin. Guests arrived while staff were scrambling to put together a tent over an area that was much too small to accommodate everyone. The wedding started an entire half hour late after staff prepared the area of the ceremony to be used and put great efforts into waterproofing the section that the bride would have to walk through in order to walk down the aisle. Many people came together to assure that the bride would not get drenched and ruin her make-​up or dress. A for effort and C for proper planning.
Myself and a few other guests were surprised that there was no better alternative plan for incidences of inclement weather. I thought they’d have a space inside to use in case it got really wet as was the case during the wedding ceremony. Since so many people were crammed into a the little tented area (which was set up beautifully, I must say) it was hard to see at times for the people in the back. Some of our friends were instructed to stand to the side as there was not enough space.
The weather cleared up for the cocktail hour which was very nice. We enjoyed some really tasty cured meats and cheeses along with glasses of champagne, wine, beers and cocktails. Servers + staff were wonderful. The outdoor space overlooking the lake was gorgeous and ideal for picture taking. The indoor reception area was ravishing.
Food was quite tasty. We had a tomato gazpacho to start and that was very good with strong notes of garlic. Salad was an iceberg wedge with bacon and choice two types of dressing — I chose a creamy blue cheese. Entrees included choice of Bronzed Hawaiian Sea Bass, Truffle Honey Glazed Chicken, Filet of Beef Tenderloin and Chef’s Choice Vegetarian. Dessert was wedding cake, an ice cream and cookie bar.
My sea bass was a tad overcooked and overspiced, but decent. I had a bite of my friend’s chicken and that was incredible — wish I had gotten that! Stole a bite of Boyfriend’s beef and that was also very yummy. All of these were on a bed of pesto mashed potatoes which was delish. Also on the plate were a few pieces of nicely cooked asparagus.
After the speeches, dinner, cake cutting and dancing the night away we, along with bride + groom, and close friends headed over to the best man and his wife’s swanky digs just down the hill from the reception area. Wow. What a place.
A beautiful venue for a wedding!

This place is absolutely breath taking. It is a must go see and experience to believe. I brought my wife here for a birthday gift, we stayed in the Montcalm room and I bought the package with dinner included.
I called the Inn about 12:30ish to see when we could check in, they informed me our room would be ready at 1:30. I wanted to get there as early as I could to enjoy the room.
My wife had no idea where we were going or staying so as we arrived I actually had her close her eyes until I was right in front of the Inn, needless to say she was shocked and surprised as one could be. As we walked in the front door we were greeted by a women named Susan. She is a sweetheart, really friendly and helpful. She showed us the dinning room we would be having dinner in and then brought us up to our room. She explain what and where all the controls in the room went to efficiently and fast then left so we could enjoy the room. (see pics of the room) My favorite thing in the room was the Jacuzzi. I’ve been to alot of bed and breakfasts and they claim they have a 2 person Jacuzzis in the room when in fact they only fit 1 person. Not here this jacuzzi actually fits 2 adults with plenty of room to spare. I can honestly say I have never been more relaxed, I didn’t want to go home the following day.
I was really looking forward to dinner, I looked at their menu almost everyday before coming. As part of the dinner package we were served a 3 course meal. The waiter said if we wanted a entrée as an app we could do that as well, it would just be a app portion. So for the first course we ordered french country mac and cheese. (their last one) and chorizo and and manchego risotto. I made my mind up and settle on their Lake Superior Walleye, and my wife ordered their beef strip for our entrée course. Dessert’s we ordered tiramisu?, waffles with some type of bacon dust and blueberry compote.
The best part of the dinner was the app mac and cheese, other than that we didn’t think too much of the food. I was expecting something different in my dish but I didn’t complain because I knew the menu was changing after the night we dine there. I would give the restaurant 2 to 3 stars. When we stay again we will be dinning somewhere else, because the food was a let down for us.
If you are looking to get away for the night with that special someone and you want the «wow factor «definitely bring them here. Sure the rooms are pricey but I am a firm believer, you get what you pay for. Splurge once in a while it won’t kill ya!

With much anticipation, followed even more disappointment. That sums up my first and what will probably be my ONLY experience at this place.
While I can’t speak for the rooms, and while I realize I came during an «of-​fseason», given the prices and what I had heard about the menu, I expected at least a good experience.
To start, the place is very homey. The outdoor fireplace must be a cool thing on a chilly summer night over –looking Lake George. But being that it was November it was an even more welcome sight when I would go out for a smoke.
My whole family booked a table for 27 tonight (the night after Thanksgiving) as is our tradition when we have a destination holiday. The previous reviewer’s description of the the menu as being «small» doesn’t even come close to summing it up. It was so small that I pretty much have it memorized:
APPS
Butternut squash soup– (kind of unoriginal and blah to be a part of a regular menu)
New Zealand Langoustine and mussels in Cioppino broth– tiny Lobster of which you could only eat the minute meat if in the tail, 3 mussels in a «cioppino» broth that was overly sweet. This was my appetizer and I as well as my uncle thought it kind of smelled when it was served.
Mixed Green Salad– Really? Two out of four appetizers are squash soup and a green salad?
I had the beef tenderloin entrée with a gorgonzola potato gratin, and autumn vegetable. I asked for my meat med rare and I got it a LEGIT med well. This was a 6 oz. filet and as I am writing this I am still hungry. But I decided to eat it anyways as to not cause a scene, I was starving and it would take ¹⁵⁄₂₀ minutes for me to get back. Plus, for a tenderloin, this meat was very tough.
I am not going to break it down to the individual components of each course though I could and am tempted to, but this meal was of five star cost and was what I would expect at Fridays except with smaller portions. The service was abysmal as well. The waiters didn’t fill waters more than once, didn’t check on anybody’s entrees and nobody was offered coffee. Really one of the more disappointing experiences I have ever had as this place came recommended by a chef-​friend who had never been. And as a final thought, the menu that was on their home page was twice the size of the ones we were handed. $ 38 for a 6 oz filet is just criminal.

The Inn at Erlowest gets 5 stars for both its rooms and restaurant. Set on Lake George; about 3 minutes north of Lake George Village is this fine establishment. The old castle that the inn now occupies is breathtaking; as is the view of the lake. The rooms are spacious and extremely clean. Now lets talk about the restaurant.
You feel special as soon as you walk through the front door. You are greeted by a host/​hostess and brought into one of 2 intimate dining rooms. The wine list is large but not overwhelming; the menu is fabulous. We have eaten here on multiple occasions and have always been extremely pleased. Every entrée is freshly prepared and placed on the plate like a work of art. In this case; you can judge a book by its cover; since the food tastes every bit as good as it looks. Don’t pass on dessert even if your stomach thinks it had enough.
This is a great «special occasion» restaurant or just if you want an intimate and quiet dinner.
I promise, we will be back again and again.

First impressions are important. The Inn at Erlowest is full of first impressions before you even sit down at your table. The long winding driveway down to the Inn; the view of the lake as you follow that winding road; the look of a castle; the operating fireplace on the portico; the heftiness of the huge door as you enter; the architecture and furnishings of the arrival room. I’m sure you will notice things that I totally missed as I was preoccupied with the things I saw.
While nothing requires or suggests you to be dressed in formal attire, you’ll feel more at home if you are in smart casual attire.
This was our second visit here in about 4 years. There are separate rooms for dining to provide a bit more intimacy, and a bar that overlooks the portico and the lake. There are rooms on the upper floors to stay overnight.
The menu is not large, but has a sufficient variety of soup, salad, appetizer and entrée to please most people. I recall the entrees covering fish, beef, veal, pork, duck, and I’m probably forgetting something, the night we were there.
The appetizers we chose were a potato bisque and a caesar salad. Both were excellent and a step above what would be typically expected. My wife chose a tenderloin of veal while I opted for the short-​ribs with shrimp. Both were served with a tasty medley of vegetables. Her veal provided the feeling of comfort food that she had been looking for while my short-​ribs had an excellent five-​Chinese spice sauce.
For desert I chose a bread pudding with ice cream and kirsch. This was definitely one of the better bread puddings that I’ve had. It was neither heavy nor dry.
This is a wonderful place to visit in any season, even if you simply stop for a drink at the bar. Service was very good and the welcoming was warm.