a large building next to a body of water
1909

The Otesaga Hotel

Cooperstown, New York
a large building with a large body of water
60 Lake Street, Cooperstown, New York 13326 Original Property Opened in 1909 Historic Hotels of America member since 1994
a red and white rectangular sign with black text
a red and white sign with black text
a black and red sign with white text
a red and white sign
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a black rectangular sign with white text
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tours

Located along over 700 feet of Lake Otsego shoreline, The Otesaga Hotel opened its luxurious doors for the first time on July 12, 1909. Of its beauty, a local newspaper wrote: “No more fortunate location could have been chosen for a hotel. From its windows and broad veranda, a view as charming as the Divine Hand ever painted fills the eye.” Today, this seasonal Cooperstown, New York, hotel exudes elegance in its signature Federalist Revival details, a stately wood-columned portico, and dome-capped cupola. The Otesaga (Haudenosaunee for “a place of meetings”) and its Leatherstocking Golf Course have drawn visitors for generations.

Discover

  • Discover the Federal-style architecture of The Otesaga Hotel. Upon arriving, stop to appreciate the structure’s eight massive 30-foot columns and 400 wrap-around windows. One of America's grand lakeside hotels, the elegant resort is open seasonally between mid-April and Thanksgiving.
  • Enjoy the best view in town on the resort’s spectacular wrap-around porch, which beckons guests with cozy white rocking chairs to take in the magnificent sunsets on the adjacent Otsego Lake.
  • Look for nods to Cooperstown native and American novelist James Fenimore Cooper throughout the hotel. Cooper affectionately referred to Otsego Lake as “Glimmerglass,” and today the resort’s main dining room retains that name as well. The Hawkeye Bar & Grill and the Hawkeye Spa carry the nickname of Cooper’s famous literary character, Natty Bumppo, from The Last of the Mohicans. The Leatherstocking Golf Course pays tribute in its branding to the author's five-novel series.

Explore

  • Explore the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, which celebrates America’s favorite pastime through a range of exhibits and historic artifacts. Honor the game's greats, as just 1% of the 19,000 men who have played Major League Baseball are enshrined in the Hall's Plaque Gallery.
  • Take in the Fenimore Art Museum, located on a site once owned by novelist James Fenimore Cooper, and now home to one of the country’s largest permanent collections of American Indian art and American folk art.
  • Step back into the 19th century with a walk through the Historic Village and Lippitt Farmstead at the nearby Farmers’ Museum. From interactive educational programs to historic agricultural tools and equipment, this is a one-of-a-kind experience to see what life was like on a farm in 1800s. The museum is also home to the Cardiff Giant, the 10-foot-long gypsum figure known as “America's Greatest Hoax,” and the Empire State Carousel, featuring 25 hand-carved animals and panels of historic figures.

Experience

  • Play 18 holes at the resort’s Leatherstocking Golf Course, designed in 1909 by Devereux Emmet and featuring a natural-contour terrain that sweeps along the western shoreline of Otsego Lake.
  • Catch a game at historic Doubleday Field, located down the street from The Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, which has been hosting games since the first Hall of Fame Induction Weekend in 1939.
  • Experience the inherent beauty of nearby Glimmerglass State Park. Located along the shoreline of Otesaga Lake, this wonderful verdant park is home to the historic Hyde Hall.

Taste

  • Try the in-house butcher’s specialties at The Otesaga Hotel’s Hawkeye Bar & Grill. The wide menu of classic comfort food features regional products, house made Italian sausage, and fresh burgers crafted from a proprietary blend of sirloin, chuck & short rib.
  • Enjoy a “field to flask” experience complete with distiller-led tours and free tastings of handcrafted artisanal spirits at Cooperstown Distillery, the first and only distillery in Otsego County. Or sample award-winning beers at nearby Brewery Ommegang, a Belgian-style brewery that hosts festive events that include a popular outdoor summer concert series.
  • Taste more than 40 specialty foods including extra-sharp, Mill-aged cheddar cheese, fudge, salsa, hard ciders, and apple wines at Fly Creek Cider Mill and Orchard, a historic, water-powered cider mill located on the banks of Fly Creek.
a large building next to a body of water
a large building next to a body of water
a large building next to a body of water
a large building next to a body of water

FEATURED ACCOMMODATIONS

a room with two beds and a television on the wall
Deluxe Guestroom
a bedroom with a bed and curtains
Village Suite
a room with a bed and a fireplace
Superior Lake Suite
View Accommodations

Featured Offers

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Best Available Rate

Book the Best Available Rate at this property on HistoricHotels.org and receive a complimentary one-year family membership (a $30 value) to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

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AAA Member Rate

While this hotel typically offers the AAA Member Rate, availability is dependent on your exact dates of stay. Please also plan to present member ID at check-in to prove eligibility.

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Special Occasions

Meetings & Groups

The Otesaga Hotel has 12 different meeting and conference rooms of various sizes ranging from the 2,625-square-foot Ballroom and the Main Dining Room to small breakout rooms like the 384-square-foot Pathfinder Room. With 12,500 total square feet of meeting space, the hotel can arrange corporate gatherings, conferences, special events, weddings, and parties. The hotel’s Meeting Planners will customize arrangements for any group, including entertainment such as golf outings on The Otesaga Hotel’s world-famous par 72 Leatherstocking Golf Course, private tours of The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and receptions in several outdoor areas of the beautiful resort grounds.

LEARN MORE
Special Occasions

Weddings

Celebrate together in a timeless setting with century-old oak trees and glistening crystal chandeliers. Whether planning an intimate reception by the water or an opulent party in the ballroom, guests will know that they are in for a treat from the moment they arrive at this erstwhile magnificent mansion, with soaring columns and an imposing front portico that exudes majesty and grace.

LEARN MORE
Special Occasions

Meetings & Groups

The Otesaga Hotel has 12 different meeting and conference rooms of various sizes ranging from the 2,625-square-foot Ballroom and the Main Dining Room to small breakout rooms like the 384-square-foot Pathfinder Room. With 12,500 total square feet of meeting space, the hotel can arrange corporate gatherings, conferences, special events, weddings, and parties. The hotel’s Meeting Planners will customize arrangements for any group, including entertainment such as golf outings on The Otesaga Hotel’s world-famous par 72 Leatherstocking Golf Course, private tours of The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and receptions in several outdoor areas of the beautiful resort grounds.

LEARN MORE
Special Occasions

Weddings

Celebrate together in a timeless setting with century-old oak trees and glistening crystal chandeliers. Whether planning an intimate reception by the water or an opulent party in the ballroom, guests will know that they are in for a treat from the moment they arrive at this erstwhile magnificent mansion, with soaring columns and an imposing front portico that exudes majesty and grace.

LEARN MORE
a room with tables and chairs
a wedding set up with chairs and flowers
a room with tables and chairs
a wedding set up with chairs and flowers