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History
The historic Athenaeum Hotel
sits grandly on a tree-shaded hill overlooking picturesque Chautauqua
Lake on the grounds of the world-renowned Chautauqua Institution
in the southwestern corner of New York State. Serving guests
in style since 1881, and now listed on the National Historic
Register, this Victorian treasure is a full-service hotel appointed
to make your stay a relaxing respite.
Revisit the lifestyle of a bygone
era, where you can stroll on winding brick walks and allow the
shade of huge maple trees to swallow your stress. Gingerbread-style
cottages, quaint shops, a library, post office and charming gardens
nestled together create a living quilt reminiscent of small-town
America nearly a century ago. And the Athenaeum Hotel is at the
center of it all.
The Athenaeum Hotel is known
as La Grande Dame of Chautauqua. Built in 1881 at a cost of $125,000,
the hotel was restored in 1983 to the tune of $2 million. The
restoration ranged from major structural reinforcement to the
re-papering of 160 guest rooms with 80 different patterns. All
guest rooms now have heat, air conditioning, private bath, and
carpeting. The use of many original furnishings helps retain
the Victorian ambience. The sitting parlor is filled with white
wicker and the veranda overlooking the lake is lined with ladder-back
rockers. It is said that the hotel was originally built in 90
days; the restoration took a while longer.
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