Ithaca, New York
Just minutes from downtown Ithaca on the west shore of Lake Cayuga, this property has spectacular lake vistas and over 150 feet of EASILY ACCESSIBLE lake frontage. 1.4 acres of woods and majestic hemlock and oak trees frame a cottage originally built in the mid 1800's by a mayor of Ithaca and then lived in in the summers by his daughter, Belle, until 1922--one of Ithaca's original lakefront homes. We like to share the beautiful view and rustic and quaint vintage house with small gatherings of friends and families. This is our home and we are usually present on the property, staying in our own self contained area which shares nothing with the main house except the driveway. Since it is our home, we ask that you treat it kindly and leave it in the exact condition you found it. Due to the ecologically sensitive location, we don't rent to groups larger than 8 (possible 10, with our permission, if there are small ones). We have a strict NO PARTIES rule and do not allow visitors from off the property. Only the rental group is allowed on the property.
The paved S-curved driveway leads through the woods down the hill to a large parking area with room for vehicles to turn around. There is one flight of stairs to the main floor entrance but bedrooms can be accessed from the driveway level.
The 2200 sf of living space includes--on the main floor--an entrance room; a fully equipped kitchen with stainless appliances (dishwasher, large frig, freezer with ice maker/water, gourmet stove, microwave, coffee maker, toaster oven, electric tea kettle, etc.); a laundry room with front loading washer and dryer, iron, ironing board; a full bathroom with shower; a large open living/dining room with a charming arts-and-craftsy 'inglenook' around the picturesque riverstone fireplace. The main floor has expansive lake views and opens out to an extensive deck area with plenty of outdoor seating, tables, gas grill, and views galore!
4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms as well as a screened porch are on the second floor. Two bedrooms have queensize beds; two have a fullsize bed. Additional living space in the walk-out basement level features a 5- 6-person sauna with a great view.
The 150 ft of lakefront is about half gently sloping shale beach; the other half is a grassy area with a sea wall and includes a fire pit, dock, and boathouse, with lots of outdoor seating and two hammocks as well as a table and umbrella for dock seating. The property comes with a canoe, three single kayaks, and a tandem kayak. There are water shoes and life vests in the boathouse.
Activities and Attractions : The Finger Lakes is renowned for its wineries and breathtaking gorges. Ithaca is a mecca of arts, science, film activities, artisan farming, world famous restaurants, etc. Ithaca's Farmers Market is rated one of the best in the country. However, alot of folks don't even want to leave the property, since the quiet of the majestic old growth forest and the mesmerizing lake vistas, along with swimming, kayaking, and just gazing at the ever-changing water is the best--an oasis of peace and beauty --yet so close to all the perks of civilization! 'Magical' is the word most frequently used by visitors to describe the setting.
In addition, there is a small, 2-bedroom cabin on the upper part of the property completely private from the main house that is available at Homeaway listing # 268870.
Beautiful location on the lake but also very close to Ithaca. Will definitely be back.
House is lovely! Very interesting, a lot of attention to detail. View of the lake is hard to beat. Owners are very responsive
Property was beautiful. Great family visit to Cornell Univ to see our son. 8 adults 1 baby(15 months). Need to update the kitchen photos and give that gorgeous renovation it’s just service. Beautiful gourmet kitchen!!! Looking forward to booking again for next year.
Great location and beautiful property.
This vintage lakeside home has a very special character and spectacular setting. The bedrooms are cozy and quirky, and the common spaces were very comfortable and conducive to large family hang-outs (there were 10 of us). We loved the spacious, well-equipped kitchen, where many communal meals were prepared. We appreciated the labels and many instructions for taking proper care of this home. We live in a 240 year home so we are used to and didn't mind the special precautions needed to make sure all systems functioned well. The gardens and path down to the lake, the tiny but lovely lawn with fire pit, the dock, the kayaks...all perfection.
Our family enjoyed this house for a 4 night stay in August. It’s a great location on the water and close to town and hiking spots. We loved hanging on the back deck and enjoying the lake views.
We used this property as a base of operations for a busy wedding holiday weekend. Clean, plenty of space and easy access to the lake. Would stay there again in a heartbeat!
I stayed here with 6 of my friends for our college reunion. The house is nice, but the best part is the water access and the dock. Highly recommend renting a boat to explore the lake. The only real downsides of the house are 1) driveway/location on the road (the driveway is tough for Ubers and you can’t really walk anywhere due to being on a highway) and 2) the owners live in a house attached to the house where you stay (not as private as I would like personally). The house was clean, but note: there are a lot of rules due to the fragile plumbing system and the finishes (open shelving, marble countertops, etc.). If you have unruly little ones, I would be a little nervous to let them run free inside. But great for adults.
We stayed here over a long weekend for Ithaca college graduation. It’s closer to Ithaca center than the college is and located directly on beautiful Cayuga Lake. Patios offer lake views , a place to just watch the birds and the early morning scullers …. This is a much loved older property with quirkiness and charm— wonderfully well equipped kitchen with every appliance, spices and cookware galore. Fear not the steeeeeep driveway but don’t park more than three cars ! The owners were responsive and helpful. Two minor issues — I booked for the max occupancy just to ensure enough space without realizing there is an up-charge per person over 6– we ended up just five of us staying over so Beware of hidden fees— my bad. Also renters before us apparently broke the oven so our large catering order unfortunately was difficult to manage, a grill helped but served some food cold. Despite some difficulty with Mother Nature, we all loved the home and location! Recommended for college visits and family vacations ?
We thoroughly enjoyed this rustic retreat by Cayuga lake during our daughter’s graduation. The deck is perfect for hosting guests and enjoying the lake views. The owner was very helpful. There are steep stairs up to the bedroom so the house may be difficult for seniors.
Our family absolutely loved staying at the lake house. Sally was extremely responsive and made herself available if anything came up. My only regret was not being able to stay there longer.
Amazing cabin with a lot of historic character. Amazingly updated kitchen and you get a real sense of who the owners are and the fun and love they have for Ithaca and their home. This is the perfect Finger Lakes cabin with a great view, great amenities and it really does feel like a home away from home.
Everything was wonderful! Swam in the lake everyday. We did some fishing off the dock. Took the kayaks out. But just mostly just enjoyed the peacefulness and beauty of the property. Woke up to a beautiful sunrise in the mornings and enjoyed my cup of tea on the deck. The owners were very quick to respond to any questions I had. The house was clean and well maintained. Check in and out was easy. Loved it!!
We had a great time at the property. We spent most of our time on the water kayaking and swimming. The tea selection was amazing and I sampled each variety. The only con was that it was so hot and the AC had trouble keeping up, obviously this wasn't the owners fault. I highly recommend staying at this property if you're ever in Ithaca!
This was an amazing rental house and fabulous property. Very child friendly both inside the house and by the lake. The location is unbeatable!
Great house and excellent location on Cayuga Lake. A great spot for a reunion with old friends. Will be staying again!
Our group of 7 adults (we're all 50-60) had a wonderful weekend at this lakefront retreat. The location was perfect, and when we weren't touring wineries and exploring the region, we enjoyed kayaking, dining outside, and toasting marshmallows by the firepit. The host has thought of absolutely everything, and the kitchen was so well stocked that we could easily have moved in permanently.
We stayed at Sally's and Richard's place for a friend's reunion.. Must say it has a great location right on Lake Cayuga. The cottage was beautifully decorated with a lot of old world charm.. The best part of the property was the dock where you can have your morning tea and spend a lot of time right on the lake.. Would definitely go back...
Extremely happy with the property and the hosts. We had an absolutely wonderful time as my daughter graduated from college.
Great location, plenty of space, privacy, and view. Charming old house. Owners seem to have taken great care & pride in this house. Plenty of needed supplies in kitchen & elsewhere.
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