It would be a lie to say I wasn't a little bummed out to see the negative reviews about this Lake Front Hotel and Restaurant. I've stayed here twice while visiting family. Both times I have had a good experience. The hotel (really it is a motel) is well maintained - clean and functional. We had piping hot water and our room had a mini fridge. The front desk was friendly and we didn't have any issues. The restaurant was great. They accommodated us for breakfast and dinner and were consistently good. read more

My new slogan for this hotel is "Stay Away, or Stay Awake!" This overnight stay at the Lake Front Hotel was an absolute nightmare. They recently remodeled the exterior, and the adjacent restaurant is pretty good, but each room looks outdated and poorly designed, where they think hanging a colorful photo of the lake is going to make any difference. You'd think they'd have a modern theme, but it was helplessly outdated. There are no cups, no water, and zero personality or hospitality! Some of the hand towels were so old the edges were frayed. The linens were rough, possibly a two thread-count. There's no iron or ironing board in the room! When we asked for an iron, the nice guy in the office said we had to bring our clothes to the office! Wait, what? He allowed us to use this little dark storage backroom to iron our clothes. It was very strange. The point of having an iron in the room is that if you're not sure what you're wearing the next morning, you can iron something else instead at your leisure. With this scenario we had to take four shirts to the office just to have a back up shirt ironed in case one of us wanted another option to wear. The smell in the bedroom was reminiscent of mold, smelly socks, and dirty carpet. Just so unbearable I had to spray cologne in the air just to cover up the smell. The noise from the upstairs was unbearable. I'm writing this review at 1:30am and people are still walking around, and galloping upstairs, and you can hear every footstep and every floorboard creek. At one point earlier tonight, I had to turn around to see if there was someone in the actual room because it sounded like they were right here. When we called to make the reservation, the woman said we could request a second floor when we got here. But why not honor our request when we're requesting it? Why defer us to the time of arrival, where we were told no as if we'd asked for a suite at the Waldorf. We paid $325 for one night, and it will be the last penny they'll ever see from us. I'm giving this establishment two stars because it's a little better than a motel in the middle of nowhere, in the desert, with Jeffrey Dhalmer in the next room. I mean, seriously. What's the point of having a "Lake Front" hotel, if all your guests want to do is jump in the lake and drown in misery! read more

WORST "HOTEL" IN COOPERSTOWN Wow, where do I begin? Probably my biggest gripe is that there was no hot water, at all. When I called the front desk to ask what is happening at 5pm, and why there's no hot water... I was told it was typical for that to happen in Room 17 because it's at the end of the line and furthest from the hot water heaters. Great... what was the proposed solution from the front desk? "Run the water for less than an hour in both the shower and sink" I did that... no hot water ever came. Tried showering 10pm, still no hot water. When I asked for a refund after my stay I was told via email the manager I'm only entitled to half... and that I didn't know how to operate the shower knob and that I only complained after the fact... all of which are ridiculous, and false. It is not a "hotel" it's a motel, if that... and that is being generous. One can argue its termites holding hands. Let's add in the fact the room looked like a jail cell, thankfully it is close to the water so guests have the option to swim to Rikers Island should they feel they are entitled to an upgrade. Invite your friends over so you all can paint it. read more

Absolutely LOVED this place! The rooms were clean and modern. Plenty of space too! The staff were friendly, and welcoming. The restaurant attached to the hotel had a Great Lake side vibe, and delicious food! The beautiful mountain and lake views were just awesome. AND - you could just walk right up to Main Street and enjoy the town! We will definitely be back! read more

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The motel was centrally located and an easy walk to the Hall of Fame. Our room was clean and comfortable. The on-site restaurant was good and had a lovely view. A few things to note if you are thinking of staying here: there are no glasses in the room, no small refrigerator, iron/ironing board or tissues. However, there is an ice machine to get ice for a cooler. The mini split for the room is good but if you are light sensitive be aware that it is over your bed and the on/off lights may be a bit bright when sleeping. Overall, we enjoyed our stay. read more

Average hotel Small room - did not have cups View was so-so The best thing was the location near the town read more

My family stayed here for one night prior to our visit to the Baseball Hall of Fame. We got to town with no reservations and Lake Front Hotel was one of the few places with vacancy. It was also one of the most affordable in the area. The photos online do not do this hotel justice. It's not a new facility; It's exterior corridor, and still uses physical keys. That didn't matter to us at all. James was working Guest Services when we checked in; he was so pleasant and friendly! We got cocktails at the restaurant that evening as well as breakfast and lunch the next day. The Bloody Mary was the best I've ever had and our bartender, Daisy, was an absolute delight! She was helpful and made us feel comfortable. We had a wonderful stay and would definitely stay again, it doesn't hurt that it was $150-$200 cheaper than most other places. To address the other reviews, this is not a luxury hotel. It had beds, basic amenities, and it was clean. Coffee was not available in-room, but it was complimentary in the lobby and available at the restaurant. read more

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My wife and I spent two nights here, and I don't understand the low ratings for this place. Our room was small but comfortable with a clean bathroom, just enough for the two of us. The hotel is right at the edge of Lake Otsego, and we had a nice view of it from the chairs outside our room on the balcony. The best thing about the place was that it was a short two-block walk to the Baseball Hall of Fame, our primary reason to visit Cooperstown. Being so close to the hall and nearby shops and restaurants made the visit so much easier; parking is a challenge otherwise. The only downside was there was no elevator, so we hauled luggage up the stairs. The room didn't have a coffeemaker but it was a 90-second walk to the nice restaurant next door. Whenever I go back, I will stay here again. read more

The hotel offered a beautiful stay for our quick trip to Cooperstown. Rooms are nice and cozy. We were also given coupons for meals at the restaurant. read more

Lake Front Hotel - The view from the dock on June 16 2023. How can you not love this. - American Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

My wife and I had dinner here on the first night of our visit to Cooperstown. SInce we were there in the off season, we were able to park right out front and be seated immediately. The inside is fairly small with about 15 tables and a small bar area. There is also some outdoor seating. The best part of the place is a nice view of the lake from the restaurant. By the way, the restaurant is part of the motel so the parking is a mix of people at hotel and restaurant. The service was ok. The waitress was nice. The food was pricey and quite bland. My wife had stuffed jumbo shrimp and I had a broiled seafood plate. There was a fair amount of seafood on my plate, but hardly any flavor. I would recommend investigating other places in town. read more

This pace has a great setting on the lake. Service was not very good and slow. Got the fried shrimp and fries. Decent flavor and size. My son got the fried haddock and he said it was decent. Place was a little pricey but worth checking out. I would definitely go to try some other dishes and maybe a few drinks. read more

Lake Front Hotel - Fried shrimp and fries - American Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

Wouldn't refund even part of our $750 (for two nights) after we learned shortly after checking in that our son was hospitalized and we needed to leave. Person in the office had absolutely no empathy or sensitivity to our situation. It's as if he had never been around someone worried about a family member. Kept telling us the manager was unavailable. Clearly this motel is about making money and cares little about its customers. read more

Four stars for the view, two for the food, and three for the service make this an A-OK spot in Cooperstown. Less than a 10-minute walk from Main Street, Lake Front Restaurant is set right on Otsego Lake, and adjacent to Glimmerglass State Park. Going for dinner, I started with a lobster bisque, which came out extremely watery. Fortunately, my cajun crawfish entree, served over pasta alfredo made up for the forgettable bisque. Entrees are served with a house salad - nice touch - but having been here before, I still can't help but somehow feel they scaled back on the food quality to pay for their recent renovations. Service was friendly, but extremely slow. Thankfully, with the nice view we had, we weren't in too much of a rush to leave. All in all, a decent meal...maybe coming from NYC has made be picky and/or jaded, but I think these guys can do better. read more

Location...Location...Location. This hotel is a few minutes walk to the Baseball Hall of Fame and downtown Cooperstown. Check in was quick and easy. My room was clean and good size. The rooms don't have a refrigerator so bring a cooler. The views of the Lake are great. The only negative and the reason for 4 stars instead of 5 was the bed was way too stiff for my tastes. read more

Lake Front Hotel - View of the lake from the balcony - American Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

I like the staff They are very friendly and kind Apple-raspberry cider from Fly Creek was really good read more

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I made a reservation, wanting to be sure that we could get an outside table, due to the 'rona. When we pulled into the parking lot, there were no other cars. Jack, the waiter, came running out to greet us, and told us they'd stayed open waiting for us, as they hadn't had a customer all afternoon. (We were there on a Sunday night, post Labor Day) We sat lakeside, which mostly overlooks the boat docks, but we did have a lovely view across the lake. They have a nice selection of local craft beers, and served them up nice and cold. I had the beer battered haddock, which was a huge portion, beautifully fried, not greasy. The mixed veggies I ordered, (green beans, zucchini and yellow squash) were amazingly good. Obviously prepared to order, the squash was still firm (so easy to overcook that) and in a delicious butter sauce. My husband had the soup, which was a roasted pepper soup. It was just fabulous! He also had an order of garlic Parmesan wings which were also quite good. All in all, we had a great meal here, for a reasonable price. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a meal here. I've got to add that I really appreciate the fact that they stayed open for us. The next night we wasted a good twenty minutes driving to two different places that were supposed to be open but weren't. And I neglected to mention that Jack was wonderful, attentive without being intrusive. read more

We were here off season. They are only open late spring to early fall. Was clean and quiet.

Great place in Cooperstown if you're looking for Casual dining overlooking the lake. Nice cocktails and friendly menu. read more

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Service was very good but the menu was mediocre. Good area to sit outside and see the harbor and especially the sailboats.

I researched hotels/motels in Cooperstown in preparation for our visit to the Baseball Hall of Fame. I chose Lake Front and glad I did. The facilities are adequate: room was clean, sufficient towels; no noisy neighbors. Picture postcard views of Lake Otsego from our room. Free ticket given for an hour boat ride on the lake was enjoyable. Discounts at the restaurant were used. Most importantly, it was a two block walk to the Hall of Fame from our room that made our stay there most enjoyable. Lake Front Hotel is not deluxe; but its location on the lake and two blocks from the town circle makes it the go to place to stay when visiting Cooperstown. read more

I would give zero stars if possible. While I know the hotel is upfront about the limited amenities despite the price, the haughty attitude about these limitations is my complaint. To demonstrate, I am attaching a photo of the shower-head, if you can call it that. The fact is that changing a shower-head is neither difficult nor expensive. The refusal to do this simple thing to make a guests stay more comfortable speaks volumes. This hotel is missing out on an opportunity to provide visitors with a lovely setting in a beautiful town. It is not worth the money - not even close. read more

Lake Front Hotel - American Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

I'd give zero if I could. Worst experience, drive out of the area to stay before you stay here! We walked in and were rudely greatly by the front desk person saying that animals are not allowed when it was clear we had a "service" dog. He then said fine and offered only one option of a room, which happened to be on the end under a walkway and just so happened to be under very loud people outside talking and drinking and who were clearly socializing loudly with the room next to us. We went back to the office and asked if we could switch rooms and he said it wasn't possible and that he would tell them to be quiet, when we said they clearly will know it's us who complained and not comfortable staying in the room. He then said we could switch if we paid $60 more for an upgrade. I requested a refund, which he gave us and before we pulled away packing our bags into the car, he turned off all the lights and left. So, wondering how was he going to "handle" the noisy guests if he was jetting out of there. He clearly did not want us there because of our service animal and this is not ok. Glad we got a refund and didn't stay there. You shouldn't either. read more

It seems from the reviews diner's experiences are hit or miss.. Well for this yelper it was a hit. The combination of the atmosphere (really cute bright nautical theme, spotless restaurant) and beautiful scenery (what a gorgeous lake!) and good food made this a 5 star for me. (Also being able to drink and be merry :P then walk a few steps to my hotel room was a plus!). Had wonderful dining experience. Came in for dinner on a Sunday and it was pretty busy. We were seated right by the front window and had a terrific view of the lake. The food was really good. We had some blue point oysters and an order of clam steamers to start, both perfect ;) I went with the crab cake sandwich with yucca fries and my fella had the broiled seafood combo dinner. Both dishes were outstanding. Crab cake had good seasoning, not a lot of filler so packed with crab meat and it was a nice big cake. I loved the yucca fries, they were cooked perfectly and a nice twist from your normal old french fries. The seafood platter was perfectly prepared, the fish was fresh and tasty. Paired with local beer and wine, we were happy :) The servers are really nice and busy and we had to wait for their attention a few times (my only complaint), but the whole experience was a good one. We were definately not rushed out! The staff sang Happy Bithday to my fella (surprised him with chocolate lava cake.. rich dark chocolate.. soo good!). We stayed at the hotel so used our breakfast vouchers. Breakfast was delish. OMG the corned beef hash is awsome! French toast also good, had it with bacon ;) Breakfast servers were great and super friendly. Can't wait to return! read more

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Was not a good place to stay.? Overprice Motel six nothing good about it not clean not friendly Would recommend spending money elsewhere read more

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I'm going to review both the hotel, and restaurant, and even late night bar. So, the hotel first. There were a TON of reviews about this place on every travel website, and all of them were mixed, cept for one, which was more recent. Apparently, they recently redid most of the rooms. I must say, me and my 2 friends were more than fine with this place. The rooms were a decent size, beds not too bad, bathroom a decent size, and the a/c worked rather well. Plus the view is great, and walk into town, short. The downsides to this place is there is no garbage pail in the room, how was this overlooked? It's obviously expensive in-season, and they need to change the lights outside the rooms, and have them be the non-bug ones, otherwise you will end up with a fly or two in the room if there's no breeze. Restaurant, we only went here for breakfast/lunch, as they give you a breakfast voucher. We were surprised, and did not expect the food to be as decent as it was. My omlette was decent, my friends waffles and pancakes were decent too. Would I eat dinner here, eh, probably not, but no problem with breakfast. Late night bar, ha, wow, probably one of the worst late nite bar experiences i've had in a loooong time. The live band, was absolutely terrible. The drinks oddly expensive, and the ambiance was really weird. The only redeeming factor was a guy who i'd like to say was the chef off the clock, made some sort of dessert for people, and he offered some to us for free, and it was good. read more

Great location. Nice menu. Very good fish & chips. Awesome bloodie Mary. Nice, professional waitresses.

We went at 1pm on a Saturday. Restaurant was half full but a 5 minute wait to sit and a 20 minute wait to have a waitress come to our table (and if I wouldn't have asked I don't think they would have ever come). They literally left a busboy stand with dirty dishes and a pile of trash and food they had swept into a pile next to our table the whole time we were there (see picture). View was nice and food was mediocre. If you order a sandwich get the mayo on the side - mine had a pound of mayo on it. There are lots better options in Cooperstown. read more

Lake Front Hotel - Trash next to our table. - American Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

I hate to give this Motel only two stars because it really is in the best location, with the best lake view. It's really was beautiful, but the rooms need work. The intense smell of mold in our room was so intense we had to leave early in the morning because it was making me sick. Mind you, I am 35 weeks pregnant which probably made it worse but it really was awful. We tried turning up the air, opening the windows, nothing worked. Also the rooms are very outdated. The bedding looks likes it been the same bedding used since they opened. So, if you don't mind the smell of Mold and cosmetic stuff then this place is for you because like I said it really is a great place. read more

The positives: we had an awesome view of the lake, close to the National Hall of Fame Museum and check in was easy. The negatives: price was too high, we were supposed to have a room with two queen size beds as per Booking.com but they were really more like full size beds, no amenities in the room (fridge, microwave or coffee pot), listed as a "hotel" but it's more of a "motel", room was not dusted & some of the decor could be updated. Was it the Bates Motel? No, but I'd put it in the same category of a Motel 6. Fortunately, I'm only staying one night here. read more

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Rooms very clean - staff very nice - walls pretty thin can here talking etc- fun hanging out by marina

Not sure about the bad reviews. We went on a Wednesday evening. We weren't really hungry so I ordered from the lite side of the menu. Hubby ordered clams and a side salad. Everything very good, quick service. All the food we saw being served looked good. They even have happy hour specials at the small bar. Beautiful location on the lake. A small park and walking path nearby. A classier place to eat than the restaurants on Main St. Although, those places are good too. read more

Lake Front Hotel - Chicken waldorf salad. To my surprise it's a wrap. Very good. - American Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

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Great service. 5 out of 5. Very welcoming and friendly. Food is 3.5 out of 5. Mixed drinks 3 out of 5. Incredible views on the patio near Lake. Great establishment and would return! read more

Great location, clean rooms, nice beds and awesome view. Good restaurant. We stayed 4 nights for my nieces wedding and were well cared for at this little boutique lodging. read more

Lake Front Hotel - #awesome corned beef hash - American Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

I can only speak for the restaurant and bar as I did not stay at the motel. Fred the owner was especially courteous as I was running late for my reservation. He kept the restaurant open longer so that I can enjoy a meal with my girlfriend. The food was plentiful and the service was top notch. After the rain started to come down, they moved us inside with a window seat with a view of the lake. Even at night, the view is very nice and calming. I will def be back. read more

Positives : great location , beautiful view . Easy access to boat / HOF/ on site restaurant . Negatives : outdated rooms, no coffee maker / fridge in rooms . Lacks amenities for price . Currently doing construction . And Woke me up at 6 am by lawn mower and loud . Very bad : found blood stain on comforter . Actually took it off and slept on top of blankets with my own. Disgusting ! ESP for the price . Just gross to find . Unacceptable , especially with covid and diseases . read more

Seriously, the best staff and bartenders in town - super nice, delicious drinks, and great conversation. Nothing but good things to say about this place! read more

We stayed at this hotel last night for 1 night, since passing through. The location was great about 2 blocks from Main St. so walking distance to attractions and dining. As far as the hotel itself it is way over-priced for what you get. It was clean, however, no amenities at all. The woman at the desk was not very welcoming. Felt like we were putting her out. There is no refrigerator, coffee maker, tissue etc., or any counter space by the sink to put anything on. The TV is lame and not located in the best place for viewing. My husband & I have travelled extensively and I would have to say one of the worst hotels we have ever stayed at. Will never come back here. My recommendation is find another place to stay. read more

Simply the worst. Ordered the "super" clam strips which were not only not "super" but were absolutely tasteless. Sent them back and they were removed from the bill. My friend ordered a lunch special item that came with two drinks for a $10.50 up charge. Friend orders two bloody marys. First one arrives in a small rocks glass with no celery, olive or lemon - just bloody mary mix, ice and vodka in a small glass. When we asked the waitress for celery she said that this is the way they come when ordered as part of the lunch 'special' and that she wasn't sure if they would give us a piece of celery. Ultimately, we did get our celery. Would never go back. All the other food items were elementary school cafeteria quality. For such a great location and view it is too bad that the food is so crummy. read more

Probably the best food in town. However, if you are looking for ambience, this place has very little even though it is on the lake. Go for the food and drinks; you won't be disappointed. read more

I'm having trouble deciding between a 2 and a 3 so read on and decide whether or not this is the place for you. We arrived on Friday after check in. Needed a room that was walkable to town (this was) and not anything crazy because we were only in town for the night and off to Ommegang for a show. So we weren't going to be in the room much. My first gripe was with making the reservation. Clearly they have had a problem with guests before because we pretty much had to swear a blood oath that we would only have three people in the room. It got to the point of being annoying. Checking in was the same thing. Like the third degree for every group checking in which slowed things down. I get that the hotel has a right to the policy but they take it a bit to far. Parking is limited. Two spaces were taken by someone parked like an idiot (which didn't seem to bother them since staff members saw it but didn't do anything about it). Another was taken by a ladder. Despite being a parking space and having the concrete barrier when we pulled in we were told not to park there by a staff member. There was one space left. And we were told not to park in it. Luckily someone left and we were able to get in there. Weird. The rooms have traditional keys but it appears the hotel is being upgraded based on the remotes and the thermostats. The room smelled a little like cat piss. It was pretty gross. We ran the air conditioner and eventually it was better but there was still a hint. I don't think they allow pets but maybe back in the day? Or maybe someone had weed or a really hoppy beer in the room? Phew. Stank. The air killed most of it. Before leaving we shut off the air and were satisfied with the smell in the room. Would have been nice if house keeping had done that prior to check in. When we got back after the show the room was a little cool and only slightly stinky so we ran the air for about five minutes and then shut it off. We set the heat so that if it got below 66 it would kick on. While our king bed had clean and comfy sheets, a nice blanket and great pillows, the bedspread/comforter thing was from the 70's or possibly early 80's. Stiff and scratchy. What hotel still uses bedspreads? This one. We kept it folded down at the bottom. During the night the air conditioner, despite being turned off, turned on at least twice. We practically froze to death. In addition, the light on the thermostat stayed on all night which was very disruptive. The bathroom was very clean and had great water pressure. The walls are VERY thin. For one night and being exhausted after a show it is okay. Not a place I would stay for more than one night or if I were going to spend any amount of time in the room awake. We did not use the television at all so I can't provide info on that. read more