Experience Cortland is rounding up unique Airbnbs across Cortland County. Stay tuned throughout the year as we highlight accommodations and their nearby attractions to ensure guests have an inspiring experience. Please note, locations and their amenities grow and change throughout the year. Contact the host directly through Airbnb if you have any questions.
The Glen Haven Sanitarium and Summer Home, established in 1847, was a wildly popular tourist destination. Nestled between timbered cliffs and the southern shores of Skaneateles Lake, their signature water cures, modeled after the published works of Willam Walker Arkison, promised treatment of nearly any ailment. Steamer boats brimming with eager visitors chugged dutifully down the scenic Finger Lake daily, depositing guests for their water cure weekends. Prescribing lake baths, steamy cups of spring water, daily constitutionals and fresh, healthy meals, The Glen Haven's remedies became all the rage. Alas, in 1911, the beloved Glen Haven Sanitarium burned.
Fortunately for you, just a few miles down the shore, a new Glen Haven was built. In the early 1900's it opened as a tearoom for wealthy, fashionable ladies to share gossip. During Prohibition, The Glen Haven was a speakeasy, serving bootleg whiskey to very parched patrons. Eventually, the four-story inn was converted to a guest house named the Rest Haven in the 1920s. By the 1940’s The Glen Haven evolved into a hotel, allowing it to serve alcohol once again legally.
Today The, Glen Haven has returned to its roots. While the first floor functions as a tavern, serving incredible house smoke delicacies, unique cocktails and show-stopping bison burgers, the second floor has recently re-opened as The Glen Haven Inn. The historic building oozes charm, boasting three bedrooms, comfortably sleeping 6-8 guests, a full kitchen, lounge and peak-a-boo views of Skaneeatals Lake. Eclectically furnished with historic pieces accumulated over countless generations, you can almost imagine all the guests through the decades. The walls are decorated with old paintings and photos, showcasing historic local scenes. A telescope invites you to stargaze in the evening, and each side table bares a copy of Willam Walker Arkison's (As Yogi Ramacharaka) Practical Water Cure. The cover promise that the pages within contain "timeless wisdom." Always in need of a bit of wisdom, I grabbed the book and a cocktail from the bar below and headed out to the gazebo by the lake. I've decided I will attempt to recreate the Glen Haven Water Cure in honor of its grand re-opening. I have kindly listed the necessary steps below so that you might follow along on your next visit.
STEP 1: Get on the lake by any means necessary. I recommend a leisurely evening paddle. A kayak or paddleboard is best for the most therapeutic experience. The south end of Skaneateles Lake is most agreeable, with calm, shallow waters. Don't chase the bevers. They will tail slap the water, and it's poor etiquette to show up for dinner sodden. Do keep your eyes peeled for eagles. I spotted two!
STEP 2: When you've worked up a good appetite, tie up at the Glen Haven Marina. There, directly across and atop the hill, is the historic Glen Haven Inn. Head up the stairs to the charming Airbnb to freshen up (see aforementioned warning about sodden dinner attire). Promptly run through the apartment, testing all the beds like Goldie Locks. Call dibs on the room with the best lake views.
STEP 3: Refreshed, trot back down to the tavern and choose a table on the deck, again with the best lake views. Remember, just being in sight of the water will aid in curing your everyday doldrums. When ordering, I recommend choosing fresh seafood. The house-smoked blackened salmon is divine. However, be sure to insist on a taste of your dinner date's locally-raised bison burger. If you're dining alone- order both.
STEP 4: Nourished and stated, it is now time for your evening stroll south along the canal. Be sure to stop at the Glen Haven historic one-room schoolhouse and library. Perfectly preserved, it hasn't changed one iota in over 100 years. Regardless of your age, a ride down the antique wooden slide is mandatory. From here, you may continue around the bend to Andrew R. Fuller Park, where its shores make for optimal birdwatching and fishing. Or, if you're far too ambitious, there is a tennis court. I, however, am not.
STEP 5: Return to The Glen Haven and reward yourself with a well-earned libation. The mixers are made with the pristine lake waters, after all, making your nightcap a necessary part of the water cure. Ask for it togo and saunter back down to the shore to watch the boats return to the docks and drink in the lingering sunset.
STEP 6: When your cocktail is finished, retire to the inn for a little star gazing through the telescope or perhaps a bit of light reading. I recommend the Practical Water Cure. You'll find my interpretation of it far more liberal- yet equally restorative. Open your windows for a gentle nighttime sea breeze. Prepare to sleep like a log.
STEP 7: Upon rising, take Dr. William Walker Atkinson's recommendation and start your day with a cup of hot water. I steeped the complementary Coffee Mania beans in mine. Now, per Dr. Atkinson's directions, go jump in a lake! I, however, do not find cold water plunges in May medicinal, so you may choose to opt for yoga on the dock instead. After all, the good doctor was also a Hatha Yogi. So, I'm sure he'd approve of the substitution.
Step 8: Return to your accommodations for a leisurely breakfast prepared in your quaint kitchen. The original Glen Haven was famous for its healthful granola, always made with wheat and seasonal fruit. I opted for my fruit and grains baked into a personal pie. Be like me; preorder a scratched baked pie when you book your stay. It's ok to eat pie for breakfast. You're on vacation. Besides, it's housemade with simple, seasonal ingredients, so it's healthy, right?
STEP 9: Now, time to pack your rucksack and strap on your hiking shoes. On to your next adventure! Hinchcliff Family Preserve is just a few minutes drive from the Glen Haven. Straddling the county line, the trails begin in Cortland, weaving through Onondaga County and slipping back into Cortland again. Hiked as an out and back, you'll trek down the cliff side to be rewarded with a secluded, spring-fed waterfall that has enchanted hikers for centuries. The High Vista Nature Preserve Trail makes for a lovely mile loop. It winds over and through creeks and streams. If you meander leisurely, you'll finish just in time to return to The Glen Haven for lunch. And you can begin the Glen Haven Water Cure all over again!
Is it threatening to rain on your parade at The Glen Haven? Fret not; there is still plenty of fun to be found! Contact the Glen Haven Historical Society to schedule a private tour of the historic schoolhouse and library! You're just 15 minutes from The Cortland Repertory Theater's Little York Pavillion Playhouse. You'll also find Anderson's Farm Market in the neighborhood for everything you need to whip up a delicious breakfast in your Airbnb. Downtown Homer, also just a 15-minute drive, is filled with boutique shops, fine dining, the CNY Living History Center and the Center for the Arts of Homer.
Ready to book your stay? Click here to find your Water Cure at the Glen Haven.
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