COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — At first glance, it’s hard not to feel intimidated by the stunning Otesaga Resort Hotel.
This historic Cooperstown mansion exudes luxury, from the 30-foot-tall columns supporting its soaring front entrance to the wrought-iron fence that lines the lush grounds that sit on the shores of sparkling Otsego Lake.
It was so full of old-world charm that I worried I might not have enough clothes. Otesaga A clear June evening.
I made a reservation at the Hawkeye Bar & Grill, the most casual of the resort’s main restaurants, where the dress code encourages “casual attire.” But at the stately Otesaga, with its window-filled brick walls and waterside golf course, I wondered whether my decidedly casual summer attire would suffice.
But when he spotted kids playing a baseball game in Otesaga’s backyard, he knew the dinner would be a success.
For 115 years, Otesaga has been welcoming guests to its magnificent halls.
According to the Otesaga website, the hotel opened with great fanfare in 1909, boasting amenities uncommon for the early 20th century, such as telephones and central heating in every room. A golf course was added to the lakefront property shortly after Otesaga opened, providing golfers with spectacular views of Otsego Lake from the resort’s 700 feet of waterfront.
Many of the hotel’s original features remain, including the 400 windows that surround the mansion.
Dinner at Hawkeye Bar & Grill comes with what Otesaga has always offered: the best views of charming Cooperstown.
Located on the Otesaga’s lobby level, Hawkeye windows overlook majestic Otsego Lake, and diners on the restaurant’s patio enjoy unobstructed views of “Glimmerglass,” the nickname given to the lake by famed Cooperstown author James Fenimore Cooper.
We dined at Otesaga on a sunny evening, arriving early to allow time to wander around.
With a blackberry basil bourbon cocktail (complete with a stirrer topped with a miniature baseball) and a draft Hawkeye Bar Brewery Ommegang in hand, I walked out onto the lawn and sat on a bench overlooking Otsego Lake, where sailboats and fishing boats dotted the water, making tranquil paths across the still, almost surreal, blue lake.
Teams of boys who were in town to play at Cooperstown Dream Park batted balls on the resort’s soft grass, and the echoes of bats hitting balls echoed through the air — a very Cooperstown sound. A three-piece band played soft jazz on the patio, entertaining guests gathered around the roaring fire pits of the Fire Bar.
When it was time for dinner, we decided to dine al fresco and enjoy the best view. At the tables next to us were a family with small children, a couple on a date, and a group of guys refueling after a round of golf at Leatherstocking Golf Course in Otesaga.
The meal began with a complimentary bread basket filled with slices of cranberry orange bread, which was a perfect match with whipped butter topped with black lava salt, then we used the bread to sop up a mouthwatering bowl of French onion soup.
For main courses, we tried the burger, which Otesaga claims is the best in Cooperstown, and the Peruvian roast chicken with cilantro-mint yogurt, both of which were delicious and nicely presented. (The chicken was even better cold when we brought leftovers back to our lakeside cabin.)
At the end of dinner, our bill came to about $50 before tip — a surprisingly reasonable amount for an appetizer and two meals. We thanked our helpful waiter and stepped out onto the lawn to watch the sun set like a watercolor painting over Lake Otsego.
The moral of this dining story? You don’t need to book a room to experience the luxurious Otesaga Resort Hotel.
But a hearty dinner paired with an Instagram-worthy view will make you never want to leave.
