The Inn at Grist Iron

We booked online for a weekend retreat. It was a simple process and we didn’t have any trouble there. We rented the carriage room in the lodge. The room and bathroom are huge and immaculately clean. The towels are plush. The bedding is soft. No complaints here, other than we could hear the neighbors banging around while we were trying to fall asleep.
We ate breakfast down at the inn. The food and coffee were delicious and there was a delightful view of the lake while we dined on the porch.
The woman working when we arrived was extremely informative and helpful. She gave us lots of tips on where to go and what to see during our trip.
At night after walking to the brewery for a few drinks, we lounged by the fire pit. It was quiet and beautiful. Just lovely!
I would suggest bringing snacks with you. There are no food/​snack options in walking distance other than the brewery. They offer a very small menu, and we were less than impressed with the food quality.

The Inn promotes itself as an 1860 farmhouse with charming and nostalgic suites. I’m not sure I would use either of those adjectives to describe the Sunset King suite we stayed in. The Inn is definitely a renovated farmhouse located in a great location overlooking Seneca Lake. There are plenty of wineries, breweries, restaurants and craft stores within a few minutes’ drive. The onsite brewery was a fun place to unwind after a day of travel. The high-​quality mattress was comfortable providing a great night’s rest. The Inn is right off highway 414 so the noise from the road is loud — keeping the windows shut helps. It appears the Inn is in transition from what once was the Seneca Springs Resort. For example, the TV was an old style 15″ box type, with a cable connection. (There was a 32″ HD TV in a box in the closet, however.) There was no art, mirrors or pictures hanging anywhere in the Inn, making it look unfinished. The walls appeared to have been painted recently. The carpet looks new. There was no desk or good sitting spot in my suite to use my laptop. Complementary WiFi was available. The bathroom is simple with older fixtures. It had not been renovated and looks dirty, but upon closer inspection, it was clean and just old. The large, plush towels were a joy to use. And I can’t explain why there are burnt out light bulbs in the bathroom – everything else seemed to be attended to. Breakfast was really good with fresh fruit, juice, several baked items and several quiches. Yum! There are some very strict rules to note before you book a room. No cancellations under a week or two. Check in allowed only between 3pm and 6pm. Only one breakfast serving at 9am (really late for me) so plan accordingly. With the brewery on site and the owners passion for a nice resort, I assess this place is on the way up and while they are not quite there yet, I think it will improve over time and with more cash flow. I hope with time, the owners will complete the work in progress and adopt more flexibility with cancellations, check in and earlier and/​or longer breakfast.

We made a reservation at Seneca Springs on a whim for a Thursday night. The process is very easy via their online reservation system, which shows you which rooms are available and at what prices. There is a 2-​night minimum stay for Friday and Saturday nights, but there were several rooms available for us to choose from for a single Thursday night. Be aware that emails from the reservation web site (which is a different web address from the hotel web site) may turn up in your spam folder – mine did. The hotel contacted us via email to confirm the reservation.
When we arrived, we stopped at the office and the property manager gave us some information about the room. She did offer to tell us about the area, and I got the impression she would really take time to help guests know what to do around the area if they were unfamiliar. She also told us about the fire pit, pavilion, and other amenities around the property. The property itself is quite extensive, with the «Inn» right by the road, the «Lodge» set back from the road, and other cottages even further up.
We picked an Inn room because they are less expensive. It was a king suite on the second floor. The room was beautiful and decorated with interesting furniture and a very comfy king bed. Everything was clean and spacious. The bathroom was HUGE with a whirlpool tub plus separate shower. I mean, the bathroom looks like it could have once been a bedroom in the house – that’s how big it is. The room also had free wifi and cable TV, plus a nice view of Seneca Lake. We were very happy with it.
A huge benefit of staying here is also the homecooked breakfast in the morning. You just go to the dining area of the Inn, and they have hot coffee and tea, pastries, yogurt, and hot breakfast. They had potatoes, eggs, sausage, and pancakes for us, but I’m sure the menu changes here and there.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Seneca Springs to anyone visiting the Seneca wine trail or other area attractions. It’s only a few minutes from Watkins Glen as well. We live in Ithaca which is only 45 minutes away, but it was really nice to hit the area wineries and not worry about driving all the way back home. J.R. Dill winery is actually only 100 yards or so from the Inn, so you can go over there easily and stumble back.

We recently spent five nights in the Inn at Seneca Springs Resort only a few days after new owners had made settlement and taken over. Even though there was a transition in management, we never would have known it!
We loved the homey atmosphere of the Inn, as well as the amenities such as the jacuzzi tub in our room and the refrigerator reserved for the guests’ use. The view of the lake from the porch was absolutely fantastic, and we enjoyed having breakfast out there each morning as well as drinks in the evening after our daily adventures.
Speaking of breakfast, we loved that we were served actual homemade breakfasts each morning rather than prepackaged convenience foods! Compliments to Crystal for the great cooking and friendly service — and if she serves her homemade quiche, HAVE IT! It’s amazing.
Darlene and Michelle (business partners and the new owners) were so kind, and so helpful in answering our questions about the Seneca Lake area. They made us feel welcome and were very responsive when we had requests (on one warm day we needed help getting our in-​room AC running). They took such great care of us that, after having a tour of the beautifully-​decorated Lodge (up the hill from the Inn), we’re hoping to organize a group of friends in our beer club to stay there soon to enjoy the wineries and breweries in the area.
Overall, I can definitely recommend Seneca Springs Resort. The next time we plan a trip to the Finger Lakes, that’s where we’re staying!

This is my dream getaway location, though perhaps not for everyone.
The view is absolutely spectacular. Breathtaking views of Seneca Lake await you! It is close to all of the wineries along Seneca Lake. The property has three buildings. We stayed in the «Inn», so I can only comment on that. The Inn is where everyone converges for Breakfast. It is also closer to the road, providing closer views, though you’ll also be seeing power cords. I quick walk up the hill easily solves this.
The bed was very comfortable, though a bit TOO far off the floor. The room was a little on the chilly side. I am not sure if this was due to drafts from the window (not all windows had shades) or ineffective heating. i initially chalked it up to not being ready for the cooler weather up north. When I returned home, however, it was just as cold and my heat is much cozier, even though I have an old 100 year old home. Those are the downsides.
A note on the breakfasts… they are very tasty, but a bit on the decadent side. If you have a sensitive stomach, you may wish to avoid the potato dish, which seems to be a stable, but has heavy cream as a main ingredient. It’s absolutely delicious, but not for someone with a sensitive stomach.
Enjoy.