Most associated with its internationally renowned wines, the Finger Lakes region bears fruit in other ways, with plentiful group pairings across this 13-county, 9,000-square-mile expanse in Central New York that I had the chance to visit last year.
Triangulated by Rochester, Syracuse and Elmira-Corning, the 11 slender glacial lakes were carved out by ancient glaciers and filled with water 10,000 years ago. More mystical is the Native American version: “The Creator looked upon this land with special favor and reached down to bless it, leaving the imprint of His hand.”
The longest, at 40 miles, is Cayuga. On its eastern shore, 70 miles southeast of Rochester, beckons Aurora. Originally Deawendote, Iroquois for “Village of Constant Dawn,” this storybook 1795 village is home of the enchanting Inns of Aurora Resort & Spa.
The property’s rich back story starts with Henry Wells, who co-founded the American Express Company in 1850 and Wells Fargo & Company in 1852, serving as the latter’s first president.
Investing in both was his Aurora-born friend and business partner Edwin Barber (E.B.) Morgan. An entrepreneur and politician who also backed the fledgling New York Times, Morgan left lasting architectural legacies on his hometown.
In 1833, he built the Federal-style Aurora Inn as a Wells Fargo stagecoach, followed in 1858 by his private residence, the E.B. Morgan House, and in 1868, women-only Wells College, which recently closed.
In 2001, Wells College alumna Pleasant Rowland, founder of the American Girl doll company, created the Aurora Foundation to restore the Aurora Inn and other historic properties that had fallen into disrepair. Parading along Aurora’s elm-lined Main Street, six exquisite buildings became the Inns of Aurora, serving as accommodations for the 350-acre resort.
Last fall, I stayed at the 10-room Aurora Inn in a second-floor deluxe with period furniture and a balcony overlooking Main Street. The resort’s flagship includes fine-dining 1833 Kitchen & Bar and lakefront lawn for 200-capacity tented events. My dinner of cucumber and honeydew gazpacho and smoked sweet corn risotto on the restaurant’s outdoor patio was excellent, with service from the wonderful Ms. Champagne to match.
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The eight-room E.B. Morgan House includes private dinners and events with a full buyout. Groups can similarly take over the 11-room Rowland House (1903), which offers a 12-person conference room, and 12-room Zabriskie House (1904), with dining room for events. Blending history with modern amenities and technology, each high-design guest property offers an ideal distraction-free environment for focus, productivity and relaxation.
The Taylor House Conference Center is the resort’s dedicated meetings venue. Updating an 1838 lakeside estate, flexible spaces include grand parlors for breakouts, 50-capacity outdoor patio and 32-person boardroom.
The go-to Village Market neighbors the Aurora Inn. Across the street, the casual Fargo Bar & Grill, with outdoor patio, updates an 1836 tavern. A short stroll away, Aurora Cooks! hosts interactive chef-led culinary demonstrations and 26-person private dinners.
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The resort’s hilltop spa is a multimillion-dollar showstopper. Expanding the resort’s wellness focus, the stunning 15,000-square-foot venue is the only U.S. spa to achieve WELL Certification Gold from the International WELL Building Institute. From extensive treatments and indoor/outdoor hydrotherapy pools to the tech-free Tranquility Room and 180-degree Cayuga Lake views, it’s exceptional in every way.
Opened in January 2026, the adjacent 10-room Farmhouse brings an 1835 structure into the modern age with amenities including a dedicated space for deeply healing body treatments. Resort activities include kayaking on Cayuga Lake, yoga in the event-capable Loft and biking around the one-square-mile, National Historic Register-listed village.
Recognized with a Key in the inaugural Michelin hotel guide, the year-round resort is truly a “very special stay.”
