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The Majestic Adirondacks
And
The Charming Mirror Lake Inn
By Norm Goldman
Artist: Lily-Azerad Goldman
 Rare is the person these days who does not crave for
sparkling clear lakes, lush natural spruce, hemlock and pine forests, high
peak mountains, unspoiled wilderness, and a feeling of complete relaxation
and renewal.
Isn’t this what a romantic getaway is all about?
One destination worth considering and offering all of
the above and more is the quaint village of
Lake Placid, located within the
Adirondacks in the northern part of New York State.
It is here where you will discover on the northern
shore of Mirror Lake, one of the two lakes surrounding the village, the
four-season resort
Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa.
An inn where you can kick off your shoes, hang up your
hat and easily stay for a few exhilarating days without being bored.
 The history of this famous inn dates back to 1924 when
Climena Alford, a native of Lake Placid, married William Rufus Wikoff of
Massachusetts, who was the originator of the “Fuller Brush Man.”
William and Climena retired to Lake Placid, where they
converted an estate that dated back to 1883 into a high quality inn known as
Mir-A-Lac Inn.
Even during the depression the inn managed to succeed,
adding on rooms, building the dining room, winterizing, and making general
improvements.
It was at the inn that the first rope tow powered by
electricity was installed. It was also the first to have a skating camp
housing many world-class skating champions, and it also hosted the Norwegian
team during the 1932 Olympic Winter Games.
For the past seventeen consecutive years, the Inn has
earned a Four Diamond “Exceptional” Award for excellence from AAA and it
also holds Mobil Travel Guide’s three star “Excellent” Award. Since 1998 it
has been a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group as part of
their North American portfolio.
Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Poll in 1998 rated the Inn
as number one for service.
In 2002 it was the reader’s choice of Condé Nast as one
of the top 30 North American Resorts and highest rated in the Northeast, and
earned a place on its top elite Gold List.
How can you not agree with these accolades when you
consider the extra personal touches the inn provides: complimentary tea with
biscuits served each afternoon in the Wikoff Room, that has been recently
refurbished in the Adirondack Great Camp style with cedar log trim, birch
bark accents, board and bead paneling and two massive stone fireplaces,
morning and evening housekeeping service, a newspaper delivered to your door
each morning, morning coffee served in the Terrace Suite Coffee Shop. Above
all there is that personal warm service that immediately greets you when you
step into the front door.
Arriving guests can register into one of the 128
well-appointed rooms that include 19 suites. These suites are split,
single-level or studio suites with living room areas and whirlpool baths.
The superior bedrooms come with picture windows with panoramic lake and
mountain views and large private balconies. There are Colonial bedrooms that
are smaller and homey.
For those seeking beauty, fitness and pampering, the
resort’s Spa offers a myriad of possibilities.
Choices include detoxifying armomatherapy, salt glow,
and several massage options.
There are even fitness and yoga classes, individual
training sessions, as well as the possibility of having a one-hour
consultation with the inn’s Registered Dietitian/Certified Nutritionist.
If you are into an early morning dip, the indoor and
outdoor pools can more than amply satisfy your needs. There are even
specific times set aside for lap swims.
Paddle- boats are also available during the appropriate
seasons to help you get the stiffness out of your legs while you cruise
Mirror Lake.
In winter you may want to put on your pair of skates
and enjoy the invigorating Lake Placid air.
Guests with hiking and skiing in mind will find the
inn’s location ideal.
Within minutes there are miles of hiking trails for the
beginner as well as the experienced, leading to magnificent lakes, rivers
and mountain summits.
The Adirondack region of New York can boast that it has
the largest hiking trail system in the nation, and it includes the 6
million-acre Adirondack Park. Nearly half of the park is public land,
accessible to everyone.
Hikers can troop Mt. Jo, one of the finest trails in
the area, providing fantastic rewards for little effort. Another great
passage is Rocky Falls leading you through the woods to a series of cascades
and a swimming hole; a great place to enjoy a picnic lunch and some
painting.
The Jackrabbit Trail, named after Herman “Jackrabbit”
Johannsen, the legendary Norwegian, who helped popularize ski touring in the
Adirondacks in the early 20th century, is another popular venue.
In 1988 the Adirondack Ski Touring Council opened the
trail as a cross-country ski trail stretching from Paul Smiths to Keene, a
distance of over 35 miles. Snowshoers, hikers and cross-country skiers from
all over the world use this trail.
The resort’s activities coordinator can arrange
rock-climbing excursions, canoe and fly- fishing trips, and out door
fun-guided hikes. A licensed Adirondack guide leads all the resort’s
adventure trips.
Just bear in mind- the lakes are just waiting for you
to drop a hook and perhaps catch a rainbow or lake trout, small or
largemouth bass, great northern pike or a pickerel.
If you want to go it alone, the coordinator can provide
detailed maps pertaining to the various hiking trails, ponds and lakes.
Nearby is Whiteface Mountain, host of the 1980 Olympic
games, and where the longest vertical drop in the East at 3430 feet is
located.
The ski center is open from November through April, and
it has a network of 65 trails with state-of-the art grooming, 10 ski lifts,
expanded snow making operation, and ski and snowboarding schools.
A complimentary shuttle service provided by the Town of
Lake Placid will pick you up at the inn every hour on the hour between 8
a.m. and 1 p.m., and brings you back between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. during the
winter season.
At the end of the day, guests can enjoy innovative
cuisine of the inn’s Averil Conwell Dining Room, where there is an array of
choices of appetizers and entrées prepared by award winning chef Matthew
Baldwin and his excellent team.
There is nothing like a romantic candlelight dinner,
while taking in the views of the Adirondack High Peaks, the ideal backdrop
for that special experience.
Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa
5 Mirror Lake Drive
Lake Placid, NY
Tel: 518-523-2544
Fax: 518-523-2871
Email:
info@mirrorlakeinn.com
Lake Placid Essex County Visitors Bureau
216 Main Street-Olympic Center
Lake Placid, New York
Tel: 518-523-2445
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