Fort William Henry Hotel and Conference Center

Fort William Henry Hotel and Conference Center has a long history. It originally opened in 1855, but after a fire and several rounds of renovations, the hotel has grown to an 18-acre property with three sections: the Grand Hotel, Premium East Wing, and the motel section, the Standard West unit. The Grand Hotel section is the newest addition that opened in 2004, and today the hotel is well known for having lovely views of the South Basin of Lake George, a large convention center, and being on the same property as the Fort William Henry Museum. 

As for the decor, the lobby is particularly elegant with printed carpet, antique furniture, a wooden front desk, and printed armchairs and couches. However, it’s the outdoor spaces that are the most attractive. Think: large grassy fields with a gazebo and fountain, hammocks stretched between trees, and down-home wicker furniture on a patio. The atmosphere is generally relaxed, even though on-site conventions and weddings can make it busy, as can the main clientele of families.

It’s hard to beat the location of the Fort William Henry Hotel and Conference Center. For one, it’s located on the same property as the historic Fort William Henry, the setting in the book and film of “The Last of The Mohicans.” It’s just a five-minute walk to the bay of Lake George and a 15-minute walk to the beach. There’s a mini golf course next door. Shepard Park takes seven minutes to reach on foot. A diverse set of dining options is within a five-minute walk. It’s an hour’s drive to Albany International Airport. 

Guest rooms at this property vary greatly according to the location of the room. Rooms in the Grand Hotel section have a country elegance with a tan and brown color scheme, maroon accents, dark wooden furniture, and floral or animal art pieces on the wall. The Premium East Wing has mid-range rooms with a contemporary but old-fashioned design with green carpet, floral maroon accents, cherry wood furniture, and green curtains. However, the budget rooms are reportedly dated with cleanliness issues and a decor like the mid-range rooms. All rooms feature flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, safes, and coffeemakers. The Grand Hotel rooms have additional perks like microwaves and mini-fridges, and some have jetted tubs. Tan bathrooms feature toiletries, hairdryers, and shower/tub combos or separate showers and tubs. Lake and mountain views are available. 

Although Fort William Henry Hotel and Conference Center’s facilities don't match up with big convention center hotels’ amenities (there’s no spa or gym on-site), that doesn’t prevent it from charging a daily resort fee. The fee covers parking, Wi-Fi, hotel amenities, and in-room safes. The biggest draw is the indoor pool, outdoor pool, hot tub, and sauna. Family activities are plentiful here and include board games to borrow, a gaming area, and the seasonal, on-site Fort William Henry Museum. There are three restaurants and bars serving American cuisine, including a hot and cold breakfast buffet (for a fee) in the mornings. Note that two of the restaurants are seasonal, and there’s to-go pick-up service in place of room service. The hotel also has a sweets shop with baked goodies and a few gift shops with snacks and such. As the name implies, the property has a conference center with 12 fully-equipped meeting rooms and a business center with public computers and printing services. A coin-operated laundry room is available.