Skaneateles Fields Resort and Spa: A Luxury Hideaway Deep in Finger Lakes, New York
Skaneateles Fields Resort and Spa is an idyllic rural retreat nestled in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes region.
North of one of the Finger Lakes near Syracuse, New York, is Skaneateles Fields Resort and Spa, a rural retreat and spa set among fields and clusters of trees.
The hotel sign features a large prancing fox, and I felt like I was prancing into an upstate New York luxury hideaway. Close to acclaimed wineries and gorgeous waterfalls, Skaneateles is a picturesque New York small town.
The 89-room property offers a scenic escape designed for relaxation with thoughtfully curated amenities.
It’s also close to several universities, such as Syracuse University, Cornell University, Colgate University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Hamilton College, Skidmore College, and Union College. Dropping my daughter off at college was the very reason I was in the area.
I carried my new Nomatic carry-on luggage while checking in multiple suitcases for my daughter, but I only planned on bringing my rugged Nomatic carry-on, which could carry five days’ worth of clothes in its smartly designed interior.
Resort amenities include an outdoor swimming pool.
About the Property
Opened in September 2025, Skaneateles Fields Resort and Spa is a 100-acre resort that sits just on the outskirts of the village and within a few miles of Skaneateles Lake.
There are 89 beautifully designed guest rooms. Ours had a long window seat that extended the entire length of the wall. The large window had quaint white shutters that still blocked out the morning light, which is important when you’re flying across time zones.
Rooms and suites feature timeless design and finishes from local craftsmen and artisans.
Select rooms also come with deep soaking tubs.
When I see a library at a hotel, I’m immediately in love with the property. I marveled at the books along the walls, and the chess sets on tables around lounge chairs, ready for the pawn to make the first move.
Each day, the resort hosts activities such as yoga classes, hot tea in the library, bocce, and pickleball clinics. Other amenities include complimentary use of mountain bikes to explore the rural roads and trails.
You can sign up for a trip to the local Tap Root Farms and hop on a shuttle to the walkable village with a picturesque gazebo near the water, just a few miles away. The shuttle leaves every hour and picks up guests every hour, so there’s no waiting around.
The spaces throughout the resort provide a cozy atmosphere with fireplaces and curated artwork.
Spa and Wellness Sanctuary
I started my spa experience by relaxing in the cushioned, blue plush sofas built into alcoves in the walls. It was a nice way to quiet the mind before moving to the lounge chairs around the spacious jacuzzi.
READ: The Best Spas in New York City
It was surrounded by three rocks and a peaceful waterfall. There was also a dry sauna with plenty of benches and a cozy, vibrantly pink Himalayan salt inhalation room with a clear door next to the jacuzzi so I didn’t feel claustrophobic.
Snacks included the spa’s green juice, made of wheatgrass, celery, green apple, and cucumber, which was refreshing and hydrating. There were also house-made granola bars and fruit.
The spa’s Wellness Sanctuary features a hydrothermal circuit with a Himalayan salt inhalation chamber.
Outside the spa area was an outdoor hot tub and cold plunge, surrounded by a peaceful rock wall. There are outdoor Finnish cedar barrel saunas that guests can book. There’s also a well-equipped gym that is accessible.
READ: The Best Spas in Long Island
When it was time for my 50-minute massage, the therapist came to the jacuzzi area, which also serves as the lounge area. It was the first time I tried a massage on a table that vibrated to the meditative music of nature sounds.
Guests can relax in the jacuzzi next to a cozy fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows.
I tried the Whispering Fields Massage, which was a perfect antidote to the previous day’s exhausting activity of moving my daughter into her new apartment.
Before I move her into any new dorm space, I do a deep clean and get into every nook and crevice of the room. It was her last year at university, and I was secretly glad that I wouldn’t be cleaning, lugging luggage, and moving her into college again.
Other body treatments include the Stone and Stillness Hot Stone Massage, using heated Himalayan stones, and Deep Earth Renewal Massages, featuring deep pressure techniques. Facials include a Self-Discovery Radiance, Dewfall Ritual for deep hydration, and Botinol Time Reversal facial with peptides.
The spa’s treatment menu offers a variety of seasonal services, massages, facials, and body rituals.
Award-Winning Dining
Fields Restaurant overlooks the spacious grounds with a golf putting course, pickleball, bocce ball, and three fire-pits with Adirondack chairs.
An adjacent second-floor outdoor terrace is the perfect spot to watch the sun set. The restaurant was recently recognized in Travel + Leisure as one of the top 25 best hotel restaurants in the world, as well as Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence Award System.
Having lived in the area for four years, I enjoyed the Finger Lakes wines on the extensive wine list, featuring 65 Finger Lakes labels; most don’t make it to the West Coast where I live.
Helmed by Esperanza Guzman (RPM Italian, Ramen-San), the kitchen works closely with nearly all of Tap Root Fields Farm. The menu showcases French and Italian cooking, using herbs and flowers in the dishes and cocktails.
The resort’s Fields Restaurant offers the best in farm-to-fork dining.
I kicked off the meal with an Empire Apple Collins cocktail (South Hill Cider Pommeau, apple brandy, lemon cordial, slice of apple) designed by renowned mixologist William Elliott (Maison Premiere and Tigre, both in New York City), accompanied by charcuterie and pickled local vegetables.
We dove into the scallops sautéed in brown butter with pickled raisins, apricot, and charred local beans. We also tried the tender ribeye steak and mushroom medley, ending on a sweet note with the sticky toffee date cake.
Fields Restaurant is also known for its innovative beverage program.
After dinner, we meandered and finished a Finger Lakes chardonnay by the fire pit. The resort also provides s’mores kits.
After a journey across the country, saddled with suitcases to move my daughter into college, a stay at the Skaneatales Resort and Spa and time spent in their spa sanctuary was a well-deserved reward, if I do say so myself.
An adjacent second-floor outdoor terrace is the perfect spot to watch the sun set.
Insider Tips
Take a trip to the village of Skaneateles just a few minutes away. It’s a quaint town with a gazebo and boats on the northern edge of a Finger Lake.
Ask for time in the Himalayan salt inhalation chamber from the front desk. They have to prepare the chamber for about 15 minutes before you can enter it.
Sitting around a fire pit during a New York evening is a quintessential experience when you’re in the woods. Embrace the quiet time, especially after a delicious meal at the Fields Restaurant.
The resort has outdoor fire-pits where guests can gather and enjoy a drink or s’mores.
For more information and to book a stay at Skaneateles Resort and Spa, visit their website or call (315) 291-7500. For special deals on your stay, click here. Follow on Instagram: @skaneatelesfields.
1000 Mottville Road, Skaneateles NV 89158
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[Photo credit: Solon Quinn Studios for Skaneateles Fields Resort & Spa]
Helen I. Hwang is an award-winning journalist, author, and mechanical engineer. Her works have appeared in The New York Times for Kids, Eater San Diego, People Magazine, Parents.com, Trip Advisor, Huffington Post, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine,TravelSavvy.com, and other publications.
She has also written a book, titled All Grown Up: Please Touch Museum and Its Move to Memorial Hall, for the Please Touch Museum, a children's museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
In addition, Helen worked as a researcher for the Peabody Award-winning NPR radio program, Fresh Air with Terry Gross. Over the years, she's lived on three continents and traveled to more than 40 countries.
She currently lives in San Diego, CA, the 16th place she's called home. More about her can be found at helenihwang.com.