The Balsam Inn & Cafe.

The Balsam Inn & Café is a historical inn and tavern at 140 NY-10 in Caroga Lake — technically in the Town of Arietta, on the edge of the southern Adirondacks. The second floor was newly renovated as boutique guest rooms with a shared bath, sitting directly above the inn's restored Forever Wild Tavern.

The setting is unusual: the building sits adjacent to state park land, about a minute from the West Branch of the Sacandaga River, with hiking access on Northville-Lake Placid Trail connectors and proximity to the Caroga Lakes themselves. Rooms retain their original character while bringing modern fittings up to current standards.

The tavern and café operate as a destination in their own right; guests staying upstairs have on-site dining and drinks without leaving the property. Best for: small couples' getaways, motorcycle and snowmobile-club overnights, and travelers who want a quieter southern-Adirondack base.