The Woods Inn.

Route 28 in Inlet, on Fourth Lake of the Fulton Chain. The Woods Inn is the working full-service hotel between Old Forge and Raquette Lake, which makes it the obvious choice for travelers who want lodging and dining and event capacity in one address in a stretch of the park where freestanding hotels are otherwise scarce.

The building is a restored historic inn rather than a recent build dressed up. Lodging mix runs three ways: main inn rooms with the period detail intact, a Carriage House for guests who want a freestanding building, and a Lakefront Cottage on the water for the upgrade choice. The mix handles couples through small groups.

The restaurant side runs three rooms: The Overlook Bistro for sit-down dinner, a Beer Garden for warm-weather casual, and The Tavern for the loud-bar end. That's three distinct moods inside the same property, which is rare in this part of the park. The inn also handles weddings, retreats, and events. Best for visitors basing in the Fulton Chain who want a real lodging room rather than a cabin rental, with dinner downstairs.