Deer Meadows Motel & Cottages.

Route 28, 1.5 miles north of Inlet village, on the eastern end of Seventh Lake in the Fulton Chain. Over half of Seventh Lake's shoreline is state-owned, which means the view across the water is forest rather than docks and second homes. That is the actual reason to book here over the lakes closer to Old Forge.

The property runs both motel rooms and standalone cottages, sized for couples and small families. Swim, boat, and fish from the property; no shuttle to a separate beach. The private beach is small but quiet, the kind of waterfront that lets you hear loons at dusk rather than wakeboard boats.

The evening play is the bonfire pit. Roast marshmallows, watch the dark come in across the lake, and the next morning paddle out into the chain. About 1.5 hours from Thruway Exit 31 at Utica, which is the catchment for most of the Fulton Chain weekly bookings. Best for families who want quieter Fulton Chain water than what the Fourth Lake address delivers.