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Historic Tower House on Ithaca's West Hill, close to Cornell and downtown

Photo gallery for Historic Tower House on Ithaca's West Hill, close to Cornell and downtown

House restoration done!
Tower House cira 1879
Welcome to the Tower House
side garden patio
gazebo and grill

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
4 bedrooms2+ bathroomsSleeps 10306.6 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Fireplace
  • Kitchen
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

View map
Ithaca, NY
  • Ithaca Commons
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Ithaca College
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Cornell University
    ‪7 min drive‬
  • Ithaca, NY (ITH-Tompkins Regional)
    ‪13 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 10)

Back Master Bedroom

1 King Bed

Downstairs bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Front Master Bedroom

1 King Bed

Top of the Stairs Room

1 Queen Bed

Tower sleeping nook

1 King Bed

2 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Downstairs bathroom

Toilet

Master bath

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only · Jetted bathtub

White Bathroom

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Separate dining area
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Historic Tower House on Ithaca's West Hill, close to Cornell and downtown

It’s Summer in the Finger Lakes and the calendar is bursting with great events and things to do! Call up your old college besties or gather up the family and make it a long weekend!

This elegant historic home is on the West Hill in Ithaca, with lovely views of Cornell from across the lake. The entire main home is yours complete with two acres of grounds and gardens to enjoy, perfectly located walking distance to Cayuga Lake, Cass Park and downtown.

The Tower House is a Victorian family home built in 1879 and brought back to be a welcoming single family home in 2021. You'll find it to be a convenient and comfortable base for exploring the Finger Lakes as well as a great space for entertaining and events. There is a fully equipped gourmet kitchen with casual dining spaces as well as a formal dining room that seats 12. The main floor has sitting rooms, a half bath and two covered porches perfect for morning coffee with the deer and birds or an evening cocktail watching fireflies.

The large common rooms both upstairs and downstairs give you plenty of room to spread out or gather, all with stunning views day and night out from the floor to ceiling windows. The wood stove in one of the downstairs sitting rooms is super cozy on snowy nights and the downstairs queen bedroom with a nearby half bath is nice for guests who prefer no stairs.

The upper floor opens onto another spacious sitting room, along with 3 large bedrooms. Two of the rooms have king beds, one has a queen and there are two full baths (one with a jetted soaking tub large enough for two). The upstairs sitting room has a tv and a board game space, as well as extra sleeping space if needed. There is a full sized day bed in a charming nook at the base of the tower that converts to another king sized bed when needed and has a privacy curtain separating it from the rest of the upstairs that tucks away when not needed.

The grounds include ample parking, a stone patio off one of the porches, an outside eating area with bbq, two firepits with plenty of wood along with spacious yards and gardens to explore. There are views across the lake to Cornell and Ithaca College. The waterfront recreation path and Cass Park with the Children's Garden and sports center are a 15 min walk, as are many downtown Ithaca destinations.

The house is located on the Cayuga Lake Wine trail and a short drive to Taughannock Falls State Park, Trumansburg and countless other waterfalls, hikes and amazing local restaurants. We have an Empire Pass at the house for guests use which covers parking and entry to the local state parks, which we hope encourages everyone to get out and enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the Finger Lakes!

We are open to stays greater than 30 days and have special pricing to reflect that, please contact owners for more information.

The entire main house and grounds are yours for your stay. The basement is a separate apartment full apartment that can be rented on its own or in conjunction with the main house. Contact owner for more information.

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Outdoor space

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House Rules

Check in after 2:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 23
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
Baby gates, portable crib, games
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Events

Events allowed: family gatherings, birthday parties, weddings
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Smoking in house/ porches forfeits damage deposit
No street shoes in house please, exceptions for events of course (you don't need to have a barefoot wedding) Bring slippers for indoors if you like!
If you must smoke outside, please dispose of butts properly

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 20
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
Property Registration Number STR-25-98

We should mention

A car is not required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Ithaca

Located in Ithaca, this holiday home is in the city centre. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Buttermilk Falls State Park and Cayuga Lake. Travelling with kids? Consider Puddledockers and Museum of the Earth. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Ithaca, NY

What's nearby

  • Ithaca Farmers Market - 1 min drive - 1.1 km
  • Ithaca Commons - 3 min drive - 2.5 km
  • Ithaca Falls Natural Area - 4 min drive - 2.6 km
  • Ithaca College - 6 min drive - 3.9 km
  • Cornell University - 7 min drive - 4.7 km

Getting around

  • Ithaca, NY (ITH-Tompkins Regional) - 14 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Ithaca Bakery - ‬2 min drive
  • ‪The Rhine House - ‬17 min walk
  • ‪Petes Gas Station - ‬15 min walk
  • ‪The Milkstand - ‬19 min walk
  • ‪The Boatyard Grill - ‬3 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Historic Tower House on Ithaca's West Hill, close to Cornell and downtown pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Historic Tower House on Ithaca's West Hill, close to Cornell and downtown?

Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Historic Tower House on Ithaca's West Hill, close to Cornell and downtown?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Historic Tower House on Ithaca's West Hill, close to Cornell and downtown located?

This family-friendly holiday home is located in the city centre, within 1 mi (2 km) of Puddledockers and Kitchen Theater. Cayuga Lake is 2.4 mi (3.9 km) away.

About the host

Hosted by Nicole von Suhr

Host profile image
Hello! Our family is Nicole, Jon and Simone. We live mostly in Seattle but Ithaca is our second home. I graduated from Cornell Arts and Sciences '87 and fell in love with the area way back then. For the past 5 years, we have been fixing up old houses, mostly for local long term rentals. We have a couple special houses that we just had to share with everyone, our 1916 Farmhouse in Burdett and this 1879 Victorian in city gem!

Why they chose this property

The Tower House is perfect for your special gathering or event, whether you are local or from out of town. It is large enough to accommodate a large group or families traveling together and has both formal and informal spaces for whatever your plans may be. The property is the perfect mix of proximity to downtown and the colleges while being surrounded by 2 acres of gardens and woods. You can share your morning coffee with the deer while looking at the view of Cornell across the lake.

What makes this property unique

Elegance, comfort, views, space and a location that can't be beat! The fireflies in the garden are like nothing I have ever seen and outdoor spaces are spectacular. This home is ideal for a family gathering or friends coming together. I envision events in the gardens, art openings in the big dining room, special wine dinners with guest chefs cooking at the Viking range, live music in the living room. Check out the Tower House and see what plans it inspires!

Languages:

English