Chelka Lodge

Chelka lodge truly is a hidden gem on lake George with close proximity to both lake George village and Bolton landing. From the second we arrived the peaceful relaxing vibe of the grounds made us feel right at home. Especially being greeted by their sweet and friendly dog Sophie. We stayed in an efficiency room with amazing views of the lake and a private balcony where we watched the sunrise every morning. They offer lots of amenities such as paddleboards, kayaks, rowboat, canoe, shuffleboard, full basketball court, ping pong, corn hole. There is a deck above the efficiency rooms, private sandy beach and swimming area. The owners Dave and Judy were wonderful and made sure we had the best time during our stay. Definitely will be returning to visit the chelka lodge again!

My boyfriend and I were looking for a place to stay for one night after hiking Buck
Mountain. Chelka was recommended to us by another lodge that had just closed for the season.
The owner was very nice. He explained everything thoroughly (what we had access to, advice on where to eat, etc), and provided us with a cork screw when we asked.
The grounds are lovely, and we really enjoyed being able to use one of the canoes.
The only reason I’m giving four stars instead of five is because the owners have several dogs, and they aren’t exactly cleaned up after. Dog poop was fairly prevalent on the lawn and you definitely had to watch where you stepped.

My spouse and I visited Chela Lodge 2 summes ago and I still have very fond memories of our trip and this lovely lodge.
The place is run by a friendly couple who used to live in NYC. Who can blame them for moving up here and buying this place. It’s super comfortable — we had a room right on the water. The room was a little musty smelling (and I do mean a little), but a quick spray of Fabreeze took it away.
Boats were at their dock for use by guests, which is great.
It’s very clean and a peaceful place to stay. We were very happy here and when we go back to Lake George, we will probably stay here again.

Located between the charming town of Bolton Landing and the Village of Lake George, you will find this quaint and secluded little getaway called Chelka Lodge (
). Run by a very nice and hospitable couple, Judy and Dave Forshay, the lodge has two levels with 25 units and 400 feet of private lakefront. They take alot of pride in making sure their guests are comfortable and are having an enjoyable stay. If you like dogs, the owner’s 3 Labrador Retrievers (Heidi and Lacey are Golden, Sophie is Black) can be seen running about and you’re free to throw a bone or ball to any one of them.
The rooms are nicely kept, with the vanity and little dressing area separate from the bathroom. Our room had two double beds (extremely comfortable I have to say) and a roll away bed. There are three additional units that have a king size bed with an efficiency kitchen and one cottage with 2 separate apartments. At no additional charge during your stay, a very nice light breakfast is served between the hours of 8AM and 10AM. It includes freshly baked muffins (corn, orange cranberry, chocolate and blueberry), homemade banana nut bread, blueberry scones, cold cereals, fresh fruit and all beverages. Breakfast is served in a very pretty dining area except there are not that many tables. So, if you don’t mind sitting right next to the other guests at times (which my husband was not used to), you will really enjoy this breakfast, as I definitely did.*
The views from your room are breathtaking. You open the door and you’re looking right at the lake with these gorgeous, huge mountains directly in the background. There is a pretty gazebo on the grounds, a basketball court, ping pong, shuffleboard and kayaks, canoes and row boats are all available to you at no extra cost. There is also a big boathouse where the owners keep their private motor boat, but you can walk along the deck and find some nice areas to fish. My two daughters actually caught their first fish (two Pumpkin Seeds and a Bass — see pics) here. An abundance of lounges and chairs are also scattered on the manicured lawns, facing the lake, so you can also just relax, read a book and take it all in which I definitely took full advantage of. The only negative I can think of is that there is no swimming pool. But, with Lake George practically at your doorstep, who really needs a pool anyway? The lights stay on until 11PM so you can enjoy a late night swim if you wish. The Chelka Lodge may not be a luxury resort, but the comfort and tranquility you will find here can sometimes be even better!
* It’s really was not bad, we sat with some other really nice guests only one morning out of the three we were there.
Note: Celebrating it’s10th season, Chelka Lodge is open from May — October and is AAA approved.