Rainbow Cove Motel & Restaurant

Giving this place 4 stars because the combo of solid diner-​ish food, throw-​back kitschy atmosphere and awesome view of Seneca Lake make for a really really enjoyable dining experience.
The seasonal restaurant is attached to a kind of hotel/​motel. They are open from Mother’s Day to mid Oct (10÷18÷15 this year), and their rooms are booked solid a year in advance. The place has no access to lake swimming, but they do gave a pool and you can rent pontoon boats for $ 50 per hour.
The view is the perfect lake view, though there is no outside dining — but a big bank of windows affords views from everywhere inside the joint.
Out front they have a dock with chairs where you can sit in the sun, enjoy the boat traffic and digest.
Food, well, really nothing special, only that it is totally solid diner fare. We had pancakes, home fries, eggs over easy and bacon plus English muffins, with endless cups of coffee. Portions were large, and for under $ 20, with tax and tip, it’s a great deal.
Right now, the bridge off The ‘main’ road (App— something) to Rainbow Cove is out, so you have to enter at Plum Point Rd (off Rt. 14) then turn right at the end and it’s on your right. We made the mistake of turning when we saw the huge sign off Rt. 14, ignored the ‘bridge is out’ sign, drove all the way down and had to turn around and drive back. From Geneva it’s probably 20 – 30 min drive.
Highly recommended!

Local family owned hotel and restaurant out of the 70s. Stopped in for dinner because the restaurant was down the street from the cottage we were renting. Ordered haddock dinners. Food came quickly. Shrimp we’re dry and overlooked. Haddock was not freshly prepared; been on the steam table a while. Salad bar choices were limited and lettuce was not crisp. The corn was canned. Prices were moderate. There is so much competition in the area; they should really update the menu and focus on preparing the food fresh and to order. Diner quality is the best description.

Wow. This is a great place where it feels like you’ve gone back in time to a simpler era. The complex looks like a cool campground from the 50s. A long 2 story buildings and then smaller bungalow cottage buildings. The décor matches the retro wooded wilderness feel but the rooms are very clean and comfortable. They rooms have shared patios that have a great view of Seneca Lake. All of the rooms provide a lake view and the lake is just about 15 yards from the building.
Upon arrival we rented a pantoon boat for 2 hours and cruised Seneca Lake, taking time to just float and going for a brief swim. The boat rental is done right at the front desk and was cheaper than I expected.
I currently live in L.A., but spent a number of summers as a kid around Seneca Lake and the Finger Lakes. I wound up at Rainbow Cove while traveling there with my girlfriend for Labor Day during an extended trip back east.
We went to Lloyd’s Limited (the world’s best pub) for dinner then returned to find that the motel makes a bonfire by the water each night. As the bonfire died out, we listened to the gentle crashing waves onto the shore and watched the water dance under the full moon.
They have a retro diner that matches everything else about the place and offers breakfast specials for prices that don’t seem to have changed since the 50’s. But we choose instead to have a fancier breakfast at Glenora Winery which was also beautiful and delicious.
The proprietors were very friendly and helpful. The guy helped launch our boat and make sure we had everything we needed for our cruise. We liked the place so much we bought sweatshirts with the motel logo. There are fancier places along Seneca Lake but this is a fun place for adventurous couples looking for a unique experience and a story to tell. It offers a romantic feel for the price of an inexpensive hotel chain.
When I travel back to the area I hope to stay there again.