Mirbeau Inn & Spa in Skaneateles is the Finger Lakes' closest approximation of a European destination spa, and its back-to-back Silver awards for Best Day Spa in 2022 and 2023 underscore a reputation that extends well beyond the region. The property on West Genesee Street Road draws its design inspiration from the French countryside — think Monet's Giverny, with manicured gardens, a footbridge, and stonework that feels transplanted from Provence. The spa menu runs deep: massage, facials, body treatments, hydrotherapy, and a thermal pool sequence that encourages you to slow down and actually inhabit the experience rather than rushing through a fifty-minute appointment.

The inn itself means you can pair a spa day with an overnight, turning the visit into a proper retreat rather than a hurried afternoon. The on-site restaurant, The Giverny, serves French-inspired cuisine that maintains the immersive atmosphere, and Skaneateles village — widely considered one of the most beautiful lakeside towns in New York — is a short drive away for shopping and waterfront walks. For visitors who associate the Finger Lakes primarily with wine trails and hiking, Mirbeau offers a genuinely different register of experience. This is where you go when you want to be taken care of at a level that the region's smaller spas cannot quite match. The price point reflects that ambition, but the execution justifies it.