Canopy by Hilton Ithaca Downtown

Canopy by Hilton Ithaca Downtown opened in October 2019 at 324 East State Street. It has 131 rooms over seven stories and a ground-floor restaurant, Strand Cafe, named for a theatre on the site until 1979. Baywood Hotels owns and operates it.

The place

The hotel is at 324 East State Street in downtown Ithaca, a few blocks from the Ithaca Commons, the pedestrian mall at the center of town. Cornell University and Ithaca College are both a short drive away, up the hillsides that rise on either side of the city.

The site once held the Strand Theatre, which operated from 1916 to 1979.

Ithaca sits at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake, in the Finger Lakes, and is known for its gorges and waterfalls, several of them reachable on foot from town. Cornell's campus is on the hill to the east, and the lake's wineries lie north along Route 89 and Route 90, which makes the town a base for wine-region trips as well as for campus visits.

The concept

Baywood Hotels, which also operates the property, built a seven-story new building with 131 rooms. It was the 11th Canopy by Hilton to open, and the opening was announced on 10 October 2019. The design draws on Ithaca's gorges, lake and forests and on the town's colleges, according to the announcement. No architect or interior designer was named.

History is built into the ground floor. The Strand Cafe takes the name of the Strand Theatre that stood on the site from 1916 to 1979, and artwork from the local historical society is displayed throughout the hotel. A 24-hour gym is on site.

Meeting space is limited to about 900 square feet, which suits small gatherings and not conferences. Visitors with larger events typically look to other properties in the city.

Dining & wellness

The Strand Cafe on the ground floor serves New American food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and also offers a selection of craft cocktails. The hotel does not have a separate bar, according to the announcement.