• Lake George has long been a vacation destination for the moneyed and budget-minded alike.chairs on the lake image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
  
  Surrounded by New York's Adirondack Mountains, Lake George has long been a vacation destination for the famous and elite. Despite its allure for the moneyed, Lake George also offers affordable accommodations that still reflect the village's local character for anyone who wants to appreciate the area's natural beauty. Motels are open from May to October. Peak season and higher prices are during July and August.
  
  

Motel Montreal

• Mere steps from the sandy beach on Lake George, Motel Montreal offers old-school charm for less than you pay elsewhere. Its red sign outside touting "Pool, Color TV, Air Conditioning" and its tidy two-floor frame and manicured grounds with white chaise longues lined up under red umbrellas by the heated outdoor pool make the motel seem like a period-film set. Family-owned and -operated, the motel is meticulously maintained, with 40 modest rooms and two bedroom apartments, which have room for six people to sleep and include full kitchens and dining rooms. The apartments are rented by the week. The heart of the town is a five-minute walk away, and there is trolley service to the major tourist attractions in the area for which the motel has discount tickets. The staff completes the personalized stay that will remind older travelers of road trips before chain motels.
  
  Motel Montreal
  3 Lake Ave.
  Lake George, NY 12845
  518-668-5439
  lakegeorgemotelmontreal.com
  
  

Lake Haven Motel

• Another modest and affordable motel is the Lake Haven, which is a Village of Lake George Beautification Award Winner. Family-run and -operated, the Lake Haven Motel offers 40 rooms of differing sizes and prices. The larger, poolside rooms with two beds and private porches are more expensive and come with a 27-inch cable TV. First-floor rooms with one bed or those that are not poolside are cheaper. All rooms come with a refrigerator, heat, air conditioning, a clock radio and a phone with which you can make free local calls. The artwork in each room is by a local photographer. Cots, cribs, and DVD players and VCRs are available upon request. Any guest is free to use the office microwave. There is complimentary coffee in the lobby that you can enjoy on one of the many chaise longues lining the heated pool outside. The railings on the hotel and around the pool are adorned with red and white flowers.
  
  Lake Haven Motel
  P.O. Box 581
  Canada and Lake avenues
  Lake George, NY 12845
  800-347-0543
  lakehavenmotel.com
  
  

Balsam Motel

• Only 100 feet from the village beach is the Balsam Motel, another local cozy lodging option whose owners give everyone's stay personal attention. The Balsam features both rooms and small cottages, all of which come with cable TV, refrigerators and phones with which you can make free local calls. The grounds include a heated swimming pool, barbecue grills and picnic tables set in the shade of the many trees around the Balsam. A deposit equal to one night's stay is required to guarantee your reservation. That deposit is applied to the first night. You can pay for the deposit, but not for the rest of your stay, by check. Pets are allowed. The trolley service that provides transportation to area attractions stops in front of the Balsam.
  
  Balsam Motel
  430 Canada St.
  Lake George, NY 12845
  518-668-3865
  balsammotel.com