It’s more than just our signature Negroni that connects our Great Hall Bar to Gatsby-era celebrations.

Rumor has it our historic Bar was once a Prohibition-style speakeasy… but the official record remains a little muddled.

That’s because our local Adirondacks were once a haven for smugglers and rum runners during Prohibition, bringing everything from shootouts to saloons into the area for visitors, guests, and not-so-legal businessmen to enjoy during their stay so close to the Canadian border.

Saranac Lake itself was reportedly home to at least seven illegal stills, producing bootleg hooch for transportation down the river and toward New York City. 

For guests of Hotel Saranac—which first opened in 1927, during the height of Prohibition and the Roaring Twenties—that meant finding a drink in town might have been far easier than the authorities would have liked… provided, of course, you knew the right door to knock on, and the right passcode to prove your place as a patron.

Today, cocktail hour is much more civilized. However, we do still pay homage to that wild speakeasy era in our historic Great Hall Bar, which combines the elegant ambiance of the grand Great Camps of the age with a sophisticated style unique to our iconic property.

Our Great Hall Bar has had plenty of time to drink in stories from our guests over the years. Start planning a visit today to add your unique twist to the mixture.

Visit the Great Hall

Rumor has it our basement had a speakeasy. Luckily, cocktail hour is now much more civilized.
Speakeasy
5