Rosemary's Legacy

We stayed at Rosemary's Legacy for a long weekend just before Valentine's Day. John set a gorgeous table for us to come down to every morning and stuffed us beyond compare--scones, muffins, French toast, fresh fruit, egg hash... Don't even get me started on dinner. It's a good thing I didn't lick the plate of crab cakes clean! And I'm still dreaming about his strawberry "shortcake"--fresh strawberries floating on a cloud-like meringue topped with freshly whipped cream. John is a phenom--you won't meet somebody who knows more about what to do in the Watkins Glen / Seneca Lake region. Upon our arrival, provided us with a folder full of info about places in the area, and many of the eateries and sights were his and Maryalice's (his wife's) favorites. The house itself is beautiful and very well kept. It almost felt like going to stay with relatives--the furniture is cozy and inviting, and John even keeps a stash of DVDs on hand if you just want to stay in and watch a movie one night. And unlike some of the B&Bs right on the bank of the lake, Rosemary's Legacy is a five-minute walk from Montour Falls, which boasts an adorable main street with an antique store, cupcakery, cafes, and town library. Definitely worth a visit, too! The one thing that surprised us (I won't call it a negative, because it didn't detract from our stay at all) was that the house itself doesn't really have a "view." There is a plant of some sort directly across the street that you can tell probably wasn't there when the house was built, but it does obscure the view of the hills/mountains in the distance a bit. By the end of your stay, though, if you're anything like us, you'll have totally forgotten about that in light of all the fabulous aspects of Rosemary's Legacy!

We were visiting the Finger Lakes for 3 nights and 2 days and picked Rosemary's Legacy based on reviews. We weren't disappointed. John and Maryalice are great hosts. John cooked 3 terrific breakfasts and gave us lots of guidance about making the best of our 2 days of touring the Finger Lakes. As an aside, if you're a walker or runner, the Catharine Valley Walking Trail is nearby and is another great way to enjoy the local scenery.

House is large and welcoming. Very private and homey. Two porches leave lots of space to relax with a cup of coffee or glass of wine. Beautiful inground pool. Master bedroom is very spacious.

When we arrived at Rosemary's Legacy, John met us and immediately made us feel right at home. It was like talking with an old friend. Not being from the area, we asked him about possible things to do and "must see's." He was one step ahead of us and had already prepared an informational folder for us, detailing destinations and dining options. John has lived in Montour Falls all his life and therefore knows the area better than anyone. We found him to be extremely knowledgeable and in most cases he even knew the names of owners, waiters, and bartenders of many businesses in the area. The house is filled with many beautiful and eclectic items. Rosemary had impeccable taste and you can easily see that in her decorating. Although we were only there for 4 days, I still don't feel like I saw everything. There are small appointments everywhere and no area of the house is left undone. I really enjoyed the old photos scattered throughout, as they give you a sense that family meant the world to her. There are also lots of magazines and hundreds of books to choose from. Books can be found in the Library, Master bedroom, and even the Pool House! There's also free Wi-Fi, so feel free to bring the laptop! If you want to truly relax, you will have no problem here. I would also mention that the house is quite spacious and it's possible to "escape" from your family or guests quite easily. The Summer Porch and Garden Room are perfect places to curl up and do some reading. All-in-all, I can honestly say we had a fantastic vacation! If you want to get away for some rest and relaxation, "Rosemary's Legacy" does not disappoint. John treats his guests like family and you don't get that "awkward" feeling when he's around. He is a wealth of information and will help you to have a most joyous stay. Although we didn't purchase a Package, John has many to choose from. Check out the website for more info about what he has to offer.

Strange to not be able to use dining room. Living room furniture not comfortable for TV viewing. Owner very helpful in travel information. Excellent breakfasts.

You will not regret booking a stay at Rosemary's Legacy! John (JP), the owner, is extremely knowledgable about the Finger Lakes and the wine, and he is an amazing chef! This was our 2nd time at Rosemary's Legacy, and the first time we only had breakfast. This time we booked with a package that included the dinner. Take my advice, do not book a stay unless you are adding on breakfast and a 5 course, gourmet dinner. The food was amazing, and I'm not sure how JP can top the fantastic meal he made for us next time...but I'm sure he will! We love everything about RL, including booking the whole house when you stay, the food, and the location, even though it's a little south of Seneca Lake. It's prefect for us!

After lots of web browsing we were fortunate enough to find Rosemary's Legacy and we could not have asked for a better place to stay, nor more congenial hosts. It is perfectly located for enjoying Watkins Glen, the Finger Lakes and their many wineries and, of course, Montour Falls. We opted for the 'Romancing the Falls' package and, in addition to the warm, comfortable house, the meals John prepared were exquisite, especially the 5 course dinner that we washed down with a very good Damiani Meritage we had picked up during a day touring the wineries. Highly recommended. We will definitely be back.

What a pleasure it is to rent a whole house, yet have the option of someone making you a delicious breakfast or a gourmet evening meal. That's how Rosemary's Legacy works. It is a lovely, spacious home with 2 good sized bedrooms and a beautiful roomy master bedroom. The front porch and enclosed back garden room are delightful, especially in the warmer weather. John is a gracious host, very friendly and knowledgeable about the whole Seneca Lake region. His two delicious breakfasts hit the spot - warm from the oven biscuits and muffins, plus fresh fruit, juice, coffee and entrees - orange creme stuffed French toast and an egg, mushroom, and sausage frittata. John is very attentive to your needs, whether it be a food allergy such as nuts, or setting up the ironing board for our daughter to press her dress for the wedding. I do believe he knows EVERYBODY in Montour Falls and the surrounding area - a BIG plus! We thoroughly enjoyed our weekend stay and would love to come back again when we have more time to sight see and just enjoy ourselves

My husband and I just stayed at Rosemary's Legacy for 3 nights and will definitely be back. The owner/host, John, was wonderful to us. The home is very comfortable...my favorite spot was the garden room...very clean and very unique. Special touches everywhere you look. The food was amazing. John is not only the host, but also a chef. And, a very good one at that. We asked him to prepare dinner for our night of arrival, as we had a very long drive. It was excellent. And, soooo relaxing. The best fillet mignon we ever had... Breakfast each morning was delicious...muffins, bisquits, fresh fruit, belgian waffles, frittata, stuffed french toast....everything homemade from scratch served fresh from the oven/stove. John is a wealth of information on the area and the house is centrally located to easily visit the wineries and sites around either Seneca or Cayuga lake. We hired a limo for our first full day there (a recommendation of John's) and couldn't have been more pleased. Would highly recommend to anyone.

We had the opportunity to rent a house in Montour Falls and chose Rosemary's Legacy. The host/owner John (JP) confirmed our stay and went out of his way to make us feel welcome. He even contacted me the day prior to our arrival to see if he could set out food and drink since our arrival was going to be late. We had our family there (6 total) for 3 nights and every morning breakfast was fantastic. We threw him a curveball with my wife being pregnant and a vegetarian in the group. JP took it in stride and is a great chef. You rent an entire house with the owner staying next door. We have stayed in several B&B's, but this was different. We enjoyed feeling comfortable in the living quarters and the bedrooms were roomy. The only drawback is you share one full bath upstairs and had a half downstairs. Keep in mind though you are renting the house so you aren't sharing with anyone other than your group. We made it work well. JP helped us identify wineries and places to visit. He is very knowledgable and it made our visit to the lakes great. Overall, we were very satisfied and would welcome the opportunity to stay there again.

Myself, my husband and two other couples and I stayed at Rosemary's legacy after visiting one side of the Seneca Lake Wine trail's Deck the Halls event. We absolutely loved the house decorated for Christmas and hope to make Rosemary's Legacy our place of stay each year. My brother in law found the home on the internet and suggested we rent it for the wine touring event. We can not believe the deal we got. John and Maryalice are absolutely wonderful hosts. We had several other members of our group and John reccomended places for them to stay, places for dinner and drinks and made check in the most convenient for us (meeting at a winery on our trail). I highly reccomend Rosemary's Legacy. Not only I loved the house but our friends who rented along with us couldn't say enough good things about the house. Thank you for making our wine tour event that much better.

This past summer I decided we (daughter, daughter-in-law and two teen age grandchildren) needed a weekend away. Loving the Watkins Glen area we decided to make it our base. To our extreme delight we found Rosemary's Legacy. And, we were so at home -- so comfortable like visiting a much loved relative's home. The decor was comfortable (no worry about sitting in an antique chair and breaking it) clean, bright and cheerful. Our breakfasts - many a morning these days I wish John was in our kitchen here in PA. and serving his outstanding fare. Our special dinner night was delightful and relaxing. The girls enjoyed their treats of massages and pedicure. Yes, John is so knowlegeable about the area and knows just about everyone and steers you in the right direction. Oh yes, the pool area got lots of use that weekend. Perfect weather. Also our sailboat ride on the lake was another highlight.Thank you John and Maryalice for being such gracious hosts and making all the arrangements making our weekend so memorable.

My girlfriend and I just returned from Rosemary's Legacy and we both agree that this was one of the most romantic getaways we had ever experienced. John and Maryalice are two fantastic people and we are now committed to making Rosemary's Legacy a great success. The house "Rosemary's Legacy" is amazing. Not only is it located about 300 feet from one of the most beautiful waterfalls in NY. And, for those that are not aware, when you stay at Rosemary's Legacy, you rent the WHOLE house (for the same cost of a single room at one of the many other average priced average amenities B&B's that are commonly found in the finger lakes area). In addition to the pristine lodging facilities, John and Maryalice are also gourmet cooks. So, when they cook you a meal, please be ready to expect a masterpiece. The two breakfasts that were prepared for us were fantastic. The stuffed French toast with smoked bacon and maple syrup was the best I had ever had. The five course Riesling inspired dinner that they had also prepared for us (accompanied with beautiful heirloom china, silverware, candlestick holders and fresh cut flowers) was just as good and MUCH more romantic then any NYC dinner we have every experienced. When you add the other arrangements that the Pulos made for us: A personalized wine tour and historic tour of the Seneca Lake Region; A one hour massage (one of the best values EVER), and every other detail that we may have either overlooked or forgotten, we can comfortably say that this B&B is truly 5 star.