Enjoy vacationing in a historic Church! No additional fees

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Point of interest
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
Interior
Interior
4 bedrooms, hypo-allergenic bedding, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Hot Tub
  • Parking available
  • Air conditioning
  • Kitchen
  • Free WiFi

Explore the area

Map
Aurora, NY
  • Cayuga Lake
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Wells College
    ‪5 min walk‬
  • Long Point State Park - Finger Lakes
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Ithaca, NY (ITH-Tompkins Regional)
    ‪44 min drive‬

Room options

Similar properties

About the neighborhood

Aurora

This castle places you next to Cayuga Lake and within a 10-minute walk of Wells College. Guestrooms at this castle include kitchens, patios, and refrigerators.

What's nearby

  • Cayuga Lake - 1 min walk
  • Wells College - 5 min walk
  • Long Point State Park - Finger Lakes - 5 min drive
  • Long Point Winery - 6 min drive
  • Thirsty Owl Wine Company - 50 min drive

Getting around

  • Ithaca, NY (ITH-Tompkins Regional) - 44 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Dugans Country Grill - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Aurora Ale & Lager Co. - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Knapp Winery & Restaurant - ‬44 min drive
  • ‪Thirsty Owl Wine Company - ‬50 min drive
  • ‪Cayuga Ridge Estate Winery - ‬50 min drive

About this property

Enjoy vacationing in a historic Church! No additional fees

You deserve to treat your senses, your spirit, and your well-being at AURA, a historic converted 19th century Church. Enjoy a night, a weekend or a week in a place of peace, serenity and meditation. Reconnect with family and friends. Enjoy the Finger Lakes, wine and beer tasting, farm to fork food, play in Lake Cayuga, explore Wells College campus and discover how wonderful the experience of sleeping in a church can be. Come to AURA. Find yourself. Leave refreshed, relaxed and rejuvenated.

Have you ever dreamed of spending the night in a classic church? Well, its time to wake up from your dream and into reality. This unique location will truly impress your senses. AURA is a historic church building which has been artistically converted into a grand residence, nestled in downtown Aurora, New York. It is now available for you to experience.

There is always a reason to celebrate family, friends and good fortune. At AURA we take guest safety very seriously and strive to make your stay, whether a night or a week, as comfortable and secure as possible. Caring for ourselves remains extremely important. Mental health is intimately connected to physical health and treating oneself to a stay in a beautiful peaceful setting does wonders for both!


AURA is all this and more:

-Serene, unique location
-Ideal for a meditative retreat, peaceful weekend, or a place of serenity and solitude
-A place of reflection
-Great for romantic getaways, retreats, and family reunions.
-Unique place for family and friends to get together, share time and make memories.

The sense of tranquility and awe overtakes all who enter the doors of this architectural gem.

- AURA has beautiful soaring cathedral ceilings, hardwood floors and stained glass windows, all within carefully crafted masonry brick and stone walls.
-Modern improvements:
*Gourmet kitchen with granite countertops and
new appliances, dishes, glasses and cookware to help you prepare a
special meal for two or a group.
* Four bedrooms that sleep 8 comfortably
* Spacious open concept living room with big
screen Smart television, magnificent surround sound
system, and full size competitive pool table which easily converts to
Table Tennis
* Wii available for entertaining the teens and tweens
* A baby grand piano also graces the main living
area for those musicians in the group, tuned and ready to play
*Comfortably air conditioned and heated with new HVAC system
*Completely renovated bathroom downstairs with sit-in rain shower and steam feature
*Relaxation room with two chaise massage chairs and Bluetooth enabled CD player for a calming experience

Three floors of living space:
-Main floor:
Two bedrooms and one bath with oversize tub. Larger bedroom with two queen beds (The "Angel" room), smaller bedroom in original bell tower with full size bed and star ceiling.
Lovely, well-appointed kitchen in the old altar
niche
Large open living room with comfortable couches and loveseats, inviting conversation and relaxation. Large cloud beanbags offer kids and adults alike a place to read and drift away
-Lower floor:
Beautifully remodeled bathroom with rain shower/steam feature, washer and dryer for guest use
Relaxation room with chaise massage chairs and CD player
Bedroom with queen bed and comfortable linens in soothing earth tones
-Upper floor (old choir loft) :
Open concept bedroom with claw foot bathtub
Private adjoining bathroom with shower in bell tower
King size bed with fluffy down comforters
-Outdoor area with fire pits, comfortable rockers and dual barbecue. Perfect for relaxing outside with a glass of wine while your meal is cooking.

-Located in the registered historic district of Downtown Aurora, a small village in Upstate New York. Aurora itself is a village (pop. 724) that contains a brewery, lively pub, historic museum, café, fine dining restaurant, free public library/Opera house, the world famous McKenzie-Childs art studio and mansion, and more.
-Part of the Finger Lakes wine and beer trail, a 210 mile interconnecting drive passing by over 200 wineries, 75 breweries, pubs, and cider houses.
-Creameries, restaurants, roadside stands and lots of antique shops to explore.
-Wells College, a small four year liberal arts university, is a five minute walk from the church.
-The Inns of Aurora, a wedding destination, is a five minute walk and houses a world class restaurant. The Spa at the Inn is open and available to book for treatments. There are also miles of hiking trails around the spa with beautiful lake views.
-Lake Cayuga is just across the street, and easily accessible via multiple public docks, one of which is a short one minute stroll away.
-Farmers market is available at the Wells College boathouse from Spring to Fall and offers fresh Mennonite baked goods, local honey, garden produce and farm eggs as well as a few food stalls.
-Local wineries offer live music and events on weekends.
-Many waterfalls and beautiful hiking trails are available within an hours drive
-Kayaks and canoes may be rented locally for fun on the lake

Amenities provided include all dishware and glassware, pots, pans, coffee maker, coffee grinder, microwave, Insta Pot/Rice cooker, blender, and toaster. Basic seasonings such as salt, pepper and a few spices are available. All beds have fluffy down comforters (with allergen protection covers for allergic guests) and feather pillows (down alternate pillows available). Bathrooms are equipped with thick towels and shampoo/body wash. All linens are washed in hypoallergenic soap with no dyes or fragrances. Umbrellas are available for your comfort for those sudden spring and summer showers. Beach towels and lifejackets may be borrowed if you would like to take a dip in the lake.

Entrance to AURA is via a unique 4 digit code (that you will be given shortly before your stay) which is deleted after each guest stay.

This property is nonsmoking and the policy will be strictly enforced. There is a tenant in the basement apartment so please be courteous. Noise curfew is at 9 pm outdoors and 10 pm inside and neighbors will ensure that this is enforced! **Please note that due to problems with excessive noise, a charge may be levied if neighbors complain and police are called. We want to maintain good relationships with our neighbors. You are welcome to celebrate and enjoy your stay but please be respectful of others nearby!

Discount notes: The cleaning fee of $180 will be decreased to $150 with parties of 2. A last minute discount of 25% will be applied to any bookings within 7 days of check in. This will be noted on the booking calendar. Please contact Patti for other special discounts as well as special holiday rates.

The careful and masterful conversion and restoration has been a large undertaking, and maintenance and improvements are constantly ongoing. We invite you to experience AURA. All proceeds from your special stay will go toward the continued funding of this historic Church. We are extremely proud to share AURA with you. Thanks for helping us achieve this.

Please note that this is an 1800's historic building. Although it has been renovated and updated, many original features remain. The floors may be uneven and there are stairs up to the choir loft and down to the basement. Hand rails have been placed for your safety. There are step-downs to the main floor bathroom and the choir loft bathroom. Both have hand rails. Older guests with mobility issues may wish to consider this when reserving. The Church is not handicap equipped although many modifications have been made for those with mobility challenges. Children are always welcome but the Church is not childproofed for very young children.

Distances to Attractions:
Ithaca/ Cornell University - 36 minutes
Syracuse/ SYR Airport- 64 minutes
Rochester, NY / ROC Airport – 77 minutes
Buffalo, NY / BUF Airport -2 ¼ hours
Niagara Falls – 2 ½ hours
Toronto, Canada – 4 hours
Newark, NJ / EWR Airport – 4 hours
New York City, NY – 41/3 hours
Guests can expect to find free WiFi and a Smart TV with a DVD player. The bathroom offers a rainfall showerhead, a jetted tub, and hair dryers. Other standard amenities include a kitchen, a washer/dryer, and 2 bathrooms.

Property manager

Patti

Languages

English, German, Spanish

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Internet access

Things to do

  • Billiards/pool table
  • Books
  • Games
  • Kayak
  • Music library
  • Piano
  • Spa tub

Outdoors

  • Barbecue grill
  • Beach towels
  • Firepit
  • Garden
  • On a lake
  • Outdoor furniture

Accessibility

  • Cobblestone flooring in public areas
  • Hardwood flooring in public areas

More

  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Hypo-allergenic bedding

Bathroom

  • 2 private bathrooms
  • Bathtub
  • Hair dryer
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • CD player
  • DVD player
  • Smart TV
  • Video games

Food and drink

  • Blender
  • Coffee grinder
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dining table
  • Dishwasher
  • Electric kettle
  • Kitchen
  • Kitchen island
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Paper towels
  • Refrigerator
  • Rice cooker
  • Spices
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Dryer
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Living room

Policies

Check-in

Minimum check-in age: 20

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

  • This property doesn't allow pets

Children and extra beds

  • Note from host: Not suitable for infants

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadbolt lock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
  • Check-out: 11:00 AM
  • Minimum check-in age: 20

We should mention

Details about charges, deposits, or other important information:

  • This property is managed by a private host, not a professional engaged in trade or business.
  • Charges for extra guests may apply and vary depending on the property's policy.
  • A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges, as well as a government-issued photo ID, may be required at check-in.
  • Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in and can't be guaranteed. Certain requests may come with additional charges.
  • Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited.
  • Onsite safety features include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and a deadbolt lock.

Property is also known as

Aura Experience Serenity Hotel Aurora
Aura Experience Serenity Hotel
Aura Experience Serenity Aurora
Aura Experience Serenity
Castle
Aura Opplev Serenity
Aura Experience Serenity
AURA- Experience Serenity Aurora
AURA- Experience Serenity Private vacation home
AURA- Experience Serenity Private vacation home Aurora

Frequently asked questions

What is there to do around this castle?

This castle is located in Aurora, just steps from Cayuga Lake. You'll also find Long Point State Park - Finger Lakes and Long Point Winery within a short drive.

Is parking available on site at Enjoy vacationing in a historic Church! No additional fees?

No, there isn't parking available at the castle.

Is this castle next to a casino?

No, this castle is not connected to a casino.

Will I find an indoor pool at this castle?

No, this castle doesn't have an indoor pool; however, there is a hot tub.

What amenities will couples enjoy at Enjoy vacationing in a historic Church! No additional fees?

Amenities that appeal to couples at this historic castle include a jetted bathtub and a kitchen in each accommodation with some featuring lake views.

Are there hot tubs at Enjoy vacationing in a historic Church! No additional fees?

Yes, guests can enjoy a spa tub at this castle.

Does this castle offer breakfast?

No, this castle doesn't offer breakfast.

Will this castle allow pets to stay for free?

No, pets aren't allowed at this castle.

Are there connecting rooms at Enjoy vacationing in a historic Church! No additional fees?

No, there aren't connecting guestrooms at this castle.

Where is the closest airport to this castle?

The closest major airport to this castle is Ithaca, NY (ITH-Tompkins Regional), which is 25.6 mi away (44 minutes by car). Another top airport is Cortland, NY (CTX-Cortland County), which is around 26.9 mi away.

Are there rooms with balconies at Enjoy vacationing in a historic Church! No additional fees?

Yes, every accommodation at Enjoy vacationing in a historic Church! No additional fees comes with a deck with some featuring lake views.

Enjoy vacationing in a historic Church! No additional fees Reviews

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 30 out of 37 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 37 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 37 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 37 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 37 reviews

9.2/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Debby S., Lake Worth, FL

Liked: Cleanliness
Second visit
Once again we had an amazing time and truly enjoyed the unique experience of staying in a church. Spent the weekend with our adult children and their spouses and lots of fun was had by all. The only suggestion is to have room darkening film put on the angel and loft windows.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jen C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Girls spa trip
My friends and I spent the day at the spa at Inns of Aurora, highly recommend, if you get a treatment you can spend the whole day, amazing. Then 5 of us stayed overnight. The church was wonderful, clean, fully stocked. Wish we could stay another night. There are so many cool things from the massage chairs to the bean bag cloud chairs and the pool table. So recommend staying here, you won't be disappointed!!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

8/10 Good

Heather S.

On-site manager saved the day...
We woke up to a flat tire on my son's car on check out day. The on-site manager was extremely helpful!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Deborah M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Aurora charm
Unusual and lovely church re-conceived as welcoming guest house for 8 people. We enjoyed the outdoor seating (although the gas grill may need a refresh) in the shade, the perfect location, the thoughtful supply of towels and dishes. The pool table was a fun activity to supplement Wells College final reunion activities and long walks around Aurora.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tala E.

Liked: Cleanliness
Book it!
We enjoyed our stay here. The church is kept in great condition and has modern amenities. Definitely recommend staying here!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Emily D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Our stay in Aurora
This place was better than the description, it was fabulous! It is a comfortable, inviting home with a jacuzzi and steam shower! It still reveals a church setting with a home setting. Our only regret was that we only had one night to enjoy this home in quiet Aurora!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Anna S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Convenient spacious spot
3 couples had plenty of room in a unique property right in town. Right across from lake, great biking. Attentive hosts.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Connor M.

Liked: Cleanliness
outstanding property
I stayed here and the pictures don’t do it justice, this place is huge and looks amazing, definitely worth the drive and will be staying again
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Brian S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great place in a great town
We stayed for a long weekend in conjunction with Cornell's graduation. The property is very unique and fun for a group. The town of Aurora is spectacular and the drive to and from Ithaca is convenient. The check in / check out process was seamless and property was clean and ready for us when we arrived. Patti responds quickly and thoroughly. We are already trying to figure out when we can stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023

8/10 Good

Laura M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Fun Place to Stay
What a great place to stay with a group! Big kitchen if you feel like cooking, large play space and the perfect location. Of course you’re staying in a vintage building so there are little quirks but nothing to limit the enjoyment. Lake right across the street. Owner and property manager both available and helpful.
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2022

8/10 Good

Kate D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Interesting
Having a whole church to yourself is a very unique experience. It was a bit odd but it was also relaxing and comfortable and the kids had a great time. The beauty of the stained glass windows, flooring and ceiling details was hard to beat. If you appreciate older buildings and attention to detail, this is a great place. Minor negatives are there are a lot of stairs to get luggage in and up to the loft so we left all of our clothes downstairs. The loft doesn't have any privacy, and while I loved the windows, there was no way to open any windows up to get fresh outdoor air. The living room was very comfy as were the downstairs bedrooms, once we figured out air conditioning. There isn't much to do in Aurora but we had a nice dinner at the Inn and did a lot of exploring around the area. A nice visit overall.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

carol g.

Liked: Cleanliness
Lake Getaway
Very relaxing.Beautiful accomadations.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022

6/10 Okay

Nancy S., Las Cruces NM

Liked: Cleanliness
Unusual experience
This property is a converted church (obviously) so that comes with its quirkiness as well as charm. Very nicely remodeled but the location has its limitations. Property was clean and well maintained. There were 5 of us - two couples and a single - using 3 of 4 bedrooms. Two of the bedrooms had conveniently located bathrooms. The third did not. Only 2 baths had showers. The third had tub only. If we’d had another person in the 4th bedroom they’d be sharing an inconveniently located bath (with only a tub, no shower) with that same third bedroom. Towel racks for downstairs bath were located outside the bath - could have been more convenient. No closets in the bedrooms as they were all carved out of the former church. There were wall hooks and hangers. A/c cooling was done by individual wall units in different zones so you had to be aware of what to turn on where. Lighting situation was similar. Very dimly lit main area. Loading and unloading had challenges as you’ve got to carry everything from street level up the many steps to the front entrance. Pack light! It served its purpose (we were all in town for a reunion) and was comfortable but a bit pricey. The amenities were nice but I did not think of it as an indulgent retreat
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jason D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great unique rental
Great location, very unique rental that keeps a lot of the church features.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

BOB M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great week!
Great space for entertaining guests and family from out of town. Kept our boat at Long Point for the week 5 minutes down the road for quick easy access to the lake.

10/10 Excellent

Willard N.

Liked: Cleanliness
Our host Patti never contacted us. I had to ask for the passcode from Sara Cowell.
Beautiful building and location. It was a disadvantage to us as it was the route 90 garage sale so traffic was slow. The tub on the bottom floor lacks a plug.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Virginia M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Wonderful, fun place to stay
Our family, consisting of two grandparents, two parents, one teen, and two nine-year-olds, had a great time staying here. It was not only unique, but there was a pool table, lots of games, Wii, TV, and bluetooth. The Finger Lakes have many activities and places to visit and we had a great time hiking and visiting places of historic interest. We were looking for a memorable place to meet for our first gathering after COVID, and this was perfect. Criticisms? They fixed some of the previous complaints like cleanliness and outlets; the furniture is not pristine, but I would not criticize it, but for this price, they should have mowed the lawn and improved the air conditioning (set to 78, temperature read 83).
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Debby S., Lake Worth, FL

Liked: Cleanliness
This was truly an amazing place to stay. The church was just like the photos. Loved it❤️
Amazing and lots of fun was had by all. House had everything you could need and Sara the tenant was very nice and helpful. Would highly recommend to all.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Manuela C.

Liked: Cleanliness
A really unique way to spend the weekend!
We had a lovely stay here! The house was interesting because of the history and it was a stone's throw from the lake and the town. Kids were excited there was a Wii to play with and adults loved the steam shower...everyone loved playing pool! The weather was not great but there were lots of games in the house so we had something to do. I would highly recommend this house.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2021

8/10 Good

Barbara S.

cool ,kitchy place to stay while touring the fingerlakes.
Great stay with just a couple of minor exceptions. We stayed there in October and found the church very chilly and took a long time to heat up. Kitchen was clean and well stocked with good basic cooking utensils and tools. However, parts of the church were dusty. ]The sofa in the main common space was very old and cushions kept sliding off the frame.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2020

10/10 Excellent

Alice B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Interesting and fun location
Original experience and lovely place to spend week
Stayed 8 nights in Aug 2020

6/10 Okay

Gary B.

Disliked: Cleanliness
Unique place but needs updating
We were looking for a special place to celebrate my parents’ 60th anniversary and my mom’s 82nd birthday. When I read the 5 star reviews for this property I was excited that I found the perfect place for our special family occasion. My intent here is not to leave a bad review but rather to paint an accurate picture of what people can expect so that they can make an informed decision. If we had these facts we would have looked for another property. Here is are the positives and negatives: Positives: - Patti is a very responsive host and there was excellent communication before and during our stay. Her intent is to provide a positive experience. - The property is very unique/one-of-a-kind - Great location, walk to restaurants, lake access via public doc right across the street, short drive to beautiful state park with beach and playgrounds. Negatives: - Lack of thorough cleanliness. This was a big issue since cleanliness is important at any time, but especially during COVID times and especially since we had elderly people with us. We wiped down main surfaces with disinfectant widows and cleaned the stove top prior to cooking. There was dust everywhere and you could tell that the floors in the bathrooms were not cleaned since there were cobwebs around one of the garbage cans, indicating it hasn’t been moved in a long time. The air conditioning filters were full of dirt both inside and out. I do want to note that there was a changeover of property maintenance people in the beginning of our stay, so it is possible that the old property manage dropped the ball - either way there were things that haven’t been properly maintained in some time. - Many things are due for an update - top oven not working, bottom oven working but door latch broken so door does not close, dishwasher door springs broken so door does not stay opened. Toaster, microwave, and coffee maker all on one surge protector so can only use one appliance at a time otherwise blow a fuse. Not note/warning about that, so we learned the hard way. I also didn’t see any smoke detectors, which was concerning. Property description indicated there is a washer/dryer, but there wasn’t one, so that needs to be updated. Again, Patti was responsive and tried to make our stay comfortable, so we appreciate that. I would suggest that the layout is not conducive for the very old or very young. The property is beautiful but needs some attention.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

monica G.

...
Great property, on line pics don’t do it justice, might want to shoot new ones in better lighting. The only one negative note is the dust. Too many areas that could have been dusted and were not, for example the display bottles on the window still, the wooden molding on the stairs going to the loft... Would go back though
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

8/10 Good

Kimberly R.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great relaxing get away
Patti and Robert were both great to work with.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Kalyan S.

Liked: Cleanliness
wonderful overnight stay
Unique and memorable experience!