Conveniently located one block from the restaurants and shops on Main Street in Lake Placid, the AAA Four Diamond Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa is a luxury lakefront resort offering its’ guests an authentic Adirondack experience. Since its inception in the early 1900's, the Inn has provided guests with world-class cuisine, casual dining options, and impeccable service amid awe-inspiring views. Under the proprietorship of Ed and Lisa Weibretch, the hotel continues to provide such exceptional services today. Only a 3 hour drive from Ottawa, Lake Placid is the ideal destination for a quick getaway in any season.
Ed Weibrecht could not have been happier as he addressed the staff of the Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa last Thursday at the annual staff meeting.
First, James Phelps, President and CEO of AAA Northway, had arrived to present Ed and his staff with the prestigious AAA Four Diamond Award of Excellence for the 34th consecutive year. In addition, the Inn’s The View Restaurant was acclaimed with the same achievement for the 11th straight year.
To add some perspective to the hotel’s status among AAA members, there are only 90 AAA Four Diamond lodges in all of New York State. The Mirror Lake Inn’s streak of 34 is the second longest in the state, topped only by The Carlyle in Manhattan.
Weibrecht, and his wife Lisa, have more reasons to be elated with these latest achievements. In Lake Placid, the Inn, The View and the Spa all hold the number 1 spot for lodging, fine dining and spa, respectively, according to the latest rankings on TripAdvisor.com. Taste Bistro and Bar, adjacent to The View, and the Cottage Café on Mirror Lake, are both ranked in the top 10 among 76 establishments.
Over the years, the Weibrechts have been asked how this has been sustained for more than three decades. “We’re only number one because you made us number one,” he told some 150 staff members at the recent meeting. “What brings it together are you and your efforts. This place doesn’t become special until you put your love and energy into it. Our guests expect a lot more and that comes from you. The staff is like family to us and it’s the heart of our success.”
Later in the gathering, as Phelps brought the AAA awards to the podium, he also delivered “the view” from his organization. “I see a lot of familiar faces and I see your passion for helping others,” he remarked. “Ed and Lisa are fortunate to have you. AAA is also a beneficiary of that. I hear it all the time from the members I talk to. They love coming here," said Phelps.
For the better part of 40 years, the Mirror Lake Inn has asked every guest their honest opinion through the use of comment cards. Yes, there are specific questions about the guest experience that are included, but there is also room for the Inn’s visitors to wax as honestly as they’d like. A recent sampling includes:
“This is the cleanest hotel I’ve ever been in.”
“The spa staff is remarkable.”
“The staff is genuinely happy to see us and immeasurably courteous.”
“Your service and hospitality set you apart from other hotels.”
Now, as the Mirror Lake Inn embarks on another busy summer season of offering an authentic Adirondack experience, guests will find a luxe property that presents a private beach with complimentary boating, a small fleet of bicycles to rent, free use of a tennis court and a heated outdoor pool with a spectacular lake and mountain views.
But there will also be some “newcomers” around this homestead. The Weibrechts’ middle son Andrew, a winner of Olympic silver and bronze medals in alpine skiing, retired after the Winter Games in South Korea. Visit during the winter and ski Whiteface Mountain, the same Olympic terrain that Andrew himself grew up training on. Now, among his new activities, he will take more active roles in hotel marketing and being available to fish and ski with resort guests.
Adding to the hotel’s family-is-everything theme, Andrew and wife, Denja, have welcomed their second daughter, Silje, into the world. Silje is sister to two-year-old Adalina, thus injecting some new excitement into this time-honored property.
To that extent, we wouldn’t be surprised if one day in the future, the two toddlers don’t end up in that audience of 150, listening to grandpa speak to the staff, just before receiving a 50th consecutive AAA Four Diamond Award.