SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Arms, an independently-owned hotel in downtown Saratoga Springs, has been ranked the top hotel in the city in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 Best Hotels Ranking.
“It’s always nice to be recognized by the industry, by guest reviews, and to see that they still love coming to Saratoga and to Saratoga Arms,” said owner Amy Smith.
The U.S. News & World Report ranks hotels with a rating of 3.5 stars or higher, judging them on their hotel class, guest ratings via TripAdvisor, and awards and recognition received, according to the U.S. News & World Report website.
Smith and general manager Rachel Boggan said Saratoga Arms has been able to stand out due to their guest service. Smith emphasized that the hotel looks to “curate your experience for you.”
“We see ourselves as ambassadors to this area,” Smith said. “Really, all we need you to do is make a reservation with us, and we will handle most anything that comes our way that you want to do in this town.”
Smith said that while getaways can take effort to plan, Saratoga Arms looks to take care of this aspect for guests to allow them the most relaxing experience possible.
The hotel seeks to provide people “with an experience,” rather than simply a room, Smith said. This includes a calendar of weekend experiences, which Boggan explained as fully-planned agendas centering around popular local themes, such as Saratoga Beer Week.
“All the guests need to do is make their reservation, and they are brought through the entire agenda that we have pre-planned in advance for the guest,” said Boggan. “So anywhere from ten to 15 rooms will all be kind of going through this experience together.”
Part of the Saratoga experience that the hotel offers is contained in the building itself. Saratoga Arms’ property was constructed in 1870, Smith said, and still contains many historical elements as well as modern amenities.
Both Smith and Boggan expressed their love for the Saratoga community, saying their goal is to help their guests have positive experiences in the city.
“When you love a community so much, you want to show it off,” said Smith. “I have a wonderful backdrop of a place where people can stay, and then experience all those wonderful things that this community has to offer. I take that very seriously, and I’m also very honored to do that for people.”
