Exploring Buffalo's West Side: Hotel Henry

When I first moved to Buffalo, I knew I wanted to live as close as possible to the Elmwood Village, and I landed on the west side with this historic landmark so close to me, it might as well be in my backyard. I truly lucked out: Hotel Henry (as it is called now) is considered one of Buffalo's most historic and beautiful buildings with an extremely interesting past. Built 145 years ago, it sits on Forest Avenue and reopened in 2017 as a hotel and conference center, preserving the gorgeous architecture and details that make the building so hauntingly beautiful. Speaking of "haunting"--Hotel Henry was abandoned for years and was once a psychiatric hospital. It is truly remarkable what it has turned into, and I am constantly in awe of it as I drive by or go for runs past it. 

If you are planning to stay in Buffalo for a couple nights or even an extended stay, Hotel Henry is a great option if you don't want to be at a cookie cutter hotel close to the airport. You will have incredible photo opportunities no matter the season (I snapped this once in the fall, with foliage all around) and you will have stayed in an historic building, with a storied past! I live so close, I am not sure I will ever need to stay over (and I may be too chicken to do so with its haunted history), but I take as many opportunities as I can to just walk around the vast outdoor campus. It truly never gets old. 

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That's my brother Geoff and I taking a walk around over the summer. He lives in NYC now with his wife, but has a deep appreciation for Buffalo like me, and it was his idea to take a walk around when they were visiting me. Like me, he went to UB for undergrad and still keeps up on all of the new and exciting things going on around the city. It was a lot of fun to take them to Hotel Henry, and the next time they visit we plan on popping inside for a drink and a bite to eat at one of their restaurants. I hope that you are inspired to explore Hotel Henry the next time you are visiting Buffalo, and be sure to reach out when you do so I can meet you there!