East Shore Lodging
2487 US-6
Hawley, PA
A motel built into a former row of shops, directly across Route 6 from Lake Wallenpaupack, where the boat tour leaves from the gift shop next door.
This property is an Honorable Mention. It has been vetted and approved for our highest standards of cleanliness, safety, and operational excellence. While it is still evolving toward our full design-led designation, it is a proven, reliable anchor for any road trip. We recommend it with confidence.
About East Shore Lodging
East Shore Lodging was opened by Bridget Gelderman's father in 1990 in a building originally filled with retail shops. Because each room was once a retail space rather than a purpose-built motel room, the rooms are unusually large. Bridget and her husband Steve took over ownership in 2016 and completed a renovation using reclaimed furniture and natural wood materials throughout. The property sits directly across Route 6 from Lake Wallenpaupack, a 5,700-acre reservoir in the northeastern Pennsylvania Pocono Mountains. Hawley, the small Route 6 town nearby, has a historic silk mill converted into studios and galleries, and independent restaurants along a walkable downtown.
What East Shore Lodging Is Known For
The on-site boat tour is the operational detail that tells you what East Shore Lodging is trying to be. It departs hourly during the season from next door, and guests can book it at the gift shop during check-in and board the same afternoon without moving the car. Kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and pontoon boats are also available directly from the property. For guests arriving by water, there are slips. This is not a motel near a lake: it is a motel operated in partnership with the lake. Steve Gelderman responds personally and specifically to every review the property receives, including the critical ones. A couple who has been coming back for over fifteen years to celebrate their June anniversary is a specific kind of endorsement that no marketing produces.
Amenities
- Breakfast Included
- WiFi
- At-door drive-up parking per room
- Lake Wallenpaupack directly across the street
- On-site Wallenpaupack Scenic Boat Tour (hourly during season)
- Kayak, paddleboard, and pontoon boat rentals on-site
- Boat slips for guests arriving by water
- Dock and boat ramp
- Continental breakfast included daily
- On-site gift shop
- Gresham's Ice Cream Shoppe adjacent
- 1.5-mile lakeside walking trail, beach, and observation dike accessible across the street
- Keyless code entry
- Reclaimed wood and natural material furnishings
- Free WiFi
- Free parking
- Ski pass sales point (winter)
What Guests Love
- A couple has returned every June for over fifteen years to celebrate their anniversary at East Shore Lodging. Multiple independent guests across years describe it as the cleanest motel they have stayed in, in language specific enough (sparkling, immaculate, not a speck of dust) to carry weight.
- The boat tour departs next door every hour. Guests book it at the gift shop on arrival and walk to board the same afternoon. Kayaks, paddleboards, and pontoon boats are rentable on-site. The lake is directly across the street.
- Room sizes are a direct consequence of the building's origins as a retail space: they are significantly larger than anything a purpose-built roadside motel room would be, and the combination of that scale with a lake-facing porch and a patio chair reads differently in person than any description suggests.
Worth Knowing
- Lake Wallenpaupack is across Route 6, an active highway. Crossing to the trail, beach, and observation dike requires crossing the road. Exercise caution when traveling with children.
- Route 6 traffic can produce road noise in rooms facing the highway. Guests who prefer a quieter orientation should request an interior-facing room when booking.
- Continental breakfast is included each morning but is a simple continental offering. There is no hot breakfast or on-site restaurant. Gresham's Chop House, a well-regarded local restaurant, is within easy walking distance.
- Pets are not permitted at East Shore Lodging.
The Room
Rooms are large because the building started as retail space: the footprint of each room reflects a former shop rather than a minimum-size motel room. Beds are consistently described as comfortable across years of reviews. Reclaimed furniture and natural wood materials run throughout the renovated interiors, including headboard and footboard designs made from tree-limb sections in some rooms. Color palettes vary by room, with regional tones that reviewers describe as fitting for a lake and forest setting. Microwave, refrigerator, and coffee maker are in every room. Private bathrooms have showers, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers. Some rooms have blackout curtains; guests who are sensitive to morning light should confirm this when booking. Standard rooms include queen and king options. A king suite is available with additional seating and living space. A handicapped-accessible room has a walk-in shower. Some rooms have balconies. Rooms on the lake-facing side have partial views of Lake Wallenpaupack across Route 6. Keyless code entry is standard, with self-check-in available.
The Grounds
East Shore Lodging is a single-story L-shaped building set at road level on Route 6, with at-door parking spanning the front and one side. The building's low profile and pull-up format are visible from the highway; across the street, Lake Wallenpaupack fills the horizon. The on-site gift shop and Wallenpaupack Scenic Boat Tour operation occupy the adjacent space. A dock and boat ramp connect the property to the lake for guests arriving by water. Gresham's Ice Cream Shoppe sits immediately next door to the building. The 1.5-mile walking trail along the lakefront, a public beach, and the observation dike are across Route 6, accessible on foot in under a minute.
The Experience
Steve Gelderman responds to every guest review the property receives, including minor ones. The staff walks the decks in the mornings and afternoons to check in on guests and confirm they have what they need. Daily housekeeping and linen changes are offered. Continental breakfast is provided each morning. The rhythm of a stay at East Shore Lodging builds around the lake: a morning walk along the 1.5-mile trail before the boat tours begin, a midday booking at the gift shop for the hourly tour, paddleboard time in the afternoon, Gresham's ice cream in the evening. Summer is high season: tours run full schedules, rental equipment stays in constant use, and the trail has steady foot traffic. Fall is the understated counterpart: the Pocono hardwoods color through October, the trail quiets, and the lake goes still in a way summer does not allow. One guest specifically describes arriving in November, driving into the worst polar vortex in recent memory, and finding the room so well sealed and insulated that the howling winds outside produced no drafts and no rattling. Winter brings ski areas in the broader Pocono Mountains accessible within a drive, with ski pass sales on-site. Spring is the quietest period and the one several repeat guests describe as their personal preference.
Details
Hawley, PA 18428
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does East Shore Lodging have EV charging?
No, East Shore Lodging does not have EV charging.
Does East Shore Lodging have WiFi?
Yes, East Shore Lodging has WiFi.
What is there to do near East Shore Lodging?
Lake Wallenpaupack Shoreline Trail and Beach: 0.1 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Downtown Hawley: 3 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there. Promised Land State Park: 12 miles, about a 25 minute drive.
How far is East Shore Lodging from Lake Wallenpaupack Shoreline Trail and Beach?
0.1 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is East Shore Lodging from Downtown Hawley?
3 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
How far is East Shore Lodging from Promised Land State Park?
12 miles, about a 25 minute drive.
Does East Shore Lodging have a boat tour?
Yes. The Wallenpaupack Scenic Boat Tour departs hourly during the season from next door to the property. Guests can book it at the on-site gift shop. Kayak, stand-up paddleboard, and pontoon boat rentals are also available on-site.
Does East Shore Lodging allow pets?
Pets are not permitted at East Shore Lodging.
Is breakfast included at East Shore Lodging?
Yes. A continental breakfast is included in the room rate and served each morning.
What makes East Shore Lodging unusual compared to other lakeside motels?
The building was originally a row of retail shops, which means the rooms are substantially larger than purpose-built motel rooms. Each room was formerly a commercial space and retains the footprint of a store rather than a standard guest room.
Can I arrive by boat to East Shore Lodging?
Yes. The property has boat slips, a dock, and a boat ramp for guests arriving on the water.
How far is East Shore Lodging from downtown Hawley?
Downtown Hawley is about 3 miles north of the property on Route 6, a short drive from the motel.
What types of rooms does East Shore Lodging offer?
The property has queen room and king rooms, a king suite with additional living space, and a handicapped-accessible room with a walk-in shower. Some rooms have balconies.
What is there to do on Lake Wallenpaupack?
Lake Wallenpaupack is a 5,700-acre reservoir with a public beach, a 1.5-mile shoreline walking trail, and water access for boating, kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing. The Wallenpaupack Scenic Boat Tour and rentals operate directly from East Shore Lodging's adjacent property.
Does East Shore Lodging have a pool?
East Shore Lodging does not have a pool. The property has an outdoor deck with views.
Is parking available at East Shore Lodging?
Yes. Free on-site parking is available at East Shore Lodging.
How can I give feedback on a property I stayed at?
If you are a guest that stayed at the property, we would love feedback about your experience. Boutels listed on this site do not pay to be included nor can they pay to be sponsored or promoted. Your feedback matters. Please .
I’m affiliated with this property and have feedback on this listing.
We’d love to learn more about your property. To provide images, simply log in as a member (it’s free), find your listing on the map, choose “Visited,” and you’ll be given the option to upload images and leave a note. You can also and we’ll be in touch, just be sure to provide us with contact information in that form. Thanks!
Things to Do Near Lake Wallenpaupack
Lake Wallenpaupack Shoreline Trail and Beach
0.1 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
The Lake Wallenpaupack shoreline trail begins directly across Route 6 from the property, running 1.5 miles along the lake's edge with benches, an observation dike, a public beach, and access to the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. The trail connects to the Wallenpaupack boat launch area and is the primary morning and evening activity for guests of East Shore Lodging who want to walk or sit by the water.
Downtown Hawley
3 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
Hawley is a small Route 6 destination a few miles north of the property, known for the Hawley Silk Mill, a 19th-century industrial building converted into art studios, galleries, wine shops, and restaurants. The downtown has several waterfalls accessible on foot, independent dining and antique shops along the main street, and a stretch of the Lackawaxen River running through it.
Promised Land State Park
12 miles, about a 25 minute drive.
Promised Land State Park is a 12,500-acre forested park in the Delaware State Forest, about 12 miles south of Lake Wallenpaupack on Route 390. The park has two lakes, a swimming beach, nearly 50 miles of hiking trails, mountain biking, fishing, and one of the most extensive hiking trail networks in northeastern Pennsylvania.