About Us
| About Our Guesthouses Both the Ashland and Vera are owned and operated by Julie Ponkow from Buffalo, New York. Julie, her husband Dave, and the four children: Sara, Andrew Jeffrey and Gregory first came to Chautauqua Institution in the mid 1980's. It started with a week long vacation, that turned into two. Soon after, the family began enjoying the nine week season each summer. |
At the Ashland and Vera, we strive you make
your experience truly "Chautauquan". The
open porches on each floor are available to
all guests for reading, socializing or catching
an afternoon snooze. The central locations
allow for watching the many visitors stroll
past, and often you will find yourself waving
to new and old friends.
your experience truly "Chautauquan". The
open porches on each floor are available to
all guests for reading, socializing or catching
an afternoon snooze. The central locations
allow for watching the many visitors stroll
past, and often you will find yourself waving
to new and old friends.
The Ashland and The Vera
Welcome to the Ashland (circa 1901) and
the Vera (circa 1880), two gracious
Chautauqua Guest Houses. You may be
surprised to learn that these are not
“hotels,” in the formal sense of the word.
Welcome to the Ashland (circa 1901) and
the Vera (circa 1880), two gracious
Chautauqua Guest Houses. You may be
surprised to learn that these are not
“hotels,” in the formal sense of the word.
The Ashland and The Vera reflect the heartbeat of Chautauqua; the warmth, the
civility, the tradition of a time barely discernible in a modern day hotel. Though we are
open for only nine weeks a year during the Chautauqua Institution Summer season,
we spend much of the rest of the year painting, freshening, repairing, and replacing
the worn with the fresh and new. When you enter your room, you will find the fruits of
our labor of love…clean, comfortable rooms with a vitality that comes with the careful
blending of the old and new, tradition and modern know-how.
Your Chautauqua home is blessed with tall, shading trees, lake breezes and
wonderful bird song. We provide a large, well-appointed kitchen, and porches that
offer friendship when you seek it, and quiet when you need it.
Please come often to share with us this blending of past and present.
Thank you. As written by a long time guest and friend
civility, the tradition of a time barely discernible in a modern day hotel. Though we are
open for only nine weeks a year during the Chautauqua Institution Summer season,
we spend much of the rest of the year painting, freshening, repairing, and replacing
the worn with the fresh and new. When you enter your room, you will find the fruits of
our labor of love…clean, comfortable rooms with a vitality that comes with the careful
blending of the old and new, tradition and modern know-how.
Your Chautauqua home is blessed with tall, shading trees, lake breezes and
wonderful bird song. We provide a large, well-appointed kitchen, and porches that
offer friendship when you seek it, and quiet when you need it.
Please come often to share with us this blending of past and present.
Thank you. As written by a long time guest and friend
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