AURA-Experience Serenity

There is always a reason to celebrate family, friends and good fortune. As we gradually adjust from the Covid pandemic to the likelihood that Covid will remain endemic with heightened awareness of our good fortune to be healthy and able to once again travel, we realize that many changes like heightened cleanliness, masks and vaccines are here permanently. We give thanks to all of the wonderful guests we have been able to host last year and this year in the midst of lockdowns and quarantines and look forward to hosting many more in the years to come. Caring for ourselves remains extremely important. Mental health is intimately connected to physical health and treating oneself to a stay in a beautiful peaceful setting does wonders for both! Please read further for special discount rates! Treat your senses, your spirit, and your well-being at AURA. Enjoy a night, a weekend or a week in a place of peace, serenity and meditation. Reconnect with family and friends. Enjoy the beauty of the Finger Lakes, go wine and beer tasting, eat farm to fork food, play and swim in Lake Cayuga, explore the Wells College campus and discover how wonderful this one of a kind experience of sleeping in a church can be. Come to AURA. Find yourself. Leave refreshed, relaxed and rejuvenated. Have you ever dreamed of spending the night in a classic church? Well, its time to wake up from your dream and into reality. This unique location will truly impress your senses. AURA is a historic church building which has been artistically converted into a grand residence, nestled in downtown Aurora, New York. It is now available for you to experience. -Treasure of a location -Ideal for a meditative retreat, peaceful weekend, or a place of serenity and solitude -A place of reflection -Great for romantic getaways, retreats, and family reunions. -Unique place for family and friends to get together, share time and make memories. The sense of peacefulness and awe overtakes all who enter the doors of this architectural gem. - AURA has beautiful soaring cathedral ceilings, hardwood floors and stained glass windows, all within carefully crafted masonry brick and stone walls. -Modern improvements: *Gourmet kitchen with granite countertops and new appliances * Four bedrooms that sleep 8 * Spacious open concept living room with big screen television (Apple TV only, no cable), magnificent surround sound system, and full size competitive pool table. * Wii available for entertaining the teens and tweens * A baby grand piano also graces the main living area for those musicians in the group. *Comfortably air conditioned and heated. *Completely renovated bathroom downstairs with sit in shower *New relaxation room with two chaise massage chairs and bluetooth enabled CD player for a calming experience Three floors of living space: -Main floor: Two bedrooms and one bath with oversize tub Lovely, well-appointed kitchen in the old altar niche Large open living room. -Lower floor: Bathroom with new steam shower, washer and dryer Relaxation room with chaise massage chairs and CD player Bedroom -Upper floor (old choir loft) : Open concept bedroom with claw foot bathtub Ensuite bathroom adjoining in bell tower -Located in the registered historic district of Downtown Aurora, a small village in Upstate New York. Aurora itself is a village (pop. 724) that contains a brewery, lively pub, historic museum, café, fine dining restaurant and free public library -Part of the Finger Lakes wine and beer trail, a 210 mile interconnecting drive passing by over 200 wineries, 75 breweries, pubs, and cider houses. -Creameries, restaurants, roadside stands and lots of antique shops to explore. -Wells College, a small four year liberal arts university, is a five minute walk from the church. -Lake Cayuga is just across the street, and easily accessible via multiple public docks, one of which is a short minute stroll away. -Farmers market is available near the Boat House from Spring to Fall and offers fresh Mennonite baked goods, local honey, garden produce and farm eggs as well as a few food stalls. -Local wineries offer live music and events on weekends. -Many waterfalls and beautiful hiking trails are available within an hours drive -Kayaks and canoes may be rented locally for fun on the lake Amenities provided include all dishware and glassware, pots, pans, coffee maker, coffee grinder, microwave, and toaster. Basic seasonings such as salt, pepper and a few spices are available. All beds have fluffy down comforters (with allergen protection covers for allergic guests) and feather pillows (down alternate pillows available). Bathrooms are equipped with fluffy towels and shampoo/body wash. All linens are washed in hypoallergenic soap with no dyes or fragrances. Umbrellas are available for your comfort for those sudden spring and summer showers. Entrance to AURA is via a unique 4 digit code (that you will be given shortly before your stay) which is deleted after each guest stay. This property is nonsmoking and the policy will be strictly enforced. There is an onsite manager living in a basement apartment so please be courteous. Noise curfew is at 9 pm outdoors and neighbors will ensure that this is enforced! **Please note that due to recent problems with excessive noise, a charge will be levied if neighbors complain and police are called. You are welcome to celebrate and enjoy your stay but please be respectful to neighbors. Discount notes: The cleaning fee of $210 will be decreased to $150 with parties of 2. A last minute discount of 20% will be applied to any bookings within 7 days of check in. This will be in the form of a refund to your account. Please contact Patti for other special discounts as well as special holiday rates. The careful and masterful conversion and restoration has been a large financial undertaking, and maintenance and improvements are constantly ongoing. We have made it possible to preserve such a beautiful and historic structure independent of governmental, public or corporate funding by inviting you as a friend to experience AURA. All proceeds from your special stay will go toward the continued funding for this meaningful project. We are extremely proud to share AURA with you. Thanks for helping us achieve this. You deserve to FIND YOURSELF, in the most unprecedented, one-of-a-kind stay: A Historic Church as your home. Please note that this is an 1800's historic building. Although it has been renovated and updated, many original features remain. The floors may be uneven and there are stairs up to the choir loft and down to the basement. We respectfully request that you remove your shoes in the Church. Shoe pans and a bench are available for you to remove and store them in the hallway. Hand rails have been placed for your safety. There are step-downs to the main floor bathroom and the choir loft bathroom. Both have hand rails. Older guests with mobility issues may wish to consider this when reserving. The Church is not handicap equipped although many modifications have been made for those with mobility challenges. Children are always welcome but the Church is not childproofed for very young children. For a list of events in the Finger Lakes area, visit http://www.fingerlakeswinecountry.com/things-to-do/five-season-fun/holiday/ Distances to Attractions: Ithaca/ Cornell University - 36 minutes Syracuse/ SYR Airport- 64 minutes Rochester, NY / ROC Airport – 77 minutes Buffalo, NY / BUF Airport -2 ¼ hours Niagara Falls – 2 ½ hours Toronto, Canada – 4 hours Newark, NJ / EWR Airport – 4 hours New York City, NY – 4 1/3 hours