The Bank is a historic landmark, boutique hotel and event venue in East Aurora, NY. Built in 1923, its imposing facade has been a prominent feature of East Aurora's charming downtown for a century.
The Hideout, vault & Coal room
The Hideout
Vault
Beneath The Bank
Coal Room
Beneath the Bank is a one-of-a-kind lodging. During the Prohibition era in which it was built, America was obsessed with the daring bank robbers whose exploits dominated headlines. The space Beneath the Bank has been reimagined as a secret hideout for these fugitives, who topped the FBI's Public Enemies list. Rooms are named for Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger, 'Pretty Boy' Floyd, 'Slick' Willy Sutton, and Frank 'Jelly' Nash.
As for the overall vibe of this den of thieves - let's call it Prohibition Chic. Each room is individually designed with its namesake in mind. Carefully sourced vintage pieces recall the era, while small details give a feeling of modern luxury to each space.
Guests can relax in a cozy speakeasy-inspired gathering space and enjoy a game of shuffleboard. The vault is the perfect spot for a high-stakes poker game. Coffee, kitchen and laundry facilities allow you to hide away for a while.
So ... if you're the type of person who roots for the bad guys in movies, or who's tired of cookie-cutter hotel rooms, Beneath the Bank is for you.
THE EXPERIENCE
Like a B&B, Beneath the Bank is designed to suit the needs of today's more independent guest and has auto check-in. There is no 24 hour lobby or concierge. Conveniently located in East Aurora's lively downtown, shops, restaurants and bars are just footsteps away.
Each room features a queen bed, private bath, and luxury linens. Google Hub allows guests to voice control lights, temperature, 55-inch tv, wake up calls, and local information.
The rooms
Bonnie & Clyde Room
This is the kind of intimate, romantic hideaway the iconic couple would have loved. Tucked away in a private corner, it features soft colors and curvaceous antique furnishings.
John Dillinger Room
The most notorious bank robber of them all was an unabashed ladies' man. He also loved attention. The Dillinger is reminiscent of a 1930's bachelor pad - sophisticated and bold.
'Pretty Boy' Floyd Room
Seen as a modern-day Robin Hood in his own time, 'Pretty Boy' Floyd was celebrated for destroying mortgage papers and handing out sums of cash from the banks he robbed. He also liked to bake pies. It includes two bedrooms that are filled with playful patterns and pops of color.
Frank 'Jelly' Nash Room
Responsible for 200 bank robberies, the charming Nash specialized in blowing open safes with nitroglycerin, a jelly-like explosive. A cozy room, it's packed with personality.
'Slick' Willie Sutton Room
Nick-named 'Slick' for his talent at executing bank robberies in disguise, Willie Sutton was also admired for his gentlemanly manners. His namesake room is a handsome, masculine space complete with an Art Deco gentleman's wardrobe.
Boardroom
Once the Boardroom, the bridal suite's handsome oak paneling and fireplace provide a quiet, stress-free refuge for the bride. It's the perfect backdrop for 'getting ready' photos.
The Bank is a sister property to The Carriage House at Rushing Waters, a three-bedroom carriage house just a short drive away. The Carriage House is available should an offsite bridal suite be desired.
Coatroom
The main floor Coatroom also houses an ADA compliant restroom. When events are not taking place, the Coatroom reverts to its alternate identity: an ADA compliant guestroom with adjoining bath.
AMENITIES
In Room
Bed and Bath
Bed and Bath
- Unique 1930's inspired rooms
- Google Home
- 55" TV
- Sling TV
- Netflix
Bed and Bath
Bed and Bath
Bed and Bath
- Shampoo, conditioner and body wash
- Hair dryer
- Bed linens
- Towels
- Extra pillows and blankets
Facilities
Bed and Bath
Logistics & Guest Access
- Hideout -speakeasy inspired lounge
- Vault lounge
- Shuffleboard Table
- Shared Microwave
- Shared Laundry
- Shared Keurig coffee maker
- Shared refrigerator
- Shared iron & ironing board
Logistics & Guest Access
Logistics & Guest Access
Logistics & Guest Access
- Smart lock
- Free parking
Safety Features
Logistics & Guest Access
Safety Features
- Sprinkler system
- Carbon monoxide detector
- Smoke detector
- First aid kit
THE BANK POLICIES
- No front desk or cleaning service
- No smoking
- No pets
- No parties or events (unless you rent the event center)
- Check-in time 3:00 PM - self check in with smart lock (keypad)
- Check out time 11:00 AM
- Rooms Beneath The Bank & Boardroom/bridal suite - must climb stairs
events at the bank
Once a symbol of all that was straight-laced and proper, this heritage building has been treated to a gorgeous restoration that turns boring on its head. While remaining respectful to the original structure, The Bank has put on its party clothes! 3,000 square feet of light-filled space welcomes guests for a night of dining and dancing. High ceilings, tall Palladian windows, gleaming hardwood floors and original skylight give it the elegance and character that only a historic building can possess. A fabulous Art Deco wet bar invites guests to celebrate in Gatsby-esque style. Throughout the venue, elements of the past have been thoughtfully fused with modern conveniences for a deluxe experience.
WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE
As an authentic, working bank for nearly a century, The Bank boasts a number of exclusive features. The lobby vault makes a stunning focal point in the main event space, adding a touch of industrial glam. It's the perfect backdrop for wedding pictures, or a photo booth for guests. A secret door has been installed so that special guests can make a surprise entrance from the vault into the event space. Or a bride-to-be could be presented from the vault, a sweet symbolic reminder that she is her family's 'treasure'.
A massive vintage bank directory has been retrofitted to display slide shows, real-time photo booth images, or power point presentations. The Boardroom is now the bridal suite. Its handsome oak paneling and fireplace provide a quiet, stress-free refuge for brides, and a lovely space for 'getting ready' photos. Other playful touches celebrate The Bank's past: real penny tile on vault floors; a bullet-riddled door; a scavenger hunt map of world coins embedded in the floors; a chance to 'crack' a safe, and more. The Bank provides a setting that is not just unique and memorable, but fun!
AMENITIES
The Bank's amenities have been carefully designed to give guests a flawless experience. These include a professional caterer's kitchen, coat room, well-appointed new restrooms, wheelchair accessibility, ADA compliant restroom and bridal suite. Sound system, tables and chairs are of course included.
THINGS TO DO
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
It's hard to see all there is to do in just one trip
Western New York offers an abundance of activities for culture mavens and sports-minded people alike. The region's natural beauty is punctuated with state parks, ski resorts, golf clubs - you can hike, ski, golf, bike or just sit back and watch a professional team do the work. Capping it all off is the awe-inspiring Niagara Falls.
In Buffalo you'll find the world-class Albright-Knox Gallery, Buffalo Philharmonic, Pierce-Arrow Museum, Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin-Martin House, and Richardson-Olmsted Campus, to name a few.
The village of East Aurora boasts street after tree-lined street of charming homes, a delightful downtown with the famous Vidler's 5&10, a great selection of restaurants, and a vibrant nightlife. At its heart is the Roycroft Campus and Inn, a National Historic Landmark district that is best preserved and most complete complex of buildings remaining in the United States of the Arts & Crafts movement 'guilds'.
Albright-Knox Gallery
Albright-Knox Gallery
Albright-Knox Gallery
The Albright-Knox’s 150-year tradition of collecting and exhibiting the art of its time has given rise to an extraordinary collection that includes works by Francis Bacon, Frida Kahlo, Roy Lichtenstein, Georgia O’Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, and many others.
Buffalo Bills Stadium
Albright-Knox Gallery
Albright-Knox Gallery
Buffalo Bills and Tailgate Guys have teamed up to offer turn-key, hassle-free tailgating for Bills football fans! All tailgates are located steps away from New Era Field and offer a variety of package offerings to accommodate all groups. Come visit us this fall!
BUFFALO PHILHARMONIC
Albright-Knox Gallery
BUFFALO PHILHARMONIC
The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society, Inc. provides a resident, professional, major symphony orchestra of artistic excellence and integrity to enrich the quality of life in Western New York through the presentation of live symphonic music and other musical events which educate and entertain the broadest possible audiences within and beyond the Western New York region.
CRAGBURN GOLF COURSE
CRAGBURN GOLF COURSE
BUFFALO PHILHARMONIC
Crag Burn Golf Club is proud of its distinguished reputation and commitment to excellence on behalf of its members and their guests. The club provides a first-rate golfing experience while preserving the founding members vision of establishing a premier club with a welcoming atmosphere where "a group of friends could play golf."
HOLIDAY VALLEY
CRAGBURN GOLF COURSE
KISSING BRIDGE SKIING
Whether you’re a family, couple, or group of friends looking for a ski and summer resort that’s modern and fun, we’ve got you covered year around. We’re located in the charming village of Ellicottville NY, and are close to Buffalo, Rochester, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Toronto and Southern Ontario.
KISSING BRIDGE SKIING
CRAGBURN GOLF COURSE
KISSING BRIDGE SKIING
Kissing Bridge has 39 slopes spread out over 700 acres. There’s lots of great terrain perfect for the beginner or intermediate skier or rider, plus several challenging slopes for advanced. Serviced by 9 lifts, it is easy to see that at KB you will spend more time on the slopes and less time in the lift line.
KNOX FARM STATE PARK
MARTIN HOUSE COMPLEX
MARTIN HOUSE COMPLEX
Knox Farm State Park is the former country estate of Buffalo's renowned Knox Family. It is located adjacent to the historic village of East Aurora, birthplace of the Roycroft Arts & Crafts movement and former home of Millard Fillmore. The park's 633 acres are comprised of a variety of habitats, including 400 acres of grasslands (pastures and hayfields), and 100 acres of woodlands, ponds and several wetland areas.
MARTIN HOUSE COMPLEX
MARTIN HOUSE COMPLEX
MARTIN HOUSE COMPLEX
Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) designed a unique residential complex for wealthy Buffalo businessman Darwin D. Martin and his family between 1903-1905. The most substantial and highly developed of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie houses in the Eastern United States, The Darwin D. Martin House received National Historic Landmark status in 1986. The house is considered by leading Frank Lloyd Wright scholars as one of Wright’s finest achievements of the Prairie period and, indeed, of his entire career.
NIAGARA FALLS
MARTIN HOUSE COMPLEX
PIERCE ARROW MUSEUM
Niagara Falls State Park, America's oldest state park, brings you closer than you ever thought possible to the grandeur of the Falls. With over 400 acres of lush landscape waiting to be explored, Niagara Falls State Park is guaranteed to offer the trip of a lifetime.
PIERCE ARROW MUSEUM
RICHARDSON-OLMSTED CAMPUS
PIERCE ARROW MUSEUM
THE BUFFALO TRANSPORTATION PIERCE-ARROW MUSEUM was established as a non profit 501(c)(3) organization in 1997. The Museum building, at the corner of Seneca Street and Michigan Avenue, in downtown Buffalo (once a Mack Truck dealership and showroom), opened in 2001.
RICHARDSON-OLMSTED CAMPUS
RICHARDSON-OLMSTED CAMPUS
RICHARDSON-OLMSTED CAMPUS
One of Buffalo’s most iconic buildings and a National Historic Landmark, the 145-year-old Richardson Olmsted Campus is being renewed after years of neglect. Designed by great American architect Henry Hobson Richardson and the famed landscape team of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the building incorporated a system of enlightened treatment for people with mental illness developed by Dr. Thomas Story Kirkbride.
ROYCROFT CAMPUS
RICHARDSON-OLMSTED CAMPUS
RICHARDSON-OLMSTED CAMPUS
The Roycroft Campus in East Aurora, New York, is the best preserved and most complete complex of buildings remaining in the United States of the "guilds" that evolved as centers of craftsmanship and philosophy during the late 19th century. The Campus, designated a National Historic Landmark district (NHL) in 1986, contains nine of the original 14 structures including the Inn, the Chapel, the Print Shop, the Furniture Shop, and the Copper Shop. You are invited to come visit and discover the rebirth of the Roycroft Campus as if Elbert Hubbard and the Roycrofters never left.
THE HEALTHY ZONE RINK
THE HEALTHY ZONE RINK
THE HEALTHY ZONE RINK
The Healthy Zone Rink has become a true asset to not only East Aurora, but also the entire Western New York community. Since opening in the fall of 2008, the venue has added a pavilion-style roof, locker rooms and a warming hut for guests. The ice rink runs at full capacity from October through March (winter season) and provides summer programming for off-ice recreational activities from April to September (summer season).
VIDLER'S 5 & 10
THE HEALTHY ZONE RINK
THE HEALTHY ZONE RINK
With over 75,000 items spread through 4 buildings on 2 levels, this is a shopping experience you won't find on-line! Historic, nostalgic and just plain fun, you can spend hours here and still won't see everything!
About The Bank
The Bank of East Aurora was first established in 1882. In 1923 it moved to its current location, a purpose-built Neo-Classical Revival building. It remained a bank through several changes of bank ownership until 2017.
In 2018, The Bank began its transformation into a hospitality destination. Although solidly built -- it's the first concrete and steel commercial structure in East Aurora -- almost all of its original architectural detail had been erased. Through a process of careful exploration and demolition, it was discovered that the dropped ceiling hid a handsome plaster cornice and skylight. Wallboard covered over the second floor windows. Terracotta and hardwood floors languished under layers of tile and glue. And that was just the start!
The Bank's gracious, unostentatious style has long made it a highlight of East Aurora's vibrant downtown. The team behind its meticulous restoration is proud to be part of its history.
The Bank today
The Bank 50th anniversary in 1932
Contact Us
Beneath The Bank
Ready to book with us? Have a question about our rooms or events? We'll be happy to help!
649 Main Street, East Aurora, New York 14052, United States
Copyright © 2020 Beneath The Bank - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy