EXHIBIT 5.1
 
                                          May 22, 1997
 
Hudson Hotels Corporation
One Airport Way, Suite 200
Rochester, NY 14624
 
    RE: Hudson Hotels Corporation--Registration Statement on Form S-3
 
Gentlemen:
 
    We have acted as counsel to Hudson Hotels Corporation, a New York
corporation (hereinafter called the "Company"), in connection with its
Registration Statement on Form S-3, filed under the Securities Act of 1933,
relating to the proposed resale of up to 460,000 common shares of the Company,
$.001 par value ("Common Shares") by certain Selling Shareholders.
 
    In that connection, we have examined the Certificate of Incorporation of the
Company, as amended, the by-laws of the Company, as amended, the Registration
Statement, and such other documents and corporate records as we have deemed
necessary or appropriate for purposes of this opinion.
 
    Based upon the foregoing, it is our opinion that:
 
        1.  The Company has been duly organized and is a validly existing
    corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of New York.
 
        2.  The Common Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued,
    fully paid and nonassessable.
 
    We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the
above-referenced Registration Statement and to the reference made to us under
the caption "Legal Matters" in the Prospectus forming a part of such
Registration Statement.
 
                                          Very truly yours,
 
                                          BOYLAN, BROWN, CODE,
                                          FOWLER, VIGDOR & WILSON, LLP
 
                                          /s/ ALAN S. LOCKWOOD
                                          Alan S. Lockwood
 
ASL/sjc