7 Best Hotels in Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire

New Hampshire's distinctive Common Man hotel and restaurant group runs this quirky boutique hotel fashioned out of a striking 19th-century redbrick mill on downtown Claremont's Sugar River; the on-site restaurant serves hearty pub fare and has great water views. Although not fancy, each of the high-ceilinged rooms has its own look and layout, and many have fireplaces, exposed stone walls, and river views; some suites are two floors, and the top units have hot tubs and gas fireplaces.

Built in 1840, this rambling country inn on the shore of Kezar Lake is the kind of place that almost instantly turns strangers into fast friends. The rooms and suites all have soft country quilts, and several rooms overlook the lake, where guests can go ice fishing, or swim or sail from the inn's pier out to Blueberry Island. Next door to a white clapboard church, it fits in perfectly with the 19th-century village of North Sutton.

A sprawling Georgian-style brick structure rising six white-trimmed stories above the gracious Dartmouth Green contains this chichi boutique hotel and is also home to the acclaimed farm-to-table restaurant, Pine. The sophisticated rooms are furnished with plaid wing chairs and soft leather sofas, and sport contemporary art; a stay here will give you a sense of life at Dartmouth.

Overlooking the shore of Pleasant Lake, and offering views of majestic Mt. Kearsarge in the distance, and just a short drive from downtown New London, this beautifully appointed 1790s inn has spacious, bright rooms filled with fine country antiques and high-end bedding. Lakeside activities abound, including kayaking, canoeing, and beach volleyball, and the superb Oak & Grain restaurant serves carefully crafted modern American food.

With its bold black and red color scheme and angular light fixtures and furnishings, this redbrick boutique hotel just off Hanover's bustling Main Street is a perfect roost for visiting Dartmouth and its museums. In the morning, pop down to the lively cafe for well-crafted coffees and freshly prepared breakfast sandwiches.

This cozy compound of six charming, eco-friendly cottages—each sleeping five–eight people and with small but well-equipped kitchens—is a stone's throw from Sunapee Harbor and an easy drive from winter skiing at nearby Mt. Sunapee. All units have gas fireplaces, private porches, and a well-chosen mix of antiques and modern furnishings.