7 Best Hotels in Lakes Region, New Hampshire

An air of yesteryear refinement suffuses Adair, a three-story Georgian Revival home that attorney Frank Hogan built as a wedding present for his daughter in 1927—her hats adorn the place, as do books and old photos from the era. This is a refined, well-run country inn, with walking and snowshoeing paths that wind through 200 acres of gardens designed by Olmsted Brothers, and rooms furnished with period antiques and reproductions—many have fireplaces; a great basement lounge has a 1929 billiards table and a big flat-screen TV, which often shows movies from the inn's large collection. The exceptional restaurant is open to the public and serves well-crafted seasonal American fare.

This contemporary hotel with country lodge–inspired furnishings, just off Interstate 93 a little north of downtown, contains warmly appointed rooms in a variety of configurations; some have whirlpool tubs and fireplaces, and a few have cozy sleeping lofts. At the spa, you can indulge in a massage, facial, or body treatment, and then feast on well-prepared gastropub fare in Foster's Boiler Room. The inn also rents several cabins in a wooded mountain setting a few miles up the road.

This sweet, old-fashioned compound of cottages and suites with access to a 140-foot beach on Little Squam Lake is a terrific find—and value—for families, as nearly all units have partial or full kitchens, and many can comfortably sleep up to five guests (there's also a six-bedroom lodge that groups can rent entirely). The carefully maintained accommodations recall another era with their knotty-pine walls, country-quilt bedspreads, and colorful hooked rugs; many have wood-burning fireplaces.

Squam Lake is just a short drive from this romantic inn that comprises a beautifully restored 1890s Queen Anne–style Victorian and, next door, a handsome 1920s carriage house. Expect the best in B&B comforts: plush beds, flat-screen TVs, complimentary wine and hors d'oeuvres, and excellent service. All but one of the 12 rooms have fireplaces, and the six suites have double-whirlpool tubs.

Slightly removed from, but within a short drive of, the crowds of Weirs Beach, this boutique spa hotel set in a converted mill is a great place to chill out, enjoy a shiatsu massage or cranberry facial, and savor dinner and cocktails on a patio overlooking the lake. In addition to being near the beaches of Winnipesaukee, the inn is close to a few smaller beaches on Lakes Opechee and Winnisquam.

This attractively renovated vintage motor lodge, just a five-minute walk from Lake Wentworth and Albee Beach, has been brightened up with an inviting mid-century cottage look and such family-friendly features as a game room and guest library. Some rooms have kitchenettes with induction cook tops, and there's a pool in back.

Choose from four lodgings at this rambling resort: relaxing Church Landing and Bay Point are both on the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee; convivial Mill Falls—with a pool—and Chase House are across the street, next to a 19th-century mill that houses shops and restaurants. Which to choose? Bay Point has waterfront rooms with private balconies, and Chase House has fireplace rooms, but the real star of the show is Church Landing, an Adirondack-style lodge whose lush rooms have dramatic water views.