2 Best Hotels in Holderness, Lakes Region

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.