Fodor's Expert Review Thayers Inn

This former grande dame with a distinguished roster of past guests—including Ulysses S. Grant, Henry Ford, and PT Barnum—offers quirky and fun budget accommodations and a great location in one of the liveliest little downtowns in the White Mountains. In the lobby and lining the hall are photos and memorabilia from movie star Bette Davis's huge birthday bash and artifacts of other illustrious guests. Two rooms are open to the public as exhibits: one set up as a guest room from the 1840s, and the other a scene from Pollyanna, written by Littleton native Eleanor Hodgman Porter (born 1868).