My wife and I with our two boys aged 5 and 7 had a great 5 night stay at Highland Lodge last August. The location is beautiful with a nice range of hikes from the lodge. The staff were wonderful, international and engaging. We learned a great deal about the forest from them. Highland has a great kids program that has activites throughout the day and takes them from 4:30 to about 7:30 or so. This gave my wife and I a lot of time together, a nice balance with days spent as a family. The location at the top of the Notch is breathtaking. As with other AMC places I've stayed when I was younger, the meals at shared tables with other guests are a highlight; we always met such intersting people. You dine with full views of the surrounding mountains. Though it never rained, it seemed if it had that there would have been a good deal of kids' activities for a few days. Nice grounds to run around close to the Lodge. Highly recommended.

My family visits the Highland Center every other year to celebrate the holidays. Most of the family travels from other states, so the equipment room is a big help for them. It features LL Bean gear that is available for check out during your stay (free of charge). They offer boots, poles, snowshoes, jackets, etc.

There is plenty of hiking, skiing and climbing right outside and the friendly & knowledgeable staff can point you in the right direction. They are happy to offer current weather and trail conditions. The upstairs library is filled with trail guides and maps - you can also purchase books & gear in the lobby.

Breakfast & dinner are included with a stay in the main lodge. Apres served every afternoon right next to the fire. Meals offer a variety of starters, entrees and desserts - including at least one vegetarian option at each meal. I have enjoyed every meal that I have eaten at the Highland Center.

My family stayed at the Highland Center Lodge at Crawford Notch on November 11-14, 2011. First, let me state something very clearly: This is NOT a hotel. It is, however, very comfortable for its class of accommodation.

The on-site cafeteria offers very good home-cooked meals, making the price an excellent value. On Fridays and busy nights, dinner is served buffet-style; on quieter nights, meals are served family-style at a communal table. We enjoyed meeting other guests during our stay and also enjoyed the range of hearty meals (from turkey with all the trimmings to steak and pasta to orange-glazed chicken breasts at dinner during our stay - and good vegetarian options too).

Our room (310) was small and simple but fully adequate for our needs. We had a private room with a queen bed and a shared bathroom. I had no complaints about bathroom or bedroom cleanliness. We also really enjoyed the nightly outdoors-themed movies in the comfortable third floor sitting room.

This place deserves at 5 but for what my husband and I joking called the "slamming doors from hell." From about 8-11pm every night, we were tortured by the sound of doors slamming. It wasn't the fault of the guests; it's the doors themselves. They close very heavily and very loudly. The only way to keep them from slamming is to keep holding the handle down until the door closes. Quite simply, I couldn't sleep due to all the noise! But hey, if sleep's not important to you - you'll love this place. Wish I could recommend it more highly but I can't.

I loved my stay! The dinner and breakfasts were fresh and delicious. The rooms are very clean and the staff are just a charm. Very knowledgeable and friendly.

I especially enjoyed the after-dinner talk with an art historian and poet. A great way to learn more about the area.

You know that you can really go crazy hiking, because there is a wam place waiting for you and a warm meal.

Enjoy!