My husband and I recently stayed for the weekend at the Sugar Hill Inn, off the beaten track north of Franconia Notch, in New Hampshire. This was our third time at the Inn and we have had a consistently excellent experience each time. We like to get away for a weekend in January for some down time away from everyday life, especially after the hectic holiday season. Sugar Hill Inn provides the perfect location.
We splurge and stay in one of the suites, preferably the Richardson, and it is worth every penny. If it is too freezing to ski or, as was the case this past visit, there is no snow for cross country skiing, we only have to stir out of the room if we want to do so. Otherwise, we can relax on the comfortable sofa or chairs before the room's fireplace, reading, drinking expresso (complimentary) or wine chilled in the small fridge in the room, using glasses cheerfully lent by the bar even though we brought the wine with us, nap on the very comfortable king bed, or enjoy the relaxing comfort of the two person jacuzzi. The rooms have dvd players and flat screen tvs, with an array of dvds to borrow from the lounge. Even if we are unable to ski but still decide to stir out of the Inn, there is plenty nearby to enjoy, such as wandering through Littleton, shopping at the Garnet Hill outlet down the hill, or heading over to Bretton Woods or North Conway. The Inn serves tea and sweets or savories outside the bar between 4 and 5 pm. It is very relaxing to sit there and read the papers that are available.
We always eat at the Inn on Saturday night. Sometimes we'll have a drink at the cozy bar, and we always enjoy that. The dining room is small, but well appointed and comfortable. Some of the tables have very comfortable sofas or upholstered chairs as the seating, which I, as a person with a bad back who can find straight-backed wooden chairs uncomfortable, enjoy. There is an excellent wine selection, both by the glass and the bottle. They serve a four-course prix fixe meal that has been outstanding every time. From the trio of soup sampler to the maple creme brûlée, every course was delicious, well presented, and enjoyable. We both had the beef tenderloin which was excellent. It is a relaxing dinner pace, which is exactly what we were looking for. There are the little extras, or lagniappe, that you expect at a high quality venue like the Inn. For example, we had a delicious amuse bouche of a sautéed fish cake (tasted and looked far better than it sounds) and ended the meal with a homemade truffle (after the creme brûlée and coffee). Service was excellent, with both the owner and the chef checking with us to ensure that we were satisfied. It was a most enjoyable eating experience.
The included breakfast was no less delightful. It was four courses as well, but not too much food. I hate feeling weighed down by the morning meal and this was just right. We enjoyed the fresh fruit, the muffins, and the juice, all of which were the prelude to such delights as eggs with goat cheese and herbs, French toast with sautéed apples, and blueberry pancakes which were light and airy. Service was attentive, but not hovering. Just what we wanted.
All in all, we came home from this weekend very relaxed and feeling as though we had been well-pampered. Every time we have been to the Inn, we have been very happy with everything. One year, we couldn't get a suite on the weekend we wanted and went instead to a highly-touted Select Registry inn in Jackson, where the mattress was so bad, I ended up sleeping on the floor. We won't make that mistake again. We'll just adjust our weekend if we can't get into Sugar Hill Inn on our first choice. It is not cheap, but it is worth the cost. We highly recommend it.
Room Tip: Spring for one of the suites if you can (although the regular rooms may be just as wonderful; we'...
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