New Hampshire  New Hampshire ToDo
MagazineBy Heather Burke Magazine Cover by Greg Burke Today, the Mountain View Grand is revived with all the style and service of a forgotten era, under new ownership and currently the only four-diamond property in The White Mountains.  Last December, we visited the newest old hotel in the Whites for a
family weekend amid the sparkling snowcapped peaks of New Hampshire.
Once we found the place in remote Whitefield, The Mountain View Grand
lived up to its name, perched high on a hillside surrounded by the
impressive Presidential Range.The golden-colored hotel stretches across the hilltop, with a sweeping mountain panorama. Inside the high-class hotel, we were welcomed with a crackling fireplace and the tinkling of a grand piano in the intimate lobby. Our guestroom was elegantly furnished in mahogany with wingback chairs by the picture windows, perfectly framing the view from Mt Washington to Franconia Notch. The bath was luxurious - the renovation process converted the original 200 guestrooms to 145 to create more spacious quarters.  Being skiers first and foremost, we opted for the Ski and Stay package
with plans to make tracks at nearby
Cannon and
Bretton Woods, both
within 20 minutes. Skiing is like our family adhesive – braving the
elements together, cozying up on the lift rides, seeking out the
adrenaline, and laughing about our adventures at dinner after a swim.
On this trip, the Mountain View Grand’s lengthy list of onsite
offerings made us eager to wrap up our vertical at half day, so we
could return to the regal resort to sled, tube, skate, swim and spa…to
name a few.  Can’t remember the last time we all bounced on an inflatable tube down
the majestic snow-covered grounds of a century old hotel. The resort’s
ice rink is a Rockwell setting, perfect for a family skate party, and
a postcard photo. You can rent cross-country skis from the Jack Frost
Activity Center to glide along the resort’s 28-kilometers of groomed
Nordic trails or explore on snowshoes the 1,800 acres of glorious
snowfields and forests. The Mountain View has horse stables offering authentic sleigh rides. You can even horseback ride through the wintry woods (tip: you must reserve this activity in advance of your stay, we did not and were shut out). Mountain View Grand’s activities are not exclusively scenic and serene. Adrenaline cravers can rent snowmobiles or four wheelers for a pulse-racing ride with a guide. I must mention that these adventures are all add-on expenses to your getaway, but can you put a price tag on family fun? The resort even has a Hummer test track –BYOH. If you posses this fashionable all-terrain assault vehicle, you can take your Hummer to task over stumps, boulders and ravines. Our kids thought this was “way cool” but alas we are not hip Hummer parents, so never mind – we took the kids to the pool.  The Hotel’s extensive improvements include a new indoor pool and hot
tub, an exercise room and a small arcade downstairs, plus a
full-service luxury spa on the upper floor. The traditional parlor on
the main floor now serves as a cozy game room and library with an
authentic working fireplace. If you can slip away for an hour of adult time, reserve the Hotel’s
Tower Tub. The pinnacle of the Mountain View’s top-shelf Spa is a
private Japanese hot tub in the cupola, two full stories above
everything else with an amazing 360-degree panorama. A bottle of
bubbly completes this decadent lifetime experience (tip: this is best
enjoyed around sunset). Sit and soak in the views, rejoice in your
good fortune and rekindle your romance. That evening, the hotel brimmed with music in the luxurious lobby, animated conversation along the mahogany bar, a comedy show in the Nightclub, and dancing to a jazz ensemble in the Crystal Ballroom. Apparently the celebrated Grand ghost provides entertainment too, but our own spirits were too lively to evoke any ethereal visitors. The century old setting definitely conjures a bit of nostalgia, as you reflect on a simpler time when grace and pleasant pastimes were the order of the day, not technology or multitasking. The elegance and pure scenery of this mountain retreat is worth the trip. With the added outdoor amusements, Mountain View Grand makes for a superb New Hampshire ToDo. Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa Address: Mountain View Road, Whitefield Phone: 603-837-2100, 1-866-484-3843. Rates and accommodations: Rooms range from $199 to $599 per night, including accommodations with private bath, and a full breakfast. Suites range from $499 to $3,000 for the Presidential Suite including breakfast, gourmet dinner, and the private Tower Spa with Champagne. Dining: The Mountain View Grand offers Modified American Plans including a full country breakfast and gourmet dinner in The Maples Restaurant. The Stage Coach Tavern offers more casual pub fare, and transforms into a nightclub on weekend evenings. Area Highlights: Cross-country skiing, sledding and tubing, horse-drawn sleigh rides can all be enjoyed on property. Alpine skiing nearby at Cannon and Bretton Woods. |