You may already know this sprawling yellow inn (circa 1913) thanks to its proximity to Sunday River Resort, 7 miles away. But we had a wonderful weekend here without setting foot on the slopes. Guests have access to a 42-kilometer network of cross-country ski trails, plus snowshoe trails, an ice rink, horse-drawn sleigh rides, dogsled rides, and an indoor-outdoor heated pool set at 90 degrees. Indoors, it’s all the “quaint’’ and “cozy’’ you can handle, with the requisite roaring fires and rustic pub.
We plopped around on snowshoes outside the inn’s back door, amid a landscape of 300- to 400-year-old pine trees, a golf course, and the remnants of a 1774 grist mill. But our goal was to head off with our partners to the Grafton Notch Loop Trail, just a few miles away. This AMC trail is a nearly 50-mile loop, so we knew we would cover only a segment of it and backtrack, but we had nothing to prove. We were in it for the scenery and solitude.
“This isn’t exactly a quiet walk in the woods,’’ Pam’s husband, Chuck, said as we noisily trekked over the crusty snow. Mother Nature took this as her cue, suddenly unleashing a lovely snowfall that speckled our eyelashes and covered the landscape in a sweep of hushed beauty. We stopped for a moment to take it all in: the falling snow, the lacey ice on the gurgling Bear River, and our partners, buried in layers but looking adorable. Heading back, we debated our plan of action: a dip in the pool or a hot toddy? Sounded like a win-win to us. 150 guest rooms; weekend rates from $120. Check the web for specials, like a $99 per person Stay & Dine Getaway. 21 Broad St., 800-654-0125 or 207-824-2175, www.bethelinn.com
Sugar Hill Inn, Sugar Hill, N.H.
