13 Best Hotels in The Monadnocks and Merrimack Valley, New Hampshire

Each of the five rooms in this striking sage-green 1885 B&B near the Currier Museum of Art and a few blocks from Elm Street dining is painted a different color, and all have soft bathrobes, flat-screen satellite TVs, and beds topped with Egyptian cotton linens. There's decanted brandy in the sitting room, whose stained glass is original, and in summer, the wraparound porch is a nice place to sit and enjoy a cooked-to-order breakfast, which is served on a flexible schedule.

A few miles southwest of Manchester, this upscale complex consisting of an 1810 Federal inn and a bigger, contemporary boutique hotel is all about luxury and pampering, with Italian marble bathrooms, whirlpool tubs, sumptuous linens, four-poster beds, and Molton Brown bath products in the rooms. There's also a swanky full-service spa, and meals and drinks offered in four elegant venues.

Thanks to the dairy farm surrounding this 1853 Colonial house—with its stenciling and wide pine floors—you'll feel as though you're miles out in the country rather than just 10 minutes from Peterborough and even closer to the cute downtown of Jaffrey. Rooms are warmly appointed with soft bedding and country quilts, and a hearty country-style full breakfast is included.

Overlooking the village green of tiny, quiet Temple, this affordable and friendly B&B built in 1775 once hosted Henry David Thoreau. The three guest rooms are done with an English-style mixture of modern and antique furnishings, and the on-site tavern serves eclectic comfort fare, from flat-bread pizzas to steak and fish-and-chips. A 10-minute drive southeast of Peterborough, the inn is also convenient to the attractions in and around Milford, to the east.

Fine antiques and Colonial-style fabrics adorn the spacious guest quarters in this opulent yet unpretentious country inn nestled on a 10-acre farmstead a couple of miles from the Connecticut River. The on-site restaurant offers exceptional dining with a focus on seasonal American fare in romantic restaurant. Most rooms have fireplaces, and several have private decks or terraces facing the stunning perennial gardens. It's a good base for both the Monadnocks and Brattleboro and southeastern Vermont.

Of Manchester's many chain hotels, this 12-story tower with smartly appointed rooms and great views has the most central location: a short walk from Amoskeag Mills and the growing cluster of dining and nightlife options along Elm Street. Rooms are well-designed with work desks and plenty of space, perfect for business or leisure travelers. There's a decent restaurant on-site that offers room service.

It's unusual to find a midrange chain property set in a historic building on a picturesque downtown Main Street, but this well-kept hotel—inside the restored early 1900s Goodnow department store—is a rarity with its reasonably priced rooms, exposed-brick walls, 12-foot ceilings, and modern furnishings. Some suites have stairs that lead to an upper level and come with two bathrooms. There's a fitness room, and you can get food delivered from the restaurant next door.

This sleek, stunning contemporary boutique hotel lies within a short stroll of the city's top arts venues and eateries; the airy and light-filled rooms, many with balconies, have hardwood floors, distinctive artwork, big windows, and are outfitted with Amazon Echo devices, huge HD TVs, and spacious marble baths. There's a popular steak restaurant just off the lobby as well as a 24-hour gym, and the Red River Theatres indie cinema is next door, along with a garage with inexpensive parking.

This clean, bright, and handsomely decorated 17-room motor inn just a half-mile north of downtown Peterborough is a terrific find with large, affordable rooms furnished with attractive reproduction antiques. Those on the second floor overlooking the Contoocook River are the quietest.

Concord's most distinctive and romantic hotel occupies an imposing brick-and-stone building constructed in 1892 for widows of Civil War veterans, but the interior has been given a head-to-toe makeover: boutique furnishings and contemporary art immediately set the tone in the lobby; pillow-top beds sport luxurious linens and down pillows; and bathrooms have stone floors, granite countertops, and stand-alone showers. The clubby restaurant, Granite, is a favorite with local movers and shakers.

Once a stagecoach stop, the 1786 Fitzwilliam Inn sits on the town green next to the Fitzwilliam Historical Society's Amos Blake House and is a short walk from several antiques dealers. Although it retains its Colonial charm, the inn has been carefully updated with tile bathrooms and fine bedding, and rooms that range from cozy and economical to rangy and a bit more upscale; many have fireplaces. The pub serves burgers and salads, and the restaurant serves steaks, seafood, and seasonal entrées.

For those with kids who like animals, East Hill Farm is heaven: a family resort with daylong children's programs on a 160-acre farm overlooking Mt. Monadnock that include milking cows; collecting eggs; feeding the sheep, donkeys, cows, rabbits, horses, chickens, goats, and ducks; horseback and pony rides; hiking and hay rides in summer; and sledding and sleigh rides in winter. Rates include most activities and three meals in a camplike dining hall, and rooms are comfortable, but not fancy, and some have fireplaces. Because all meals are included, rates are per person; the cost for children is less, and those under age two stay free.