428 White Mountain Highway
North Conway, NH 03860
*Disclaimer: We were not paid for this review. All opinions are our own and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
Merrill Farm Inn is a New England bed and breakfast located in the scenic town of North Conway, New Hampshire. There is a big ski resort right in town called Cranmore Ski Mountain. The inn is quiet and rustic outside of prime ski season, so a great place to stay if you are seeking a low-key getaway from major cities like Boston and New York.
I found out about this inn through a Groupon deal. Ironically, I did not end up purchasing the Groupon (because it was only good on weekdays) and ended up booking online through the website.
I was looking forward to a quiet winter getaway away from the city.
The hotel looks a bit outdated from the outside, sort of like an old motel. I was disappointed because the pictures online show lots of gorgeous pines, hereby giving the impression that it is in a secluded setting, not directly on the main road. Too bad, as I was expecting a more rustic area. The property is located right off a major highway, which is convenient for getting to and from attractions, but not as secluded as I would like. The amenities are great though and the property nice enough for the affordable price tag.
Amenities provided at this inn include: breakfast, cider and cookies in the afternoon, a fitness center, a hot tub (small fee), outdoor pool (seasonal), canoe rentals (seasonal), sauna, game room, and 24 hour coffee.
I was disappointed that there was a $5 charge to use the hot tub. We had already paid $115 for the room and was surprised that you had to pay extra. I have never heard of paying extra to use a hotel's hot tub. Plus, the hot tub was mentioned on their website as an amenity and nothing was said about an extra fee. In the end, we ended up forking over the money and were quite pleased.
The hot tub is located in a separate room which you can book for an hour max. It is a newer hot tub and appeared very clean. One negative was that the temperature was too mild and there was no way to adjust it because it was pre-set at 104 degrees. I like hot tubs to be a little warmer especially after being outside in the winter weather.
The continental breakfast was not bad, but nothing spectacular. It included a few light options such as muffins, oatmeal, orange juice, toast, milk, and fruit. I was expecting a bit more, although it was adequate not to need to go elsewhere. I thought there would be at least a few hot options.
The afternoon cookie time was a treat after being out in the snow. From 3:30 to 5:30 pm, homemade chocolate chip cookies and hot cider are provided.
The fitness room was sub par and included barely any equipment, and nothing that looked like it was purchased within the last 10 years. That being said, there is a lot of natural recreation in this area, so no point in working out in a gym! As for the sauna, it was already so dry due to the winter weather so we opted to use the hot tub instead.
The game room was nice. Here you will find everything including traditional favorites like Monopoly and Scrabble. Lots of cozy couches and tables are available for your convenience.
We paid $119 for one night in a standard inn room, and also an additional $5 to use the hot tub. Rates range from $92 during the fall value season to $128 for the fall foliage season. Expect to pay more during prime ski season. Check the website for rates based on your intended travel dates.
In addition to the standard 1 bedroom inn rooms, there are also loft suites and cabin rentals.
We lucked out and got the only room which has a gas burning wood stove. The room had a nice rustic feeling too it, but I was still expecting more. More mountain decor for the winter season would have been appreciated.
The walls had nice wood paneling, however, the TV was small and the bathroom was small and outdated. The shower head was very short; Mike is a tall guy and he could barely take a shower. Being 6 foot 4, we run into this problem at a lot of older properties! Outside the window we only had a view of the parking lot. I was hoping for a view of trees, a stream, mountains maybe...but definitely not a parking lot! I recommend paying more for a scenic view, if available.
Merrill Farm Inn was an okay stay for a quick 1 night getaway from Boston. If I was going on a longer trip, I would definitely book a nicer place with better views. Driving around North Conway, I saw a lot of inns and resorts that looked a lot nicer than Merrill Farm.
There are a lot of inns and resorts around North Conway because of the large outlet mall, Cranmore Mountain Resort and the abundance of other winter activities located in the area. This quaint town is a great place to spend a weekend, however, I think you can do better than this inn for the same price. That being said, it is one of the more affordable lodging choices and is convenient to most attractions.
