Best Lodging in New Hampshire | 2016 Editors’ Choice Awards

Wondering where to stay in New Hampshire? We’ve got you covered! Check out our picks for the best lodging in New Hampshire for 2016.

Best Lakefront Cabins: Ames Farm Inn, Gilford Nostalgia rises like mist off the edges of Lake Winnipesaukee where the water meets a quarter-mile of sandy beach and 17 quiet cottages. Five generations of Ameses have tended this idyllic spread since 1890. The lawn would be extravagant anywhere, but on this lake, it’s astounding. You scarcely need more than the inn, restaurant, dock, and mountain views, but just in case, there are movies, karaoke, and ping-pong. The cottages line up like ducklings, porches facing the view. Peace. Rates: $840–$1,825 per week, depending on season. Separate pricing for rooms and apartments. 2800 Lake Shore Road. 603-293-4321; amesfarminn.com Best New Historic Inn: Bellows Walpole Inn, Walpole Colonel Benjamin Bellows, one of the founders of pretty (and today, upscale) Walpole, started building his 14,000-square-foot mansion in 1752, just 1.2 miles from the center of town. Recent renovations have transformed the historic building into a bright and airy eight-room luxury boutique hotel. With a sparkling on-site restaurant and pub, outdoor seating, and tennis courts, Bellows would hardly recognize the place. Rates: from $175. 297 Main St. 603-756-3320; bellowswalpoleinn.com Best Small Luxury Hotel: The Manor On Golden Pond, Holderness Perfect, the way the afternoon sun strikes Isaac Van Horn’s 13-acre summer estate, on a hill overlooking Squam Lake. The manor basks in a golden glow—the same that shone in On Golden Pond, the 1981 Academy Award winner starring Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn, filmed on Squam. Inside, polished wood gleams in the distinctly uncommon “common” areas—pub, library, sun-splashed dining room. Built in 1907 by a wealthy land developer for his bride, today’s innkeepers, Brian and Mary Ellen Shields, continue the romantic gestures with spa treatments, fine dining, and a Wine Spectator cellar. Member “Small Luxury Hotels of the World,” with 15 manor rooms. Rates: from $230. Entrées: from $29. 31 Manor Drive. 603-968-3348; manorongoldenpond.com Best Wilderness Camping: Northern Waters Outfitters, Errol Take a long, deep breath, check your 9-to-5 routine, and jump off the map. The wild beauty of Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge is yours for the paddling, with Northern Waters Outfitters offering canoe camping at several wilderness sites, including near its base camp and school. Canoe the refuge by day; sleep under the stars at night. Or sign up for instruction in kayak touring and whitewater rafting, plus pontoon-boat wildlife tours. 579 Upton Road. 603-482-3817, 603-447-2177 (winter); beoutside.com/umbagog-lake-canoeing-and-kayaking-2 Best Tea Experience: Silver Fountain Inn & Tea Parlor, Dover Bemoaning the lack of manners in the modern-day world? Tea and etiquette are on the menu at Jim and Pam Pigeon’s 1871 Victorian inn in downtown Dover, thanks to input from a “certified tea and etiquette consultant” who can offer instructions over a tea luncheon. If your manners are already spot-on, simply kick back and enjoy this properly elegant eight-guest-room property, with its mahogany paneling, Italian plaster ceilings, and silk wall coverings. Or make a reservation for afternoon high tea and settle in with a cucumber-and-dill sandwich. Rates: from $115. 103 Silver St. 603-750-4200; silverfountain.com Best Lodging Perks: Snowvillage Inn, Eaton Center Peace settles over the Snowvillage Inn like a dusting of snow, and the only distractions are the gorgeous views (Mount Washington), fine dining (Max’s Restaurant & Pub), and pretty rooms. Unless you choose otherwise. This tucked-away inn also knows how to keep its guests well entertained, with an extensive menu of lodging packages running into the dozens. Summer packages include paddling on the Saco River and antiquing in the mountains; in the fall, delve into the mysteries of beer or enjoy “bring a friend” shopping weekends. A perfect complement to all that peace and quiet. Rates: from $139. 136 Stewart Road. 603-447-2818; snowvillageinn.com