Step in Time: A New Look for the Historic Mount Washington Hotel

Stepping back in time differs from stepping into time. The first invites nostalgia; the second asks you to be present. The recent renovation of the 124-year-old Omni Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, does the latter. Carpeting, fabric, murals, new paint, and wallpaper envelop guests in elegance reminiscent of the Gilded Age, while its convivial vibe and updated rooms very much belong to today. The mountains framed in nearly every window (more than 1,200 of them) bring the past and present beautifully into view.

And step into it you must. The walk from the reception desk to the coffee shop through the Great Hall is close to one-tenth of a mile. Nearly double that distance, the veranda stretches for more than 900 feet facing Mount Washington; this cavernous, covered porch and its acres of red-cushioned white wicker invite you to sit a spell. The veranda gives way to porticos, to stairs leading to gardens, the spa, the patio level, and pools, all inviting exploration. Farther afield are trails, stables, the babbling Ammonoosuc River, 27 holes of golf, and, come winter, skiing of all sorts. An elevator eases the way to 200 rooms on four stories in the historic wing, but take the impossibly wide staircases whenever you can for more mountain glimpses, historic photos, chess nooks, and other surprises. Wherever you roam, you’ll pass guests clad in everything from mountain climbing gear to dinner attire, though you’ll note even the most stylishly dressed are sensibly shod, given the inevitable steps ahead. Jackets are no longer required in dining rooms, yet an air of refinement—without the snootiness—remains. The hotel is generous in size and warmth as well as in ideas, both large and possessed of largesse.

A New Chapter for a New Hampshire Grand Hotel

Michael Medeiros, the resort’s managing director, arrived from Pittsburgh’s William Penn Hotel last year, swapping his city wardrobe for alpine chic. He is no stranger to reframing the conversation around historic properties—the European-inspired William Penn Hotel was built in 1916 and became the city’s social and cultural centerpiece. Medeiros also understands the New England market: Prior to joining Omni, he spent nearly 30 years climbing the ranks at Sonesta International Hotels, serving as the longtime General Manager for the company’s Boston property.

Medeiros was tapped to oversee the massive, property-wide overhaul completed in summer 2026, focused on charming a new generation of luxury travelers. He makes sure the natural beauty of Mount Washington’s magnitude is matched by personalized service. Medeiros urges staff to have meaningful conversations with guests and to make room for thoughtful, even extravagant, gestures that reinforce connection. He has been experimenting with offering pasta-making classes, Full Moon dinners, and other learning opportunities as counterparts to skiing and ziplining that make the most of the location and local expertise, creating even more ways for guests to spend time together.

“Astro-tourism is a great example. Only about 20 percent of the world’s population can see the Milky Way with the naked eye. Our guests can step outside here and see it. That’s not something we had to build. It’s something we already have, and we’re finding new ways to turn it into an unforgettable experience,” he says. The bigger vision is simple, he adds: “Make sure this place is still relevant a century from now.” Medeiros says the renovation was a big part of that; “We didn’t want to take a 124-year-old treasure and make it feel like a brand-new hotel. We wanted to bring it forward without losing what people love about it—the history, the architecture, the setting, and that feeling you get when you come around the corner and see it.”

Opened in 1902 by Joseph and Carolyn Stickney (he died the following year; she ran the hotel on her own, later becoming a French princess by remarriage), the Mount Washington was one of two dozen grand hotels that drew summer visitors to the White Mountains for fresh air and stunning views in the early 20th century—more than 50 passenger trains a day made the nine-hour trip from Grand Central Station in New York. Guests came to climb mountains, play tennis and golf, ride, and promenade socially—an early version of getting your steps in—then recover on the veranda.

Bringing the White Mountains Indoors

The original connection between guests and the outdoors is underfoot throughout the renovated hotel. The carpets are works of art, with patterns depicting local flowers, woodland critters, and the changing seasons. Look closely, and you’ll find paw prints in a border, or the hotel’s bamboo-inspired M–W logo worked into a design.

Tonya Grine, senior director of interior design at Omni Hotels & Resorts, wanted the carpets in the common areas to feel connected by a shared sense of place. Many borrow geometry from antique French Aubusson rugs, a nod to Princess Carolyn’s French “connections.” On Stickney Street, an indoor thoroughfare on the patio level with an arcade, restaurant, cellar bar, post office, and store, carpeting follows the seasons through changing trees and wildlife. In the Princess Lounge, a quieter pattern hides animal scenes beneath the room’s more ornate French-influenced surroundings, including a chandeliered ceiling painted to look like a blue sky studded with birds and puffy white clouds.

Grine and her team drew inspiration from the views outside—the green shoulders of mountains fading toward the blue-grey horizon. Florals, plaids, and stripes share space with the occasional leopard print or unexpected geometric pattern. 

Colors in the corridor are moodier, helping to make new soffits along the ceilings invisible; they are hiding the wiring needed to add refrigerators, coffee makers, and USB ports to every room. Guest room hues are softer and calmer, guided by historic woodwork and plasterwork. The designers resisted recreating 1902 but didn’t ignore history. Grine calls the approach “refresh, not erase.” 

One of Grine’s favorite new spaces is Labrador Tea & Coffee on the Great Hall level. By combining what was previously a candy shop and a business center, the space blends French elegance with the outdoorsy spirit of the Bretton Woods location. “It feels historic, local, and a little quirky,” she says. The cabinetry color—a deep bluish green called Parisian Patina, another sign of Princess Carolyn’s influences—creates a bold statement against original white crown molding. Labrador tea is a native plant that grows in the sub-alpine areas of the White Mountains, “but we couldn’t resist playing with the name and added a black Lab to the logo. We’re a dog-friendly company and resort, so, why not?” says Grine.

Not every reminder of the hotel’s well-earned patina is part of a plan. In some guest rooms, the original floors are a little uneven. A nightstand may sit at a slight angle. Grine likes those details that give guests a sense of the years the building has lived, even as they settle into a room made for the moment.

Those slightly sloping floors have carried a lot of footsteps in 124 years—guests bound for the great outdoors, for dinner and conversation, for one more stroll on the veranda. The latest renovation adds another layer of grandeur without covering the tracks of those who stepped here before. At the Mount Washington Hotel, history isn’t something to admire at arm’s length. It is something you walk through, one era giving way to another beneath your feet.

A Closer Look at the Mount Washington Hotel’s Renovation

A Visual Story of the Grand Hotel | Photo Gallery

From richly patterned carpets and refreshed guest rooms to elegant gathering spaces, the renovation reveals thoughtful details at every turn. Take a closer look at the historic hotel’s new interiors in this exclusive photo gallery captured by Yankee‘s senior photo editor Heather Marcus.

Editor’s Note: The Omni Mount Washington Resort hosted our stay, but had no involvement in the editorial content of this article.

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Carol Connare

Carol Connare is the editor in chief of The Old Farmer’s Almanac, which has just released the 2026 edition of its annual collection of horticultural advice and inspiration, The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden Guide (available at store.almanac.com).

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